Feudal Japan and the Samurai
Samurai warriors served daimyo lords under a shogun.
About this topic
Japan's emperor stayed a symbolic figure in Kyoto while real power passed to military leaders after the 1100s. In 1192 Minamoto no Yoritomo became the first shogun, ruling from Kamakura, beginning the shogunate system, in which regional lords called daimyo held land and commanded samurai warriors loyal to them. This resembles European feudalism, with land exchanged for service.
Samurai followed bushido, the way of the warrior, which valued loyalty, honour, courage and self-discipline; they fought with bows, swords (katana) and armour, and some practiced Zen Buddhism. Failing in honour could lead to seppuku, ritual suicide. Peasants farmed rice, and merchants ranked low. Japan beat back Mongol invasions in 1274 and 1281, helped by storms the Japanese called kamikaze, divine winds.
A century of civil war, the Sengoku period, ended when Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and finally Tokugawa Ieyasu unified Japan, and the Tokugawa shogunate (1603 to 1868) brought peace, strict class order and isolation from most foreigners. In peacetime samurai became administrators and scholars. A misconception is that all samurai were ninja-like fighters; most were bureaucrats later. The Meiji Restoration of 1868 ended the system.
Key ideas
- Bushido code
- Shogun held real power
- Kamakura and Tokugawa shogunates
Quick check
Use cases: where Feudal Japan and the Samurai helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Feudal Japan and the Samurai before you start a problem set.
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Studying the past helps explain today’s politics, borders, cultures and institutions.
Frequently asked questions
What is Feudal Japan and the Samurai?
Samurai warriors served daimyo lords under a shogun.
What will I learn in Feudal Japan and the Samurai?
Bushido code. Shogun held real power. Kamakura and Tokugawa shogunates.
Is Feudal Japan and the Samurai part of World History?
Yes. It is one of 80 World History topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Feudal Japan and the Samurai lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Feudal Japan and the Samurai?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
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