The focus of this article is NOT whether Yasuke was considered a samurai during his time. Instead, this article focuses on whether Yasuke is considered a samurai in today’s Japan.
The following quote from a Japanese historian named Naishi Masahiko 乃至政彦 explains what samurai means in the context of Yasuke’s legacy. Naishi has published numerous books on the Sengoku period, which is the historical period Yasuke is from.
Quote Source: https://sengoku-his.com/2470
“Although I don’t see any concrete evidence that prove that Yasuke acquired the status of shibun 士分, I would like to point out that Japanese people generally accept calling Yasuke a samurai. This is because he fought heroically for Lord Oda Nobunaga in the hopeless battle that was the Honnō-ji Incident. To Japanese people, Yasuke is more of a samurai than those with the status of shibun who didn’t act like samurai. You can see this by examining how Yasuke is portrayed in Japanese dramas and games. In NHK historical dramas, Yasuke is always portrayed in a heroic and samurai-like way. In games like Nobunaga’s Ambition and Samurai Warriors, Yasuke is playable as a samurai. In Japanese, samurai is not just a formal status; it is also an honorary title. Japanese people call people who demonstrate amazing heroism samurai. This is why many modern Japanese people call Yasuke a samurai.”
Shibun is a formal rank that qualifies someone as samurai in status. Naishi argues that there is not enough historical evidence to suggest that Yasuke had that rank. Some historians disagree with the idea that being a samurai during Yasuke’s time required a specific rank and argue that the definition of samurai was very fluid at the time.
Despite arguing that Yasuke might not have possessed shibun, Naishi points out that the word samurai as understood by Japanese people today does not only refer to those who had formal ranks. Samurai is also commonly used as an honorary title for heroic warriors who served noble purposes. Since Yasuke guarded his lord loyally during a deadly battle, he qualifies for the honorary title of a samurai.
As someone fluent in Japanese, Naishi’s explanation of the meaning of samurai is consistent with my own understanding of how the word is used in Japanese. If you do a quick Google search using “弥助 侍” (“Yasuke samurai”), you will see that many modern Japanese sources refer to Yasuke as a samurai. Examples:
https://www2.nhk.or.jp/archives/movies/?id=D0009051309_00000
https://www.huffingtonpost.jp/entry/yasuke_jp_5cfa225de4b06af8b5069109
https://mainichi.jp/articles/20220512/k00/00m/040/250000c
https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1130282271858152192
Although no historical record from his time specifically called him a samurai, he fits the modern understanding of what a samurai was, so modern Japanese sources naturally call him a samurai. Even if Yasuke didn’t have the formal rank, the fact that he was a salaried armed retainer who loyally fought for a lord in a seminal battle means that calling him a samurai is consistent with how the word is usually used in Japanese today.
In conclusion, although whether or not Yasuke possessed the formal rank of a samurai is debated by historians, he fits the general definition of a samurai as understood in Japanese today and many Japanese people have no problem calling him a samurai. There’s a lot of recent attempts to take away this honorary title from him due to racial controversies surrounding his appearance in Assassin’s Creed, so it’s important to clarify that Japanese people have been calling him a samurai with no problem before he became a target of racial attacks. By denying him the title, it’s not just about saying that he didn’t have the formal rank. In Japanese, samurai is an honorary title to commend someone’s heroism regardless of formal ranks; if you deny him that title, it can be seen as an attack on his character and legacy.
Support us with a one-time donation: https://buymeacoffee.com/japanmediareview
Tired of learning about Japan through Western interpretations? Japan Media Review translates Japanese media to show you what Japan is really talking about.
Bluesky Social: @japan-media-review.bsky.social
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JapanMediaReview
Exclusive content on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/JapanMediaReview
