Bushido which literally means Way of the Warrior is a code that has greatly influenced the culture and people of Japan. Developed in Japan between the Heian and Tokugawa ages (9th - 12th century) Bushido was the code of the Samurai. In Bushido: The Soul of Japan Inazo Nitobe explores how the influence of the ancient code of Bushido has had such a lasting effect on the culture and traditions of Japan.