july 12 1876
i have been hired to help suppress the
rebellion of yet another tribal leader
apparently this is the only job for
which i am suited
so who will we be training your boys to
fight
i am beset by the ironies of my life
his name is katsumoto moritz
he is samurai the word in my teeth
[Music]
in spring the snows will melt and the
pastures will open
until that time you are here
why are we having these conversations
what do you want from me
what do you want for yourself
1876 i continue to live among these
unusual people
i am their captive and that i cannot
escape
they are an intriguing people from the
moment they wake
they devote themselves to the perfection
of whatever they pursue
i have never seen such discipline
i am surprised to learn that the word
samurai means to serve
and that katsumoto believes his
rebellion to be in the service of the
emperor
what does it mean to be samurai to
devote yourself utterly to a set of
moral principles
to seek the stillness of your mind and
to master
the way of the sword to know life in
every breath
every cup of tea every life
we take the way of the warrior
life in every present that is
pushed up there's so much here that i
will never understand
i've never been a church going man and
what i have seen on the field of battle
has led me to question
god's purpose but there is indeed
something
spiritual in this place and though it
may forever be obscure to me
i cannot but be aware of its power i do
know it is here that i have known my
first untroubled sleep in many years
for 900 years my ancestors have
protected
our people i have failed them
so you will take your own life shame
shame for life service
discipline compassion
the way of the samurai is not necessary
anymore
necessary what could be more necessary
there was once a battle in a place
called thermopylae
300 brave greeks held off a persian army
of a millionaire
[Applause]
[Music]
man can't change his destiny angry man
does what he can
until his destiny is revealed i will die
by the sword
my all or my enemies and let it be your
enemies
when i took these you were
my enemy
they say japan was made by a sword they
say the old gods took the coral blade
into the ocean
[Music]
japan was made by a handful of brave men
warriors willing to give their lives
what seems to have become a forgotten
world
honor you have your honor
[Music]
left me there with mine
[Music]
i have dreamed of a unified japan
our country strong and modern
but we cannot forget who we are
or where we come from
tell me how he died i'll tell you
how he lived the perfect blossom is a
rare thing
you could spend your life looking for
them and it would not be a wasted life
[Music]
perfect there