The "soul of the samurai" was his sword, especially this long, slightly curved type
This long sword was said to represent the soul of the samurai and 
only they ... of the Sengoku period (late 15th16th centuries) as it was slightly 
shorter in... [DOC] [TLE] Bushido: The Soul of Japan (The Way of the Warrior Series): Inazo ... [PAR] Editorial Reviews.