Episode 18: Samurai: Myths and Truths

The samurai were the Japanese military caste, renowned for wielding the katana. Emerging in the 12th century, over the years these warriors were engaged not only in the profession of arms, but also in bureaucracy and public administration. Samurai followed a code of honor, bushido, and were generally highly cultured. However, they also constituted a ruling class in Japan and, in many cases, perpetrated abuses against the lower classes.