Samurai - 2-hour special

net1

UK Premiere on The History Channel on Monday 12 January at 9pm


Timed to coincide with the launch of Tom Cruise's latest movie - The Last Samurai (due in cinemas 9 January on) comes a special documentary from A & E Television - Samurai.

The samurai were the members of the military class, the Japanese warriors. Their importance and influence grew during the Heian Period (794-1185) when the powerful landowners hired them for the protection of their properties. With the opening of Japan to the West in 1853 the Samurai way of life was threatened.

This new programme will look at the Bushido (way of the warrior) lifestyle, the training that was involved and their place in Japanese society, and ultimately their demise.

Shot on high definition video this programme will take Peter Woodward to Japan to train in the art of the Samurai. It will look at the amazing way of life for these warriors and how their spirit still lives on in Japan today.