Shimazu Yoshihisa’s childhood and rise to power Yoshihisa was born in 1538, the son of Shogun Ieyasu. The young Yoshihisa was placed in the care of the abbot of Kennin-ji Temple, who educated him until he was eleven years old. At sixteen years old Yoshihisa became a Buddhist monk and […]
Who is Honda Tadakatsu? He is one of the most famous and popular samurai in the Sengoku Jidai period. Honda was born in 1548 and became a samurai based on his father’s wishes. His father’s wish for Tadakatsu to be a successful samurai was fulfilled as he served under two […]
Hattori Hanzo is regarded as the most famous Japanese Samurai ever. He survived numerous battles and was one of the few Samurai to excel in both military and literary arts. Hattori Hanzo was born into a low-rank Samurai family in 1541. At the age of 18, he became part of […]
Samurai warriors in Japan in the 16th century were among the most elite in the world. They were preeminent warriors, expert swordsmen, and dedicated followers of honor and loyalty. The life of a samurai was not easy, but it was certainly interesting. This article will explore what they wore, what […]
Who is Miyamoto Musashi and why is he so well-known? The most well-known samurai in Japanese history, Miyamoto Musashi is famous for his mastery of the Japanese sword arts. Born in 1584 to a farming family, Musashi was orphaned at age 13. He petitioned to train as a swordsman and […]
Introduction to Japan’s Greatest Samurai General Tokugawa Ieyasu was a Japanese feudal lord, shogun, and military dictator who founded the Tokugawa shogunate that ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868. Ieyasu was born in Okazaki Castle and his father’s side claimed descent from the Taira clan and Emperor Seiwa (850-880) while […]
Masamune-dono’s Early Life and How He Became a Samurai Warrior Masamune-dono, or Date Masamune, was born on October 22, 1567. His father was “Date Terumune” and his mother was “Mikawa Ujiko”. He became the first daimyo of the Sendai Domain in northern Honshu. The Date clan had been very successful […]
Who is Takeda Shingen? He was born in 1521 to a peasant family who lived near the city of Nagoya. Takeda Shingen was a Samurai who lived from 1521 to 1573. He was from Kai province and he eventually became the head of the Takeda clan. His father died when […]
Toyotomi Hideyoshi was one of the three great unifiers of Japan, along with his former lord, Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu. He rose to power by exploiting a flaw in the shogunate system. He was able to make his mark on history because of his instrumental role in bringing about […]
Oda Nobunaga was a 16th-century samurai who is revered for his contributions to the unification of Japan. Nobunaga was born in 1534 in one of the most powerful clans of samurai, the Oda clan. His father, Oda Nobuhide, had served under two shoguns (rulers) before he died when Nobunaga was […]
