Bushido, the code by which samurai once guided their lives, became formalized, much like knightly chivalry in Europe when the medieval warrior class became obsolete. A samurai could legally still ...

Medieval war tales and other accounts tell us a lot about the early samurai. Leading warriors were usually mounted archers. Although they carried swords, they valued the bow and arrow over other ...

These values began to develop very informally as early as the ninth century among the samurai warrior class, as various ideas circulated about the characteristics of an ideal warrior. Having ...

Using these visual sources, students learn about the three different periods of medieval Japan. Adding to the visual record of this time period, literature selections bring the voice of the samurai ...