Definition
The samurai were the hereditary warrior class of feudal Japan, a privileged group of fighters who served the noble lords known as daimyo. They emerged as a distinct class roughly a thousand years ago and dominated Japanese society for centuries.
More than soldiers, the samurai became an aristocracy. They held land and status, served their lords in war and peace, and were expected to embody an ideal of discipline, courage, and loyalty.
Why it matters
How it works
A samurai served a daimyo, who in turn answered to the shogun, Japan's supreme military ruler. In return for loyalty and military service, a samurai received income, status, and protection — an exchange at the heart of Japan's feudal structure.
During long periods of peace, especially under the later shogunate, samurai shifted from full-time warriors to administrators, scholars, and officials. The arrival of modern armies and centralized government in the nineteenth century ended their special role, and the class was formally dissolved.