The belief in a protective divine shield—as well as in Zen Buddhism, which allowed soldiers to overcome their fear of dying—became essential to the samurai way of life. The warriors believed ...

Scholars believe that a samurai-turned-Zen-monk named Yamamoto Tsunetomo dictated its contents to a disciple, who later compiled his teacher's sayings into 11 volumes. Here, savor words of wisdom ...

Musashi also studied Zen, calligraphy painting and the tea ceremony while in Kumamoto. Some of his drawings and calligraphy are on display at the museum. A samurai tea ceremony can be enjoyed in ...

But the Samurai's role in Japanese culture is much more complex than that. They were deeply engaged with Zen Buddhism and Noh Theatre, and sponsored haiku poetry. After their role in Japan's ...