6. Honor (Meiyo)
Honor (meiyo) was the invisible armor every samurai wore, compelling them to maintain a spotless reputation. The fear of shame or disgrace was so great that some warriors chose seppuku—ritual suicide—to restore lost honor or atone for failure. This unwavering devotion to reputation mirrors the codes of honor in other warrior societies, such as the European knights. For the samurai, a life without honor was considered a fate worse than death.
