Warrior Spirit

CIEE students traveled to the Kyoto's Samurai and Ninja Museum to learn about the fascinating history of Japan's two famous warrior groups: samurai and ninjas.

From the samurai's sense of duty, to the ninja's ingenuity in developing tools of resistance, students learned about what it took to "make the cut" in these rather different society of warriors.

While it might seem like light-hearted trivia on the surface, the traditional ways of Japan certainly influence the continuing spirit and ways of thinking of the modern Japanese. So it's good for our American students to understand this history, to better understand how the cultural values of their home and of Japan have been shaped differently.

Japanese warrior of the past threw themselves fully into both their duties and into battle, when necessary. Certainly a fighting spirit (i.e. a will to persevere) is also invaluable in learning a new language and navigating a new culture, so we hope that our adventurers apply these lessons in their continued efforts for success in learning!