Samurai Training for Kids
Samurai training for kids was a tradition for centuries in Japan. Kids as young as 5 years old were sent into the woods to train to be the best warriors. A samurai was trained in skills that included combat and character building. Through a series of grueling training sessions, candidates learned how to perfect the art of war under the astute guidance of the "daimyo," or master. The word "samurai" in Japanese means "those who serve." This is what samurai candidates were taught: to be loyal to their master and to serve their community, even with their lives.
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History
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Samurai training for kids has its roots in ancient Japanese culture. A sword is believed to be the soul of the samurai, and as soon as children who were to become samurai learned how to walk, they were sent away to "ryu," or training camps, in the woods to gain further understanding about that belief. At the ryu, the children were trained in various forms of combat and taught how to respect, love and honor their master---daimyo---up until the time of the master's death.
Significance
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Samurai training for kids was an integral element of Japanese culture, as it laid down the very foundation of their being. This training taught them how to appreciate their culture and master and how to follow the "bushido," which is the traditional samurai code that stresses honor, self-discipline and bravery. In the absence of samurai training, kids would often wonder aimlessly without purpose and meaning in their lives. The hard-core training, often 16 hours at a stretch, with meditation breaks in between, taught them how to perfect the art of war and be prepared at all times for an attack.
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Membership
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In ancient Japan, the daimyo did not charge a fee for his tutelage---the knowledge he imparted was considered too invaluable to society. However, there were different ryu for kids from different families. The more affluent kids went to more sophisticated camps, while the others went to training ryu far away in the village. These kids didn't have to make monetary payments---they were trained to be willing to pay with their lives if necessary.
Skills Training
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Samurai training for kids was designed and programmed in a specific manner to build certain skills. The program aimed at building combat skills, as well as integrity, character and unquestioned devotion to the master's honor. In addition, the teachings of bushido concentrated on archery, horsemanship and use of the spear.
Programs
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Apart from working on skills like sword fighting and archery, samurai also worked on their knowledge and chivalry through various other exercises. Today there are a number of modern schools available that impart lessons in calligraphy, ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement) and haiku (Japanese poetry) to ensure overall training of a modern samurai. Most boys love to learn the oft-forgotten way of the bushido---the way of the warrior and the honor code of the samurai.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit samurai girl image by Paolo Frangiolli from Fotolia.com
