Bushido 武士道

The Way of the Warrior

Bushidō (武士道, “the way of the warrior”) is a moral code concerning samurai attitudes, behavior and lifestyle, formalized in the Edo period (1603–1868). There are multiple types of bushido which evolved significantly through history. Contemporary forms of bushido are still used in the social and economic organization of Japan. Bushido is also used as an overarching term for all the codes, practices, philosophies and principles of samurai culture. It is loosely analogous to the European concept of chivalry, but there are major differences.

The bushido spirit exists in Japanese martial arts. Modern bushido focuses more on self-defense, fighting, sports, tournaments and just physical fitness training. While all of these things are important to the martial arts, a much more important thing is missing, which is personal development. Bushido’s art taught soldiers the important secrets of life, how to raise children, how to dress, how to treat family and other people, how to cultivate personality, and things related to finances. All of these things are important to be a respected soldier. Modern bushido is guided by eight virtues:

Gi	義	Righteousness
Rei	礼	Respect
Yu	勇	Courage
Meiyo	名誉	Honor
Jin	仁	Compassion
Makoto	誠	Honesty
Chugi	忠義	Loyalty
Jiseu	自制	Self-Control