The Samurai

HIS 248 / 248W (Fall 2018)

Tue. & Thurs., 2:00 – 3:15 PM, Classroom: Morey 501

Instructor: Dahpon D. Ho ; dahpon.ho@rochester.edu

Teaching Assistant: Corinna Hill ; corinna.hill@rochester.edu
Instructor’s Office: Rush Rhees 459; phone: 585-275-7869
Office Hours: Thurs. 12:30-1:30 PM, 3:30-4:30pm, and by appointment

SAMURAI

The invincible swordsman, the ultimate warrior. Popular imagery portrays the samurai and their code of
honor (Bushido) as the “soul” of Japan. But who were they, and were they really better than bloody killers?
We will study the history of Japan and of the samurai; and we will also explore how the samurai have
endured as a pop culture icon. Texts, films, and visual materials will critically inform our analysis. Careful
reading and discussion will be crucial to separate the real history from the popular myths.

The driving force is discussion, with little room for lecture time. The value of the course depends on your
active reading, writing, and analysis. Students who do not intend the above are advised to withdraw and go
tackle something more meaningful to themselves. Please respect your own time and that of your peers, or
else the instructor may have to teach you the practice of hara-kiri (ritual suicide).

EXPECTATIONS & GRADING

Your final grade will be based on the following 100 total points:

Attendance & Contribution (1 pt. per class) 25

Four short exams (5 pts. each) 20
Annotated term paper outlines I & II 5
Term paper 30
Research presentation 20

You are required to attend every session and complete the assigned readings before each class. You will also
sign up to be a Lead Discussant once in the term (responsible for opening up the class reading analysis). If
you miss a class, you are expected to make up all missed material on your own time. Students in the “W”
section will have one additional writing assignment.

CLASS PLEDGE
1. No bullshit.
2. Mutual respect.
3. Academic integrity.

REQUIRED BOOKS:
1. Samurai: An Illustrated History by Mitsuo Kure (hereafter: Samurai)
2. Hideyoshi by Mary Elizabeth Berry
3. The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori by Mark Ravina (hereafter: Saigo)
4. Musui’s Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai by Katsu Kokichi (hereafter: Musui)
5. Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, trans. William Scott Wilson
(hereafter: Hagakure)
6. Rurouni Kenshin VIZBIG Edition, Vol. 1, by Nobuhiro Watsuki (hereafter: Kenshin)

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 CLASS SCHEDULE
Note: ** means that the article will be scanned and posted on our class Blackboard.

# DATE MEETING ASSIGNMENT EVENTS

Part I: RISING SUN

01 08/30/18 Thurs Class Introduction Get the books. Make a self- Film: Ancient
introduction slide. Mysteries: Samurai
02 09/04/18 TUE Land of the Rising Sun Samurai: 6-17 Film: Taira Clan
**Duus, “Feudalism in Saga
Japan,” xvii-28
**Sato, Legends of the
Samurai, Part A, 71-92
**Sato, Legends of the
Samurai, Part B, 95-109
03 09/06/18 Thurs Kings, Aristocrats, and Bushi Samurai: 18-38 Film: Kwaidan
**Duus, “Feudalism in
Japan,” 28-52
**Morris, “Yoshitsune:
Victory Through Defeat”,
67-105
04 09/11/18 TUE Mongol Invasions and the Decline of Samurai: 39-53 Film: Samurai—
the Bakufu **Duus, “Feudalism in The Last Warrior
Japan,” 53-72
**Morris, “Kusunoki
Mashashige: ‘Seven Lives
for the Nation’”, 106-142
05 09/13/18 Thurs Things Fall Apart Samurai: 54-72 EXAM 1

Part II: THE AGE OF WAR

06 09/18/18 TUE A World without a Center Hideyoshi: 1-40 Film: Ran

07 09/20/18 Thurs Nobunaga’s Ambition Samurai: 73-85
Hideyoshi: 40-65
**Sato, Legends of the
Samurai, Part C, 232-246
08 09/25/18 TUE Total War: The Sengoku Period Samurai: 142-187 Film: Kagemusha
**Sato, Legends of the
Samurai, Part D, 204-231
09 09/27/18 Thurs Ways of Warfare Samurai: 86-91
**Turnbull, The Samurai
Sourcebook, Ch. 3, 141-196
10 10/02/18 TUE The Genius of Hideyoshi Hideyoshi: 66-131
11 10/04/18 Thurs A New Order Hideyoshi: 131-167 Film: Memoirs of a
Secret Empire

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12 10/09/18 TUE Japan’s Korean War Hideyoshi: 168-241 (END)
Samurai: 92-97
13 10/11/18 Thurs The Tokugawa Bakufu Samurai: 100-129 EXAM 2
**Duus, “Feudalism in
Japan,” 73-95
** 10/16/18 TUE *** NO CLASS *** FALL BREAK ***

Part III: WAY OF THE SAMURAI

14 10/18/18 Thurs Life in War and Peace Samurai: 98-99 Film: Memoirs of a
**Deal, Life in Medieval Secret Empire
and Early Modern Japan, Outline I due
Ch. 4 & 12, pp. 108-130;
340-360
**Sato, Legends of the
Samurai, Part E, 273-286
15 10/23/18 TUE Bushido Hagakure: 9-64 Film: Harakiri
Musui: ix-21
**Deal, Life in Medieval
and Early Modern Japan,
138-149
**Sato, Legends of the
Samurai, Part G, 254-272
16 10/25/18 Thurs Hara-kiri / Seppuku Hagakure: 65-98
Musui: 22-42
**Sato, Legends of the
Samurai, Part F, 249-253
17 10/30/18 TUE Twilight of the Samurai Hagakure: 99-152 Film: The Hidden
Musui: 43-108 Blade
Saigo: 1-42
18 11/01/18 Thurs The Black Ships Hagakure: 153-169 (END) EXAM 3
Musui: 109-157 (END)
Samurai: 130-140

Part IV: THE LAST SAMURAI

19 11/06/18 TUE The Struggle to Survive Saigo: 43-106 Film: Kenji

Misumi’s The Last
Samurai
20 11/08/18 Thurs Overthrowing the Shogunate Saigo: 107-149
**Duus, “Feudalism in
Japan,” 95-98
21 11/13/18 TUE Satsuma Rebellion Saigo: 151-210
Kenshin: 6-85 (Acts 1-2)
22 11/15/18 Thurs Life after Death Saigo: 211-214 (END) Outline II due
Kenshin: 86-150 (Acts 3-5)
**Holmes & Ion, “Bushido
and the Samurai: Images in
British Public Opinion,

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 1894-1914”, 309-329
**Morris, “The Kamikaze
Fighters: ‘If Only We Might
Fall…’ ”, 276-294
23 11/20/18 TUE Ghosts of the Samurai **Morris, “The Kamikaze
Fighters: ‘If Only We Might
Fall…’ ”, 295-334
Kenshin: 151-277 (Acts 6-
11)
** 11/22/18 Thurs *** NO CLASS *** THANKSGIVING RECESS ***
24 11/27/18 TUE Romantic Revivalism Kenshin: 279-499 (Acts 12- Film: Ghost Dog
22)
**Duus, “Feudalism in
Japan,” 99-102
25 11/29/18 Thurs Pop Cult of the Samurai Kenshin: 500-577 (End-of- EXAM 4
Volume Specials 1 & 2) TERM PAPER
[END] DUE
26 12/04/18 TUE Research Presentations # 1-2
27 12/06/18 Thurs Research Presentations # 3-4
28 12/11/18 TUE Research Presentation # 5 Final research
Conclusion: History, Legend, Legacy packages due

TERM PAPER (due Nov. 29)

You will write a substantial term paper of 25 pages (complete with notes + bibliography) that combines your
best knowledge of all of the course materials (including films) to make a thorough analysis of the samurai
in Japanese history, culture, and imagination. The assignment will be fully explained during the term.

Writing is an art and a vital skill. Plan throughout the semester, not at the last minute! To this end, each
student must submit two annotated outlines to be reviewed by the instructor on the dates indicated. These
will help you build towards the final paper and synthesize your notes as the class proceeds.

Advice and critical guidance in academic writing (from brainstorming to polishing a final draft) are provided
by the UR Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program. I strongly encourage you to use these services. One
can make appointments with a Consultant at the main writing office, Rush Rhees G-121, or call (585) 273-
3577. Writing Fellows also offer evening walk-in hours at various campus locations. Visit their website:
http://writing.rochester.edu.

RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS (Dec. 4, 6, and 11)

Here is your chance to teach the class new material and practice research & presentation skills. The class
will break freely into five-member teams, each of which brainstorms potential research topics that go beyond
the scope of this course. Each group will decide its final topic with the instructor’s approval and elect its
own project leader.

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The final product will be a 30-minute in-class presentation by each team. This will consist of a clear and
forcefully delivered lecture supported by images; in addition, a brief film or video clip must be integrated.
You will be evaluated on the quality of the content and presentation skills. All group members must
contribute. Audience members are expected to ask questions and judge each presentation’s strengths and
weaknesses.

At the end, each team leader will submit a package of their representative research and presentation materials
(i.e. notes, bibliography, posters or handouts) to the instructor for evaluation—this includes digital materials
such as a slideshow or video clip. Be sure to properly cite ALL your sources of information.

Alan Unsworth, our History Research Librarian (aunsworth@library.rochester.edu), would be happy to help
you with library resources and research questions.

A brief note about the Hagakure book — silly size stuff!

There is a discrepancy in page numbers between the Bookstore’s “in stock” copy of Hagakure: The Book of
the Samurai (the little Shambhala Pocket Edition) and the page numbers of the standard-size Paperback
Edition that are shown on the syllabus. It is kind of silly, really, because the book is the same text (the
William Scott Wilson translation), but the page numbering is different.

To help you keep things straight, here is a table of page equivalents for the reading assignments:

Syllabus Contents Bookstore

pages "Pocket"
version
(Standard
Paperback)
9-64 Introduction, Ch. 1 xi-104
65-98 Ch. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 105-180
99-152 Ch. 7, 8, 9, 10 181-300
153-169 Ch. 11, Late Night 301-337
Idle Talk

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