How to survive~The Sengoku Jidai

The Sengoku Jidai; it's one of Japan's most violent eras in its history. Surely, you had to know how to survive this dangerous era.

So, how would you survive the Sengoku Jidai (Japan's Warring Period)? This is what this wiki page will cover.

## How to Survive the Sengoku Jidai?

### If you were a Samurai?

If you were born into a high noble family during this time, chances are you would be a Samurai.

Your training would begin when you are either 4,5,or 6 years old when your father is ordered to bring you to his Samurai Lord (or "Daimyo), and it wasn't only training in combat, but also religious philosophy and other divine beliefs such as your sword being the resting place for your soul.

Once you reach manhood, you would be given your own weapons, which is a Katana and a short sword called a "Tanto" (which is like a modern soldier's main battle rifle and sidearm respectively.), and with this also comes with a great responsibility, it will also be your duty to uphold your loyalty and service to your daimyo, and your Katana (like a modern soldier's battle rifle) would be your "defense against the world", you will always carry your swords with you (which is called "Daisho", much a modern soldier's dog tags or rank stripes) even when you sleep. You would also be trained on how to use projectile weapons such as the bow and eventually the Tanegashima (the Japanese variant of the Portuguese Arquebus).

While out fighting and marching with your daimyo, you will also wear (the iconic) armor of the Samurai. Because steel was needed to make weapons such as Katanas, Tantos, and spears (called Yaris and Naginatas) Samurai Armor was made of iron and brass which made the entire kit very heavy, and wearing it would make you feel 50-80 pounds heavier, and while you're out marching, you had to wear it for sometimes months on end, on horseback and even when you're trying to eat or sleep, and no matter if it's hot or cold outside.

Before a battle, you would have a small drink of sake. This is because the Samurai always had his mindset on death; whether to kill or to die, you must for your lord.

During battle (if you were to survive, that is) and defeated an enemy on the battlefield, you would cut off the head of your enemy, and just throw it somewhere or join the heads of the enemies defeated by your comrades, but if you managed to defeat the enemy Samurai Lord, you would present it to your own Lord as it is proof that an important figurehead of a Samurai clan has been slain in battle.

If you were to unfortunately fail your lord (either lose in a battle or have dine a grievous error) this would be seen as putting shame and disgrace to your family and your family's name, and the only redemption is suicide, a ritual called "Seppuku" (sometimes called "Hara-Kiri") where you would ritualistically disembowel yourself (as in lacing, or cutting, your stomach), while a second would decapitate you (as in cutting off your head) well, not "decapitate" as it would be considered dishonorable and would be quite messy, but leave a thin layer of skin so the head wont roll around the floor.

## If you were a ninja

Much like the Samurai, a Ninja's training would begin during your youth. But unlike the Samurai, the Ninja were trained with espionage as well as battle tactics. They would either fight during the day, or at night. They would wear either a meshed outfit (which is much lighter than the Samurai Armor and allowed for more freedom of movement). You would also use a great line of weapons and other gadgets too, you would use a shorter and lighter version of the Katana called the "Shinobigatana" as well as Ninja Stars (crudely made) a metal-chained whip called the "Kusarigama" and "Tekko-Gami" which can help you climb stone walls.

Ninja fight in the shadows (hence why they're called "Ninja"), but it's not just at night when they can't be seen, but it's also during the day as they would also go in disguise, so if you were doing an operation, you couldn't go with any of your weapons or gadgets (because you're undercover) so you had to use whatever you can get your hands on if things go wrong such as loose nails, or even coins.

### If you were a woman?

Being a Samurai during the Sengoku Jidai wasn't just a "manly profession", even noble women were taught to uphold the ideals of their lord, usually daughters, sisters, and wives of Samurai were trained to protect their father's, brother's, or husband's domain while they're traveling with their Daimyo. Though, not as prestigious or notable like what the men did. But the women were also trained to use certain weapons, but mostly the Naginata. Only at certain times where women would actually lead troops in battle, like Komatsu who protected her family from her in-laws (The Sanada clan) as she ordered her servants to help her in a suit of Samurai Armor and told the Sanadas (especially her husband's father; Masayuki who wants to see her children) to leave.

### If you were a civilian?

Civilians were usually safe since most of the battles took place in the countryside, but there would come the occasion where a castle town was threatened by a rival Samurai clan, during these sieges, the rival clan would use fire arrows to light thing on fire, causing chaos within the town walls, this is something you may have to worry about as a civilian, and sometimes \*if\* the rival clan was able to penetrate the defenses, can also cause a massacre, like the Siege of Osaka Castle (the last battle of the Sengoku Jidai) where civilians inside Osaka was slaughtered, even women and children weren't spared. So maybe you could survive if you just stayed out of the way of the rival clan.

If you were to survive all of that, you can enjoy the peace (which would be difficult since the Sengoku Jidai lasted for over 100 years), but alas it would be under a military dictatorship which was set up by Ieyasu Tokugawa as he would become the "Shogun" (the ruler of Japan in all military and international affairs). But at least you'll inherit a country at peace.

Well, that'll do it for this page. Don't forget to check out my Games and Movies wikis too. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS signing out.