How to Become a Samurai

The noble warriors of feudal Japan continue to fascinate admirers the world over. But just because their era has passed doesn’t mean you can’t still become a samurai today. It takes tremendous commitment and may alienate friends and family, but the path of bushido demands no less. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Daimyo (a feudal lord)
• Daisho sword set
• Copy of Bushido: The Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe
• Copy of The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi

1. Find a daimyo, or lord, to swear fealty to. A samurai is nothing without a master to serve: some greater entity to which he may dedicate his life.
2. Train. Learn the tenets of warfare and the use of various martial arts. Educate yourself in poetry and cultural refinements. Understand the use of force and the strict tenets guiding when and where it may be applied.
3. Devote yourself to the seven virtues of bushido: gi (rectitude), yu (courage), jin (benevolence), rei (respect), shin (honesty), meiyo (honor), and chugi (loyalty). Strive to embody these virtues in all that you do.
4. Swear fealty to your lord in a formal ceremony. You lord will convey your daisho swords to you, which you wear with honor as a symbol of your rank. The larger sword is called a katana and the smaller sword, a wakizashi.
5. Obey your lord in all things. Strive to do right by him and serve the tenets of honor through your duty to him. This does not mean blindly following his instructions, however. If you disagree with your lord, strive to persuade him of your point of view with every means available, but be prepared to obey his commands should your efforts fail.
6. Protect those who are incapable of protecting themselves.
7. Treat others with courtesy and respect. Answer force in kind, but do not seek conflict where it can be avoided.
8. Live frugally and do not indulgence in excessive pleasure. Rather seek those rewards which money cannot purchase.
9. Exercise self control and learn to guide your reactions instead of letting them guide you.
10. Allow no other to touch your swords, for they are the symbols of your status
11. Contemplate your actions before reaching a decision. When you have determined a course, do not hesitate, but follow through with conviction and certainty.
12. Prepare yourself for you own death. It may come in battle or at the behest of your lord (who may demand your life in payment for a failure or dereliction of duty), but when it comes, you must meet it head-on. Meditate a little each day on the subject and accept the certainty of its eventual arrival.

Tips & Warnings

• Daisho may not be legal in some states or territories. Consult your daimyo before wearing them in public.
• Seriously, don't wander around wearing samurai swords. The cops frown on it.