Shadow of the Samuri

Samurai warriors were an elite force in Japan's provinces, they were recruited by local chieftains, these fighting forces were maintained long enough to wage a specific war, after which the soldiers would return to their lands to till the soil

Training of a samurai began in childhood. Samurai school was unique training the mind and spirit as well as combination of physical training, Chinese studies, poetry and spiritual discipline were all encompassed in the education programme. The young warriors studied Kendo and the moral code of the samurai, and Zen Buddhism. Samurai were expected to live according to Bushido, the Way of the Warrior, a strict ethical code that emphasised loyalty to one's master, respect for one's superior, ethical behavior in all aspects of life and complete self-discipline. It is little known that girls also received martial arts training, most samurai women did not fight on the battlefield but prepared to defend their homes against invaders.

Samurai warriors took great care styling their hair, which they pulled back into a topknot called a chomage when not wearing helmets, they pulled the side and back hair into a topknot. Which brings me to today's shot

I was wandering at lunchtime when I spotted this young man, in particular his hair pulled back into a top knot and I thought if I shot him in profile and cropped the shot to a head a shoulder it would be nice, it was a single shot, hit or miss and when I saw the frame I thought it was too nice to crop, I like d the shadows he cast and with the leaf shaped shadow appearing to point to him I decided to keep it as was, if you view it in large you will see the top knot pulled back as if for battle, I suspect the only battle today was that of navigating the crowds of the style mile..

I hope you enjoy the shot in large