Samurai (侍) were members of the warrior class who served as retainers to lords in Japan prior to the Meiji era. Samurai existed from the late 12th century until their abolition in the late 1870s …

Oct 8, 2025 · Samurai, member of the Japanese warrior caste. The term samurai was originally used to denote the aristocratic warriors, but it came to apply to all the members of the warrior …

Jul 5, 2019 · Elite and highly-trained soldiers adept at using both the bow and sword, the samurai were an essential component of Japanese armies in the medieval period.

Oct 28, 2009 · As servants of the daimyos, or great lords, the samurai backed up the authority of the shogun and gave him power over the mikado (emperor). The samurai would dominate …

May 25, 2025 · From their rise in the Heian period to their eventual decline during the Meiji Restoration, the samurai played a central role in the political, military, and moral landscape of …

Jul 11, 2025 · The samurai warrior caste dominated Japan from the Kamakura to the Edo period. Over those centuries, they developed in ways that shaped Japanese history.

Feb 10, 2020 · Here are 10 facts about the legendary Japanese samurai. 1. They are known as bushi in Japanese. The samurai were known as bushi in Japan, or buke. The term samurai …

Jan 28, 2025 · From their emergence during the early feudal period to their decline in the modern era, the samurai’s story is one of honor, discipline, and transformation. This article delves …

However, what a samurai was and what samurai symbolize have changed dramatically across the course of Japanese history. During the spring 2025 semester, students in Assistant Professor …

A traveler's introduction to the samurai, the Japanese warriors and member of the military class of feudal Japan.