Samurai of Culture is a short documentary that takes viewers on a journey through the hidden culture of the samurai in modern-day Kagoshima, Japan. Join host Alex Bradshaw, a 20-year resident of Kagoshima, as he uncovers the fascinating and unknown aspects of the samurai’s legacy.
From the art of Jigen-ryu swordsmanship to the exquisite Satsuma ware pottery, the haunting melodies of Satsuma Biwa, and the stunning gardens of Sengan-en, viewers will be transported into the hidden world of samurai culture that lives on in Kagoshima today.
With expert interviews and breathtaking footage, this documentary showcases how these cultural traditions have been preserved in Kagoshima and continue to inspire modern-day Japan.
Samurai of Culture also operates as a cultural tourism programme based on the authentic traditions of the samurai passed down over hundreds of years from generation to generation.
Travel to Kagoshima and join us in experiencing the samurai culture of the Satsuma domain as it survives today. Find out more at the link below.
Produced in association with the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan
Life is strange it only takes one chance encounter to change our destiny born and raised in England I was captivated by the unfamiliar culture and tradition I saw in that video that day I found myself drawn to it and before I knew it I was on my way to
Japan 20 years have passed since then I have found that I too have become a practitioner of Samurai Culture one thing I’ve learned from living here for so long is the depth of the culture and tradition that the samurai created over a period of 800 years they created an incredible Legacy however the stereotypical image of a fearsome Warrior hides a deeper and more nuanced reality the beauty and
Elegance of authentic samurai [Applause] culture in fields’s verus architecture Landscaping Ceramics art and music the more one learns the more we see that the samurai were genuine people of Culture join us as we discover the Hidden Side of the Samurai and explore their cultural Legacy hello my name is Alex Bradshaw it’s been nearly 20 years since I moved from the UK to Kashima Japan my job is to introduce the history and culture of the Samurai that still lives on here in kagoshima to visitors from overseas now kagoshima is a builtup modern
City but up until 150 years ago it was a castle Town bustling with Samurai hidden in between the modern buildings you see behind me the samurai culture of old still lives on join me on a journey to discover the true culture of the Samurai as I gain exclusive access to the traditional
Culture that lives on here and the Masters who still teach it today sanen is a stately home landscape Garden world heritage site and a landmark of kagoshima Samurai culture it was built 350 years ago for for the shimazu clan the powerful feudal Lords who once ruled this Area in the house where successive generations of Lords lived we find arts and crafts highly valued by the samurai class the shimazu clan ruled over the land and people of kagoshima for 700 years in the far south of Japan a unique Warrior culture emerged honed through generations of
Tradition what did culture mean to them and why did they value it so Much the legacy of the shimazu family continues to this day I spoke to the 33rd head of the shimazu family For right For one of the shimazu family’s most prized cultural assets was satsa mware pottery the brilliant Ceramics of satima also enraptured the world when they were exported to Europe in the late 19th century this is the 420 year-old chin jukan Kiln it was here that some of the world’s most extraordinary Ceramics were
Created at one time this was the only place in the world to make white earn Weare SATs aware represented the PIN of craftsmanship in Kagoshima The Potters that worked here were brought from the Korean Peninsula to Japan to create white tea bowls for the shimazu family to use in the Tea Ceremony under the patronage of the shimazu family intricate open work fine painting of Japanese motifs and other techniques were created allowing SATs aware to evolve Uniquely the pieces created here were for use only by members of the shimazu family satare was a unique treasure intended for use only in the highest Circles of Society I spoke to 15th generation ceramist chin jukan whose family have been carrying on the legacy of satare for over 450 Years Ch That Fore Next I visited one of the oldest remaining shrines in kagoshima founded 1,200 years ago kagoshima Shrine is a sacred place where successive generations of shimazu family Lords worshiped yamatoshi serves as the chief priest here he is also a practitioner of an essential part of kagoshima [Applause] culture SATA founded hundreds of years ago and played exclusively by the samurai class who plucked the strings precisely and struck the instrument’s body intensely while [Applause] singing the unique and Powerful form of Music they created deeply reflected the emotions and spirit of the Samurai Warriors of [Applause] Satan satwa is characterized by its deep and meaningful lyricism For For Let’s listen listen to an excert of satwa that characterizes the cultivation of mind and heart the samurai of kagoshima thought so Necessary Foree We have taken a journey through the arts and crafts that Define the cultural Samurai of kagoshima our last stop is the reason I chose to move to kagoshima all those years [Applause] ago the school of swordsmanship known as jenu jenu is a practical style of swordsmanship created over 400 years ago
Highly secretive and taught only in the confines of kagoshima it has been passed down from generation to generation in the toor [Applause] Family jenu incorporates an esoteric Buddhist Meditation practice called a as strong and determined individuals members of jenu placed great importance on maintaining a clear and focused mind the founder of jenu too Chui taught his students the techniques and mentality of swordsmanship and the importance of living life as a moral
Person adding value to Society I spoke to my teacher and the 13th generation Headmaster ofu to for For For kagoshima developed a genuinely unique Samurai culture over hundreds of years I discovered that for the samurai learning the martial and Cultural Arts was to become a well-rounded individual who could serve Society with distinction for those of us living in modern society today we may think that
Samurai culture is irrelevant to us but in fact by practicing the culture of the Samurai we can learn about posture we can learn about our breathing we can learn about attention focus and also discipline as well these things are extremely core vital skills to our daily
Lives and work and can help us improve on ourselves on a daily basis the traditional culture of the Satsuma Samurai has the potential to be a transformative experience for your life so please come to kagoshima experience the actual culture practiced by the samurai hundreds of years ago which has
Been passed down through the generations over hundreds of years and hopefully you will find inspiration for your life and your goals going Forwards
1 Comment
Well done!!