Heian

Kyoto 1000CE

Time travel. That’s the most weird and exciting experiences I had in my life. It feels like all your cells have separated and your body and soul are together but not completely composed. Then a wind blows into your mind and here you are in the era of the unexpected.

Here I am Year 1000 in the capital of Japan, Kyoto. I was told that it is called the “Heian Period” or “Heian Jidai” in Japanese. When I researched, it literally means the period of harmony and peace. My mission is to find a Samurai and interact with them.  But...in the period of peacefulness, can I find a Samurai?

Perhaps they are training and meditating with in the quietness and getting ready for the battle. But what battle? Is there any conflict in this era? This is going to be an interesting visit.

As I was walking down the street, I see people here and there wearing Japanese traditional close “Kimono” but less expensive one I suppose. I find them dirty and not as appearing compare to the people I saw from Manga or Anime. You can really tell that they are surviving everyday life. But really distinctly, I see armored people who have bows and arrows mounting on the horses. Who are they?

I asked one of the local and they said that they are the warriors who have the skills to use arrows and knows how to mount the horses. “What about their swords? Are they Samurai?” I asked. But they are confused with the term Samurai, and laughed at me when I mentioned swords. Apparently bows and arrows are the most preferred weapon for the these warriors and there is no such term as Samurai.

Then my body start to do the weird thing again and here I am year 1100CE (said FBS2100) and seeing the completely different sight of Kyoto. Apparently now I am in the palace or castle called "Heian Kyo". People here are different, they dress much nicer, cleaner, and seems to be more educated...Some are writing poems, others are drinking tea. I must entered the area of riches and there are such a differences between the city and palace. 

It seems like there is a family called Fujiwara family is currently ruling the country. He used his daughters and married them to the imperial family in order to make him royal and gain power and authority. That would make him the aristocrat and the warrior of Mimamoto family. Interesting. I thought Samurai are their own masters. 

The aristocracies were looking down on the warrior classes regardless of how much fortune they had. This Minamoto family seems to be also quite fortunate since their masters are the aristocrats, however they were never seen as equal status.

The Minamoto family had a rival family, Taira family: They are the one who served for the Imperial family. How ironic that even though the Imperial family are related to Fujiwara family, they are the enemies of each other….

But the main point is that the Samurai did not existed in this period just yet. No Katana (Sword) or fighting all the time….. Heian period is the time that people still struggle with life unless you are in the higher status of aristocrats or imperial family who lived in the Palace.

Then I went back to where I am year of 2012...as if it was all a dream. Dream of enlightenment and illusion.