The Demon in the Teahouse

Summary
The first 36 pages in the book, The Demon in the Tea House, are about an adopted fourteen-year-old boy named Seikei. He is adopted by a Samurai judge, Judge Ooka. Judge Ooka is one of the shogun's most trusted officials. his shogun is named Yoshimune. Seikei's trainer is called Bunzo and his theory about being a good Samurai is, "Not watch, but become. Not think, but be." This is the idea with which Seikei is being raised. His first experience of becoming a Samurai is when he travels to the town of Edo (today known as Tokyo). In Edo a fire is burning and women are getting killed one by one. Seikei starts getting prepared for a very educational and exciting Samurai life.

By Iva


Director questions and reactions

1. Who is Seikei? - Seikei is a boy - fourteen years old, adopted by Judge Ooka, is training to become a Samurai.
2. Why is the book called The Demon in the Teahouse? - A fire happens in a Teahouse, and women are being killed.

3.Who is Judge Ooka? Judge Ooka is the man that adopted Seikei

4. Who is Bunzo? Bunzo is Seikei's Samurai trainer, hired by Judge Ooka.

5. Who gets murdered? - a local woman

By Viktor

Samurais-

Samurai is the term for the military nobily of pre-industrial Japan. Samurai's were warriors or armsmen. People didn't just become Samurais because they wanted to. They had to be born to a Samurai or to someone that had relations with Samurais. If you were born to a merchant, for example, you would become a merchant as well, unless you were adopted. Samurais used a range of weapons such as bows and arrows, spears and guns; but their most famous weapon and their symbol was the sword. Samurais were supposed to lead their lives according to the ethic code of bushido ("the way of the warrior"). In 1868, Japan's feudal era came to an end, and the samurai class was disestablished.

By Fabi

Vocabulary

teahouse - a public house or restaurant where tea and light refreshments are sold

shogun - one of a line of military governors ruling Japan in earlier times

momentarily - for a moment

kami - Japanese word for spirits

obi - a sash for a traditional Japanese dress

By Viktor