Are The Samurai The Savages?

It is 1876 and I have been sent to Japan to observe the way of the Samurai. The Samurai, which means “to serve”, are a well trained army set on fighting against industrialization in Japan. They use old techniques and practice extreme honor to serve for their emperor. When I was sent here I was told the Samurai were savages. However after spending time with them I am beginning to question who the real savages are, the people trying to change their world or the ones trying to protect it. I have seen that the Samurai practice meditation and believe faithfully in their duty to serve the emperor. They believe the emperor is a living god and would give their lives to protect him. When living their daily lives the Samurai act nothing like the savages they are said to be. They allow women freedoms that would not go unpunished back in America. The Samurai are very respectful of their officials and the people around them. When entering a home the Samurai remove their shoes in order to keep things orderly they, I have never seen that be done in America. The Samurai spend most of their time training and perfecting their art. They still use traditional armor and swords. The rest of Japan is changing; the use of newer more powerful weapons is rising. Japan knowing the Samurai have outdated weapons still intend to fight them, surely resulting in a slaughter of the Samurai. Japan also calls on us to supply them with more destructive and powerful weapons such as cannons and machine guns. To call the Samurai savages is hardly fair, what makes them the savages? My time here has made me realize that the Samurai are simply defending what they believe in, what they think is right. People claim that going against the emperor like the Samurai is wrong of them. However if the Samurai’s job is to protect the emperor and believing industrialization is harmful to the emperor then wouldn’t it be wrong not to fight it? The Samurai have had meetings with the emperor trying to stop the change so the war could be stopped. Japan however is set in their road to industrialization and refuses to be slowed down. Not stopping a war against your own countries prized and honored army makes Japan look more like the savages to me. The Samurai go by the code of bushido, which means “way of the warrior”. Bushido is the ethic code that they live by and they follow it completely. Already the young children of the Samurai villages are training to be great warriors. Although the Samurai knew the other army had more powerful weapons they stayed true to their ways and didn’t modernize. The Samurai never question the right thing to do, once they are told they follow through even if it they could lose their life. They believe in karma and meditate in temples in the village. Each person practices a trade that is necessary for village life. The women care for the children and the houses but have more say than the women living in America. The Samurai have been called the savages. They are said to be cruel and merciless warriors. During my visit to their village I have seen the way they live. They show respect and kindness to me, and I see the respect and honor they have for each other. Though they may be some of the best warriors in my visit I have seen nothing that would lead me to call these people savages.