Bushido is a the moral code for warriors in Japan, specifically samurai, it concerns attitudes, behavior, and lifestyle. Some forms of it still exist contemporarily in modern Japan. It is somewhat similar to chivalry in Europe, but only very lightly.

Etymologically, Bushido is a Japanese word that means “the way of the warrior”. As “bushi” means warrior, and “do” means way. Even though bushi is used nowadays similar to samurai, in medieval Japan, samurai are nobility while bushi are simply soldiers.

Bushido values frugality, loyalty, mastery of the martial arts and honor. It was first developed in the Kamukura period in Japan, and was refined a lot especially throughout the Edo period. It’s birth consisted of an amalgam of Confucianism, and Zen Buddhism, which itself is composed of Shinto and Buddhism. There is no central authority on Bushido and is instead interpreted differently throughout time and clans. The honor of Bushido governs the style of combat a samurai is engaged in as a duel between two warriors. However, this code has some obvious disadvantages. For example, it put the Japanese at a disadvantage when the mongols invaded as the Japanese is not used to multiple opponents attacking at once.