Matsu gempukku

In the Matsu Family the gempukku ceremony is not a time of celebration and joy, like in other families in [[Rokugan], but one of trial. The Matsu gempukku is the time where a samurai must prove his worth to the family and clan, rather than to be aknowledged for his previous accomplishments. Like other aspects of the Matsu, their gempukku ceremony is harsh, rigid and unforgiving, but it is also a great honor, for those who survive can count themselves among the greatest warriors the Empire has to offer.

The gempukku is a series of tests, each designed to showcase and test a particular part of the samurai's character. The initial tests are martial in focus, and are said to be the easiest to pass. They often involve reciting passages of Akodo's Leadership from memory, or demonstrating a working knowledge of at least twenty weapons. Other tests may include the quartering of pomegranates before they hit the ground, or some other means of testing the samurai's skill with a katana.

To test the samurai's endurance, he is struck repeatedly, upto 400 times, with a bamboo rod. Although these blows will leave no permenant markage, they are incredibly painful, and drain the reciever's stamina. The Matsu is expected to remain concious and upright throughout every blow - failure results in dishonor and sepukku.

The next test involves the samurai's wisdom, patience, and his ability to set aside his own earthly desires for the good of the Clan. He is placed in a room surrounded by plates of steaming food, wherein he must fast for three days. At the end of these three days, he is given a bowl of gruel, which he must completely consume and lick clean, all the while surrounded by delicious meals. In doing so he shows he will never take from the Lion more than he is due.

The final test is also regarded as the most harsh. A white hot poker shaped in the Matsu crest is pressed into the samurai's skin, forever branding them a Matsu. Although the process only lasts a few seconds, the pain lingers on, and expressing any discomfort will result in the samurai being forced to commit sepukku.