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samurai (Page 12)

Kamon kamon kamon kamon…branding? Pumps to bring out your inner feudal warlord

Fran W
Jun 8, 2014
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Japanese family crests (or kamon), have been passed down through the generations for centuries, although these days they’re mostly seen in the patterns of kimono or the logos of sushi restaurants, as well as on flags and armour. Kamon are circular, often featuring animal or plant motifs.

These family crests have found a new home now, though – as logos on cute shoes! These kamon pumps, from an Ikebukuro-based cosplay store, use the actual family motifs of four armoured generals (“busho” in Japanese) from the Sengoku period, to make up this new feudal warlord series. We do love it when Japan combines old and new!

Japan
(crest • fashion • kamon • mon • pumps • samurai • Tokyo)

Surreal samurai art exhibition mixes the historical with the bizarre

Cara Clegg
Jun 3, 2014

The Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art is located in Yamazaki, a place of historical significance in Japan since medieval times when it served as a field of battle for Toyotomi Hideyoshi to avenge the betrayal and murder of his lord Oda Nobuaga. The museum is currently hosting an exhibition that pays homage to the samurai of those ancient times, in a very modern and surreal fashion.

Japan
(art • Japanese art • Kyoto • samurai • Tetsuya Noguchi)

Detailed explanation of Japanese armor?!? Show me!

KK Miller
May 30, 2014

An extremely exciting part of Japanese culture that can be felt even in the recesses of modern Tokyo is its history with bushido: the way of the samurai. There were morals and rules and a strict code of honor that samurai followed and are even in this day still referred to for answers and strength.

But bushido is only a part of what makes a samurai a samurai, with another huge aspect being the look. A man in armor said as much about being a samurai as the practice of Bushido did. The name and place of every piece of armor is certainly daunting, but a very easy-to-understand illustration has surfaced on the Internet, and we are happy to report it’s in English!

Japan
(armor • gusoku • interesting • samurai)

“The Man Who Was Slashed 50,000 Times” gets his first starring role in upcoming film

Master Blaster
May 23, 2014

Since the 1950s, Seizo Fukumoto has been a fixture of seemingly any Japanese production involving samurai. However, you probably wouldn’t recognize his face as he tends to be given the role of “guy who gets killed.” Although he has occasionally taken work outside of period pieces, his constant roles as “soon-to-be-dead guy #2” has earned him the industry title: The Man Who Was Slashed 50,000 Times.

Having enjoyed a long and bloody career in cinema slightly off center-stage, Fukumoto has finally been given his chance at a starring role in Uzumasa Limelight, a new film hitting Japanese theatres this summer.

Japan
(Chihiro Yamata • movie • samurai • Seizo Fukumoto • Uzumasa Limelight)

Amazing photography from the 1860s shows us some of Japan’s very last samurai

Casey Baseel
Apr 28, 2014

Between the way Japan has embraced technology and just how incredibly safe the country is, it’s easy to forget that it really wasn’t so long ago that the whole nation was still under the feudal system. Until 1868, “samurai” was still very much a viable career choice, as the ruling shogunate relied on a trained warrior class to keep the peace.

How much the traditions of Japan’s fabled swordsmen live on in Japanese society today is something scholars love to debate, and while there are points to be made both for and against their importance, there’s one thing that unquestionably remains, and that’s photography of real-life, genuine samurai.

Japan
(cool • culture • history • photos • samurai)

Video proves 19th century samurai and Japanese ladies have elegance all wrapped up

KK Miller
Apr 2, 2014

Have you ever looked at the current crop of Johnny’s and female idol groups streaming out of Japan and thought that their high energy hair styles and in-your-face costumes were a little genki for your tastes? Have you ever wondered, “what would they look like as samurai or geisha?” Look no further than this video showcasing the style and class of the 19th century!

Take a look at the video after the jump and see what the rest of the world thinks of Japan’s stoic idols.

Japan
(bakumatsu • geisha • Meiji • samurai • video)

Cup Noodle commercial reveals that the samurai still exist, love idol music

Preston Phro
Mar 31, 2014

The samurai are one of the most enduring icons of Japanese culture. While anime, manga, and Godzilla are obviously all huge parts of popular Japanese culture that have received attention overseas, the old-school warriors continue to fascinate people of all ages and nationalities. Unfortunately, the real samurai haven’t existed for quite some time, and we’ll never get to see them in action again.

Or will we?!

Internet, Japan
(commercial • Cup Noodle • funny • samurai • wtf)

Revealed! Japan’s top 10 handsome samurai【Photos】

Fran W
Mar 11, 2014

Posed portraits in history textbooks can all look the same after a while. Formal clothes, dark to create enough contrast for a black-and-white photo; stiff posture because old cameras required the sitter to be still for at least a few minutes; no smiling, in case the photo blurred. It’s no wonder students love to embellish the illustrations in their textbooks with creative graffiti.

Luckily for us, Japanese site Bakumatsu Gaido, an online guide to Bakumatsu, the Edo period’s final years (1853-67), is on hand to liven things up with a light-hearted look at the samurai with the best-chiseled features, sharpest dress sense and most awesome photo poses. Join us after the jump for Japan’s top 10 ikemen (cool, good-looking) samurai, plus a few bonus selections of our own!

Japan
(bakumatsu • cool • handsome • ikemen • Japan • samurai)

Samurai Vodka’s bottle design is a cut above the rest

Master Blaster
Jan 31, 2014

Back in 2009 an interesting design for a bottle of Samurai Vodka was posted on Behance, a website where graphic artists and designers can showcase their works. More recently, it was picked up by a Reddit user, thus sending the clever design by Arthur Schreiber viral around the world. And quite frankly it deserves to be seen in all four corners.

Global, Internet
(bottle • design • samurai • vodka)

Singapore “samurai” faces up to five years in jail after swinging sword on subway

Philip Kendall
Dec 18, 2013

It’s all happening on Asia’s trains this week, isn’t it? According to Southeast Asian news sources, a man dressed in “samurai” garb faces up to five years in prison and “flogging” after jumping the ticket gate and then brandishing a full-length samurai sword on board a busy subway train on Monday this week.

SE Asia
(crime • news • samurai • sword • train • wtf)

Learn about Japanese history with cute smartphone samurai warrior cats!

Oona McGee
Dec 9, 2013

Earlier this year, we brought you news of cute earphone jack puppies, perched atop owners’ smartphones in a number of irresistibly cute poses. Just when we thought things couldn’t get any cuter, the company behind the adorable animals announced an update to the series with an extraordinary litter of samurai warrior kittens.

If you like your cats with a side of history, this could be the most perfect gift you could ever wish for.

Japan
(cats • cute • history • iPhone • samurai • smartphone)

Last Samurai Caught on Video on a Train in Arizona, Rescues Passenger Being Beaten

Master Blaster
Nov 1, 2012

On a late night light rail train in Phoenix, Arizona on what authorities believe to have been October 6, a man rescued another passenger from a fight by wielding his samurai sword towards the assailants.

The incident was caught on video and uploaded to YouTube. None of the parties involved have been identified and the police are currently investigating.