Itsuo Okada, better known as “Joe Okada”, is the only living samurai left from the Showa era (preceding the current era). Yes, the last samurai is not that foreigner from the Tom Cruise movie. Now, jokes aside, we all know that real samurais have not existed for 150 years, since the Meiji Restoration. In fact, Okada only became a “samurai” after he started practicing the art of handling the katana.
This is because, unlike an authentic samurai, Okada was not born into a clan that was part of that caste. Itsuo Okada, 88, has been working as a tour guide for over 50 years in Kyoto province. He not only works as a tour guide but also as an English interpreter and entertains tourists with his performances using his katana.
Get to know the life journey of this “last samurai”:
Youth and early career of Okada
As mentioned before, Okada did not come from a samurai clan, as he was born at a time when that caste was already extinct. He first worked at a fire station when he was 20 years old; however, he always wanted to become a tour guide. To become one, he would have to learn English. Thus, he went to the United States for 8 months. Not to study in a school, but to work as a driver and learn English in his daily life. It was there that he adopted the nickname “Joe.”
In 1962, with his English skills and tour knowledge, Joe passed a certification exam. Thus, he became a licensed guide. He first worked with a travel agency but ended up becoming self-employed in 1968, and it was at that time that “Samurai Okada” was born.
The emergence of a samurai
Apparently, many of his clients thought that samurais still existed and really wanted to meet one. Samurais disappeared a long time ago, of course. But still, Joe wanted to give his guests at least a glimpse of the tradition. That’s why he started practicing the art of katana and became the last samurai.
Since he became a “samurai,” he performs many tricks with the sword. His show really entertains many people. Moreover, Joe Okada can teach katana skills in about five hours, according to the rules of Guinness.
Another program he offers if you join his tour is the 5-hour walking tour in Kyoto. You will visit and explore some famous places in Kyoto. Places like the Kyoto Imperial Palace Forest, Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, and the Shuseuitei garden.
The last samurai Okada says he intends to continue as a guide until he is 90 years old. So don’t miss the opportunity to meet him when visiting Japan. To conclude the article, let’s leave a video of Samurai Okada:
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