What were Ronin?

Ronin (Masterless Samurai) have become a very iconic image of old Japan, yet much of their identity has been romanticized over the years. In this video we dive in and discuss the fascinating truth about what Ronin really were.

This video is done in collaboration with "Samurai and Ninja History" and "Sengoku Studies戦国研究" Check out their lower Samurai videos!

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Sources Used:
"Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan" by William E. Deal
"A History of the Samurai" by Jonathan López-Vera
"A History of Japan" by R.H.P. Mason and J.G. Caiger

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Music:
"Groove with the Wu" by Jesse Gallagher

Artwork and Images:
A Samurai Portrait of Okabe Motonobu from the "Nobunaga's Ambition" Series (property of Koei Tecmo).
Classical art, which in most cases can be considered public domain.
Art from Osprey Publications.
Other modern artist renditions and photos, if you see your work in this video please contact me so that I can give you proper credit!

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Social Media:

#Samurai #History #Japan

[SengokuStudies]

The term rōnin also made its way into normal Japanese life to mean a "drifter". Back when it was the norm for a salaryman to work for the same company from (essentially) college graduation to retirement, someone who left a company (at least without starting their own business for immediately going to another company), and had to re-enter the job market were called rōnin. As far as I am aware, still to today the term rōninsei 浪人生 is used to describe a student who, for one reason or another, did not take or failed entrance exams for school, but plans to (re)take it the following year.

[agxryt]

Ghost of Tsushima depicted ronin surprisingly well and humanely - as something akin to unemployed mercenaries - hungry, homeless, fallen from grace. It's defined in a way that's undeniable: a skilled tradesperson, without a job

[Al-waqwaq]

As a Japanese,
Two years ago, I was Ronin.
Now, Ronin means people who failed college entrance exam prepare for next year's entrance exams

[forrix]

My lord, a glorious victory will soon be yours!

[jimross]

A really good explanation of the term Ronin. Not all Samurai were master warriors. Like any profession some possessed skills or knowledge that was transferable to professions where they could earn a living and did so. However, some were just skilled enough to be part of the organization (clan), and when the clan ceased to exist they were just a person who was minimally skilled at a profession that was no longer in demand. For those Samurai life was very difficult.

[theuniverse]

I'm glad you talked about one of the most misunderstood roles in samurai history

[KTheStruggler]

As a veteran who is having a tough time after getting out. I will be referring to now as my Ronin era

[rty]

In Japan, when you fail entrance exams for highschool or college, you become a Roninsei or Ronin student.

[chvlk]

Took me years to realize Samurai Jack was a Ronin 💀

[hachimanjiro]

Rōnin - "wave man" - to be as the flotsam and jetsam that is carried aimlessly by the waves, wandering without purpose.

[Belgand]

One of the modern comparisons could be to Rambo in _First Blood_ . A veteran soldier who has since become a drifter. Someone who is seen primarily as a pest and a threat.

[onii-chandaisuki]

'A Fistful of Dollars' was a unofficial remake of 'Yojimbo', after all.
So much so they got into legal trouble for it.

[NickonStark]

Basically the Japanese equivalent of a hedge knight. A trained soldier without stable employment, living paycheck to paycheck.

[Emily-mc]

I’m so excited for this one! Thank you so much for covering this topic. Your channel has helped me so much. Thank you.

[TairyuShakuhachi]

A lot of the christian Ronin are really interesting too. Also the entire class of Komuso, ex ronin gone basket wearing monks. Japanese history never has a dull moment. Unless you were a Heian nobel women.

[Jon.A.Scholt]

Glad to see this channel still creating great content even we've (or channel I should say) made it through the Sengoku Jedai.

[TheManFromWaco]

Don't forget the famous "ronin" Godai Yusaku, who was forced to live in a rowdy apartment complex while studying for university entrance exams, but did manage to eventually marry the building's beautiful, widowed manager in the end.😉

[JiggaMan]

In the case the 47 Ronin I would definitely say it was loyalty to their Lord. I also think samurai loyalty was mainly towards their direct Lord more than anything else.

[lukeskywalkerthend]

I always loved Ronin, but quite a bit of what I learned hear was very surprising to me. But what I love so much about history is that it can always surprise you, especially when there is a term or event from it that has entered the mainstream culture and becomes popular and you want to know more abut it, and it becomes so much more interesting and complex as a result. Thanks for another awesome video, Shogunate! :)

[metalmonkey]

I can remember a very unusual way the term Ronin was used. One of the first manga I ever read was Ken akamatsus Love Hina in which main protagonist Keitaro was labelled a RONIN for being in a limbo state between high school and college for a couple of years. I'm assuming that the term was used due to the supposedly aimless and directionless nature of the unfortunate young people who got slapped with it? Feel free to correct me I just thought it was an interesting use of the term.