History of Ronin Technologies

The company was founded in the fall of 1997 by myself, Paul Rimmer, providing the engineering expertise, and Helen Rimmer, looking after the books and other financial aspects. When the company was started in 1997, I left behind the benefits and comfort zone associated with working for a large company. This transition from working for someone else to being self employed was analogous to the feudal Samurai leaving or losing his master and becoming a Ronin. And so the company was named "Ronin Technologies".

Where does the name come from?

During the Japanese Tokugawa period, "Ronin" was the name given to all bushi and samurai who did not serve a particular master, either because the master had died or because his lands had been confiscated. The name, Ronin or "wave men," (ro = wave; nin, like ninja = person) was termed because they were cast from a secure niche, onto the waves of change. When the Bushi master directed his student to "do ronin," it was meant as a spiritual trial of becoming an individual apart from the group. A number of these Ronin became martial arts teachers or began some other job which was compatible with their samurai status. Some became scholars, some monks, and others mercenaries.

By far the most famous are the 47 Ronin who are buried at Sengakuji Temple on the south side of Tokyo. Their Lord Akano was insulted by Lord Kira while they were both in the shogun's palace in 1701, and Lord Akano drew his sword in outrage. It was a capital offense to draw one's sword in the shogun's palace, so Akano was obliged to commit seppuku (the formal term for ritual suicide; hara-kiri is the slang term meaning belly-slitting). His 47 samurai secretly vowed to avenge him. They withdrew their allegiance to their Lord's surviving family so as not to endanger his family and to throw Kira off guard - thus becoming Ronin. A year later they attacked Kira in his Tokyo stronghold, overcame his men, and killed him. They took his head to Akano's tomb at Sengakuji Temple, where it may remain yet. Then they turned themselves in to the authorities, who were sympathetic but demanded their suicide. All 47 complied and are buried with their master. The youngest was the 15 yr old son of the Ronin leader; the oldest was over 70. The final address of the Ronin leader to his comrades before their mass suicide is said to "move all who read it to tears".