Samurai

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Samurai (侍、さむらい) were soldiers who served as retainers to lords (including daimyo) in Feudal Japan.^[1] During the Edo Period, they came to represent a hereditary class.^[2] Samurai existed from the late 12th century until their abolition in the late 1870s during the Meiji era.^[3]

Following the passing of a law in 1629, samurai on official duty were required to practice daishō (wear two swords).^[4] Samurai were granted kiri-sute gomen: the right to kill anyone of a lower class in certain situations. Some important samurai and other figures in Japanese history wanted others to believe all of them engaged combatants using bushido codes of martial virtues and followed various cultural ideals about how a samurai should act.^[5]

Although they had predecessors in earlier military and administrative officers, the samurai truly emerged during the Kamakura shogunate, ruling from c.1185 to 1333. They became the ruling political class, with significant power but also significant responsibility. During the 13th century, the samurai proved themselves as adept warriors against the invading Mongols. During the Sengoku Period, the term is used broadly for soldiers who served as retainers to the diamyo. During the peaceful Edo period, 1603 to 1868, they became the stewards and chamberlains of the daimyo estates, gaining managerial experience and education.

In the 1870s, samurai families comprised 5% of the population. As modern militaries emerged in the 19th century, the samurai were rendered increasingly obsolete and very expensive to maintain compared to the average conscript soldier. The Meiji Restoration ended their feudal roles, and they moved into professional and entrepreneurial roles. Their memory and weaponry remain prominent in Japanese popular culture.