TOKYO MASTER BANNER

MINISTRY OF TOKYO
US-ANGLO CAPITALISMEU-NATO IMPERIALISM
Illegitimate Transfer of Inalienable European Rights via Convention(s) & Supranational Bodies
Establishment of Sovereignty-Usurping Supranational Body Dictatorships
Enduring Program of DEMOGRAPHICS WAR on Europeans
Enduring Program of PSYCHOLOGICAL WAR on Europeans
Enduring Program of European Displacement, Dismemberment, Dispossession, & Dissolution
No wars or conditions abroad (& no domestic or global economic pretexts) justify government policy facilitating the invasion of ancestral European homelands, the rape of European women, the destruction of European societies, & the genocide of Europeans.
U.S. RULING OLIGARCHY WAGES HYBRID WAR TO SALVAGE HEGEMONY
[LINK | Article]

*U.S. OLIGARCHY WAGES HYBRID WAR* | U.S. Empire's Casino Unsustainable | Destabilised U.S. Monetary & Financial System | U.S. Defaults Twice A Year | Causes for Global Financial Crisis of 2008 Remain | Financial Pyramids Composed of Derivatives & National Debt Are Growing | *U.S. OLIGARCHY WAGES HYBRID WAR* | U.S. Empire's Casino Unsustainable | Destabilised U.S. Monetary & Financial System | U.S. Defaults Twice A Year | Causes for Global Financial Crisis of 2008 Remain | Financial Pyramids Composed of Derivatives & National Debt Are Growing | *U.S. OLIGARCHY WAGES HYBRID WAR*

Who's preaching world democracy, democracy, democracy? —Who wants to make free people free?
[info from Craig Murray video appearance, follows]  US-Anglo Alliance DELIBERATELY STOKING ANTI-RUSSIAN FEELING & RAMPING UP TENSION BETWEEN EASTERN EUROPE & RUSSIA.  British military/government feeding media PROPAGANDA.  Media choosing to PUBLISH government PROPAGANDA.  US naval aggression against Russia:  Baltic Sea — US naval aggression against China:  South China Sea.  Continued NATO pressure on Russia:  US missile systems moving into Eastern Europe.     [info from John Pilger interview follows]  War Hawk:  Hillary Clinton — embodiment of seamless aggressive American imperialist post-WWII system.  USA in frenzy of preparation for a conflict.  Greatest US-led build-up of forces since WWII gathered in Eastern Europe and in Baltic states.  US expansion & military preparation HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED IN THE WEST.  Since US paid for & controlled US coup, UKRAINE has become an American preserve and CIA Theme Park, on Russia's borderland, through which Germans invaded in the 1940s, costing 27 million Russian lives.  Imagine equivalent occurring on US borders in Canada or Mexico.  US military preparations against RUSSIA and against CHINA have NOT been reported by MEDIA.  US has sent guided missile ships to diputed zone in South China Sea.  DANGER OF US PRE-EMPTIVE NUCLEAR STRIKES.  China is on HIGH NUCLEAR ALERT.  US spy plane intercepted by Chinese fighter jets.  Public is primed to accept so-called 'aggressive' moves by China, when these are in fact defensive moves:  US 400 major bases encircling China; Okinawa has 32 American military installations; Japan has 130 American military bases in all.  WARNING PENTAGON MILITARY THINKING DOMINATES WASHINGTON. ⟴  
Showing posts with label Samurai. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Samurai. Show all posts

June 25, 2016

Planet Tokyo - Asahi Breweries




Planet Tokyo




SAMURAI
[CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE]
 Samurai - Satsuma clan
Boshin War period, circa 1867
[source wikipedia]

Samurai
military nobility & officer cast
medieval & modern Japan
originally 'bushi' (to attend upon)

  • middle & upper echelons of warrior class
  • usually associated with a clan & their lord
  • trained as officers in military tactics & grand strategy
  • followed rules, known later as:  bushidō
  • samurai numbered less than 10% of Japan's pop.
  • their teachings in today's Japanese martial arts & modern life

Kabukimono
or hatamoto yakko
1573-1603 AD
'Strange Things' or 'the Crazy Ones'
from 'kabuku' - to slant or to deviate

composed of:  ronin or samurai
  • or men who worked for samurai families in peaceful times
who formed gangs
ronin
'wave man' - 'vagrant' - 'wandering man'
term originated re serf who fled master's land
later used for samurai who had no master
samurai with no lord or master
Japanese feudal period:  1185 - 1868 AD
masterless from death or fall of his master
(or upon loss of master's favour or privilege)

Samurai
Bushido Shoshinshu  

(the Code of the Samurai)
eg. to commit seppuku
Japanese ritual suicide - disembowelment

  • upon loss of master
one who chose not to honour code was on his own
meaning:  to suffer great shame

Ronin, like other samurai, wore two swords
also carried bo (to 6ft staff), & walking stick (yumi)
weapons, depend on ryu (martial arts school they are from)

in Edo period
shogunate rigid class system & laws
large increase in ronin
in prior ages, samurai able to move b/w masters
& have occupations
could marry b/w classes
but in Edo period samurai were restricted
forbidden another master without master's permission

samurai could not legally take up a new trade
looked for other ways to make living with swords


ronin who sought steady employment became:

  • mercenaries
    guarded trade caravans; or
  • bodyguards for merchants
Others became criminals, highwaymen, or joined organised crime
  • served as hired muscle for gangs, gambling rings, brothels, protection rackets
  • petty thieves, muggers
  • thugs, bullies, cutthroats, vagrants
Kamakura & Muromachi periods
warriors held lands that they occupied
whereas, ronin was warrior who had lost lands
small-scale wars in Japan in this time
opportunities for ronin to serve new masters

Later Edo period
bond between lord and samurai was loose
some left masters & sought new lords
many served a succession of masters
some even became daimyo (powerful feudal lords
dai 'large' - 'myo' for 'myoden', private land
subordinate only to Shogun
most powerful feudal rulers 10th Century to mid 19th Century

Shogun
general - ie military commander
hereditary military dictator in Japan 1192 to 1867
shoguns were de facto rulers of Japan
although nominally appointed by Emperor as formality
held almost absolute power over territories, via military means
shogun's office or administration = shogunate
known as 'bakufu' = tent office / government
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shogun

kabukimono
flamboyant dress, vibrant colours
short kimonos with light weights in hem
velvet lapels
wide obi (sash)
elements of European clothing

or women's kimono used as cloaks

kabukimono
uncommon hairstyles & facial hair left to grow long



 katana




katana
traditional Japanese samurai swords
curved, single-blade, slender, circular or squared guard
long grip to accommodate two hands
thrust in belt-like sash (obi)
victory depended heavily on fast response times
sharpened edge facing up
intended to: strike target in a single motion
usually paired with smaller companion sword
pairing is known as: the daishō
only samurai could war daishō
representative of: social power and personal honour of samurai
companion swords: smaller wakizashi
traditional Japanese sword cases = koshirae
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katana


Kabukimono
or hatamoto yakko
1573-1603 AD


fancy hilts
large square tsuba
rounded or squared grip on sword
round thing that would probably steady the grip / it is at base of sword grip, before blade
look like a big button with a hole in the centre (for the sword)
have pretty, ornate designs


red scabbards, longer than normal

  • scabbards are sword holders
  • they're beautiful - many different designs, depending on culture
some kabukimono (ronin or samurai)
extremely long kiseru as weapons
kiseru = Japanese smoking pipe
traditionally used for smoking kizami
finely shredded tobacco resembling hair
rod with metal ends, extremely long kiseru could be carried as weapon
status symbol for the owner, elaborately engraved
commoners were prohibited to carry sharp weapon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiseru

  • often very violent, rude
  • cutting down people to try a new sword
  • incidents of violence common
  • eg. in cities Edo & Kyoto
  • wrestling & dancing in streets common 
  • fighting with other gangs at night

thought modern yakuza originated from groups of kabukimono


others believe yakuza origins in:  machi yakko (private police)


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimyo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%8Dnin


Bushido
'the way of the warrior'
way of samurai life
anologous to concept of chivalry in Europe
samurai code of conduct

  • frugality
  • loyalty
  • martial arts
  • mastery
  • honour until death
Bushido from Neo-Confucianism
influenced by Shinto & Zen Buddhism
allowing violent existence of samurai to be tempered by wisdom & serenity
developed: 1500s to 1900s
possibly dating back to 10th Century


Nabeshima Naoshige
daimyo of Hizen
1538 - 1618
proved himself in battle
1570 assisted Takanobu at Saga Castle
which was surrounded by 60,000 Otomo clan army
versus Naoshige only 5,000
suggested night raid on enemy camp & successfully routed them
inherited position from Takanobu (on death)

"... it is shameful for any man to die without having risked his life in battle, regardless of rank ..."

Seppuku
(stomach cutting)
Japanese ritual suicide / disembowelment
originally reserved for samurai
part of bushido honour code
  • either voluntary, not to fall into enemy hands (torture)
  • or as capital punishment for serious crime or bringing shame/dishonour
  • performed as part of elaborate ritual before spectators
plunge short blade (tanto) into abdomen
from left to right, slicing abdomen open
ritual standardised 17th century
prior to standardisation, ritual much more painful
on standardisation, kaishakunin ('second') appointed
duty of kaishakunin to behead the ritual suicide agent at moment of agony
kaishakunin is called 'kaishaku' ('nin' is person)
suicide ritual agent spared prolonged death

ritual is preserved in modern martial art:  iaido
ritual varies, depending on fencing school
all have steps in common:
1.  sit or stand close enough with katana to strike
2.  if seated, movements are ritualised
3.  when samurai performs seppuku he returns tanto dagger back to its place

kaishakunin
uses katana to strike back of neck
of dying samurai

Katana double handed grip for:
  • precision & strength to cut
  • must be precision controlled, cutting only half neck of samurai
Intent to:
  • leaving skin to hold head attached to body
  • in single slash of katana
Kaishakunin
slowly, silently shakes blood on blade of katana
movement known as:  chiburi

katana returned to scabbard (movement called noto)
while kneeling towards samurai corpse
remains kneeling position as sign of deep respect to samurai
in state of zanshin (total awareness)
before standing & bowing to samurai corpse

Execution
Seppuku - some rituals no disembowelment
just movement of dagger, stick or fan across stomach
followed by beheading
kaishakunin then becomes execution & seppuku becomes beheading
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaishakunin


jigai = suicide

modern Japanese for suicide:  jisatsu

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabeshima_Naoshige

[ALL SAMURAI INFO FROM WIKIPEDIA]



Last Samurai
Samurai Class Abolished 1867




I'm liking all this samurai stuff. 

It seems brave and admirable, but I don't think I'd make a good samurai. 

I couldn't do the seppuku and I'd probably run away if attacked, but it must be really exhilarating to handle beautiful weapons quickly and effectively.

Not sure how much samurai info I'll remember.  Don't yet have a feel for Japanese. The names of things are difficult for me.

But I'll remember:   katana.


Normally, I don't drink (even socially) ... which is just as well, because alcohol and me is not a good mix.

Felt like I drink today, when I saw one being cracked open.  Looked inviting, and I like bubbles. 

Having an Asahi Breweries beer (apparently, one of 4 largest Japanese brewers, founded in Osaka in 1889).  

Tastes very light, even to a non-drinker.  Nice, though.  
I'd planned to watch a heap of videos, but I'm not sure I can catch up with everything I want to watch.

Attention span isn't what it should be; I can only handle small bits of info ... and I like pictures a lot.  LOL

Dinner's easy, so it doesn't matter if I wind up pissed:  Thai Chicken Green Curry pre-cooked (frozen).  Just need rice and it's good to go after defrost and heat, and dollop of my fabulous home-made yoghurt.