Haiku and Samurai Death Poems

(from medium.com)

The haiku is one of the most recognizable poetry forms in the world. It consists of seventeen syllables arranged in three lines: five syllables, seven syllables, and five syllables again. Many people, poetry enthusiasts and laypersons alike, know that haiku is a Japanese form of poetry. However, the history and cultural legacy of haiku are also important to consider. This applies even more when speaking about the Edo period — the era in which haiku became a revered form of poetry.

Haiku has its roots in the 13th century with an older form of poetry called renga. Renga was a much longer style of oral poetry that was often a hundred stanzas long, also composed syllabically. The opening lines of these poems were known as haikai or hokku. In the 16th century, these opening lines broke away to become short-form poems in and of themselves.

As a general rule, haiku describe a brief moment in time, usually with significant nature symbolism. These poems often incorporate provocative and colorful images and are meant to leave the reader with a sense of enlightenment. The ideal haiku can be read in a single breath and imparts great insight.

The haiku form was often used for death poems, which were written by samurai and other literate people just before their deaths. Here’s an example written by Matsuo Basho (1644–1694), famed 17th-century haiku poet:

On a journey, ill: My dream goes wandering Over withered fields.

Tabi ni yande Yume wa kareno o kakemeguru

Haiku will be one of the poetry forms featured in Tale of Ronin. The samurai class was expected to be educated and well-studied in literature and other scholarly pursuits, including poetry. Even the most destitute ronin players meet on the road may be able to compose a haiku on the spot.

https://medium.com/@taleofronin/haiku-and-samurai-death-poems-7ace71aa2288

Seiza sitting

 

This way of sitting is called “seiza” in Japan. This style of sitting is required for traditional Japanese events and formal ceremonies today. In fact, samurai and ninja generally did not sit this way long time ago. Because seiza does not allow you to move quickly. It means that it takes time to move to standing and attacking movements. However, to put it the other way around, Seiza indicates that there is no intention to attack. Therefore, it is said that subordinates began “seiza” in front of the shogun and high-ranking samurai from someday. Today, it has become a common way of sitting in formal situations in Japan.

However, seiza is difficult if you are not used to it. If you come to Japan, you don't have to force yourself to do seiza. Don't worry, it's not rude if you can't do seiza. 

Ronin: the Unemployed Samurai

from medium.com

The samurai is one of the most iconic figures in Japanese history, but the ronin is one of his only rivals. Ronin, meaning “wave man,” refers to masterless samurai who were no longer retainers serving a daimyo. Although warriors had served daimyo — and lost them — during most of Japanese history, ronin were especially prominent in the years between 1168 and 1868. Tale of Ronin takes place during the early Edo period, when it was very easy to become a ronin… and very difficult to become a retainer again.

During the Sengoku period, Japan had been in a state of near-constant warfare. This led many daimyo to gather large numbers of retainers for safety and conquest. However, the birth of the Edo period meant the end of that turbulent age. Daimyo no longer needed so many retainers, so being hired as a samurai became difficult. At the same time, the Tokugawa Bakufu reduced the territory of daimyo families and outright abolished many of them. This created a massive population of wandering ronin.

Ronin were still considered samurai by the Edo period’s standards, meaning that they could legally kill people and were permitted to carry swords. But they lacked the stability of a clan, a fief, and, most importantly, a lord to serve. In a time when the samurai code of Bushido was being made into a comprehensive system of ethics, ronin were left to wander across the land like waves. Although the ronin has been mythologized as a one-man army carving his way through impossible battles, actual ronin often didn’t fare well in the changing world. Many of them were poor, feared, and utterly alone.

https://medium.com/@taleofronin/ronin-the-unemployed-samurai-ec9240f7063

Daniel’s Crane Kick In Cobra Kai Season 5 Has A Deeper Meaning

by Ari Kagan on screenrant.com

The Cobra Kai season 5 finale saw Daniel LaRusso use his famous crane kick for the first time in decades, but there was a deeper meaning behind Daniel bringing the kick back than might be thought. Daniel's use of the crane kick against Cobra Kai sensei Terry Silver is one of the strongest callbacks to the Karate Kid films and manages to be one of the show's best payoffs. The usage of the crane kick was the perfect way to conclude one of the greatest fights in the franchise.

When Daniel LaRusso used the crane kick against Johnny Lawrence in The Karate Kid, it was a conclusion to their original rivalry. With it being used to defeat Silver decades later in Cobra Kai, it put an end to Silver's schemes for now and saw the Cobra Kai students turning on their sensei. Terry Silvers's Cobra Kai plan failed, and he was then sent to prison with "a litany of charges" against him. While it's unknown what the future holds in store for Cobra Kai, season 5, episode 10 "Head of the Snake" feels like a perfect culmination and ending to the Karate Kid saga, even if it also sets up more storylines for season 6.

The crane kick may not be a move one could use in a real fight, but in the Miyagi-verse, it's one of the best that can be used against an enemy. Using the kick in The Karate Kid made LaRusso a well-known local figure in his community. When he gets trained by Terry Silver for his second tournament in The Karate Kid Part III, Silver mocks the fight move by saying Daniel can't "rely on that crane crap" and that Mike Barnes is a tougher opponent. He also mentions that Daniel using kata would be a waste of time and that it wouldn't win him the tournament. Of course, LaRusso proves him wrong by using kata against Barnes and defeating him in the tournament. This also helped him end Terry Silver's schemes in The Karate Kid III. After Silver puts Daniel through the wringer in season 5 of Cobra Kai, Daniel eventually fights back and uses the crane kick against his enemy. This not only calls back to Daniel's original crane kick, but it helps him prove to Silver that he could rely on the kick as well as using Silver's teachings against him. It's also a nice subtle reference to Miyagi knocking Silver into glass during their fight in The Karate Kid Part III.

One of the biggest highlights of the Karate Kid franchise is Daniel LaRusso using the crane kick for the first time in the original film. Ralph Macchio has stated on numerous occasions that he saw many people attempting the move after watching the film for the first time in theaters back in 1984. The Crane Kick may be an illegal move but it made the films and Cobra Kai more popular than they might have been otherwise. Part of this is thanks to Daryl Vidal, who invented the kick. Vidal appears in The Karate Kid as a tournament fighter, but he came up with the move knowing Daniel would have to fight on one leg. Additionally, he was Pat Morita's stand-in when Mr. Miyagi performed the kick on a stump on the beach.

The crane kick is arguably the greatest symbol of The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai. There is various merchandise sold that depicts the crane kick, and Cobra Kai even has in-universe references as to how popular the move really is. Johnny Lawrence even attempted a counter to Daniel's crane kick in case he used it during their fight in season 4. It's a part of pop culture history and is one of the largest aspects of The Karate Kid's ever-lasting legacy. 

https://screenrant.com/cobra-kai-daniel-crane-kick-terry-silver-explained/?utm_campaign=Echobox-SR-FB-P&utm_medium=Social-Distribution&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3IZTC-buAIwtOrDTyD6b8H6ayT-cZ3yHF_JxljVz8JPR7XNlzQ-32k72E#Echobox=1663532886

Going to watch Ghost Dog tonight!

First day of autumn.

Its a tradition now to always watch Ghost Dog on the first day of autumn. If you've seen the film you'll know why.

If you haven't seen the film you should watch it to find out.

Its a great movie, for the most part. I never got the whole thing about the guy that speaks only French, all the scenes he is in kind of throw the movie off a bit in my opinion.

But otherwise fantastic.