Samurai vs. Ninja
What is Difference between Samurai and Ninja? Although samurai and Japanese ninjas may look similar, the truth is that there are many differences between them. Both were widely used throughout Japan’s history, but for completely different reasons.
Difference between Samurai and Ninja
Curiously, both the history of the samurai and that of the ninjas have as its origin a historical account. One man, Prince Yamato, disguised himself as a woman and was able to attract two men enough to let their guard down. Once they were comfortable, Yamato murdered the men with a sword. Although the definition of ninja or samurai does not mention female disguise; in both cases the history of Prince Yamato is recognized as the beginning of the way of these warriors.
The samurai warriors were part of the upper class (elite) developed between the Japanese army in the middle of 794 AD these men were seen above all other warriors and the rest of the militia in the culture of Japan. Perhaps the reason for this consideration was the samurai’s adherence to a high code of honor called Bushido; or it might have been the fact that his loyalty was to his master, usually a senior government official.
A samurai is different from a ninja, because a ninja is a low-class mercenary. All this is seen in history in the fifteenth century. The ninjas were not considered elite warriors, but low-class recruits; who were dedicated to render their services to anyone who could hire them.
Both samurai and ninjas were experts in using different Japanese weapons. The samurai warrior was skilled in the use of spear, bow and sword; especially he specialized in the use of the latter. So to distinguish them from the others they are named after these warriors: samurai swords.
Samurai are known to be used for missions requiring rapid and effective motions, as well as for combat in which any available weapon could be used. The ninjas, however, used a different form of attack. They had a special weapon for their attacks: the ninja star. They used this weapon because they were not sent for close combat. They performed their functions in secret and were known for their espionage skills and for the stealth and surprise manner in which they murdered their victims.
Of course, as if these warriors had different tasks and different methods to perform them; his clothes were also different. A samurai, as a high-class warrior, wore full body suits or armor. These suits were made of metal plates that covered their legs, their arms and the torso; in addition, they wore a metal helmet.
Because the ninjas were destined to work secretly and stealthily, they wore a ninja-yore costumes. This equipment was all black and covered his legs, arms and even the head; the only thing that was exposed was the eyes of the ninja. Their coatings had as function, to help them to hide in the night. Some say that in reality the ninjas were fully covered, because they did not belong to the elite, like the samurai.
Samurai and ninjas were different at almost every level. Each was used for a different form of attack, different dress, and was of different classes. However, the origin of both is closely related to the history of the same historical character.
Key differences between Ninja and Samurai
- The samurai were high class and the ninjas were low-class mercenaries.
- The samurai used mostly hand-to-hand combat weapons, while the ninjas used weapons to attack from a distance and in a surprising manner.
- The samurai wore metal suits and armor, while the ninjas were all dressed in black, to go unnoticed in the darkness.