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The Samurai (warrior). A fearless, honorable, facinating, yet dangerous force. The samurai knew one thing and one thing only, to live and die by the sword for the sake of their emperor and the well being of Japan. As we all know everything in this world has laws and rules. In the samurai's case, they had a code. A code of honor to do whats right no matter what the cost... even if that meant thier own death or worse, thier families. This code was called the Bushido or the way of the warrior. The Bushido was not written nor was it needed to be. It was in all essence simply a way of life handed down from generation to generation. Now the term to live and die by the sword means what it sounds like. The Samurai trained day in and day out in the martial art of Kendo or the way of the sword. And when the time came where they, the samurai, recieved the honor of protecting the emperor they gladly went to war and died. If a Samurai was ever about to be taken as a POW, to retain their honor they would take their sword and kill themself so they would still die by the sword. In Japanese culture, dying in war was the best death a Samurai could ask for as well as their family.