Bushido was the code of honor of the samurai, members of the hereditary warrior class in Japan. Bushido means the way of the warrior. Bushido emphasized such traits as self-discipline, obedience, and bravery. These values became standard under the Tokugawa shogunate, a military government that ruled Japan from 1603 to 1867. Bushido is often compared to chivalry, a code of behavior associated with European knights during the Middle Ages (see Knights and knighthood (Chivalry)). Important Bushido virtues included courage, courtesy, justice, mercy, and morality.
Above all, a samurai prized personal honor and total obedience and loyalty to his lord. A samurai did not fear death, only dishonoring his lord. Bushido required a dishonored samurai to die by seppuku. In this ritual, also known as hara-kiri, the samurai took his own life by disembowelment (removal of internal organs). By engaging in seppuku and facing death without fear, a samurai would regain his honor and standing. In the tradition known as junshi, samurai took their own lives to follow their lord into death.
Bushido included principles to guide a samurai’s personal development. Warriors were expected to master martial arts and strategy, but also such cultural skills as music, painting, poetry, and scholarship.
