Samurai (侍) or bushi (武士, [bɯ.ɕi]) were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who served the kuge and imperial court in the late 12th century. Samurai eventually came to play a major political role until their abolition in the late 1870s during the Meiji era. [1][2]

Mar 18, 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 class that rose to power in the 12th century and dominated the Japanese government until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

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 · The samurai, who abided by a code of honor and discipline known as bushido, were provincial warriors in feudal Japan before rising to power in the 12th century.

Here are five little-known facts about the fearsome samurai, from their somewhat terrifying social privileges to their first and only colony in the United States. The high prestige and special social privileges enjoyed by the samurai are amply demonstrated in the tradition of kiri-sute gomen, roughly translated as “permission to slay.”

Samurai Armour. The samurai (or bushi) were the warriors of premodern Japan. They later made up the ruling military class which eventually became the highest ranking social caste of the Edo Period (1603-1867). Samurai employed a range of weapons such as bows and arrows, spears and guns, but their main weapon and symbol was the sword.

Jan 31, 2023 · Japan’s history is known for its fascinating warrior class known as the samurai. The samurai are often depicted as stoic, skilled swordsmen who lived by a strict code of honor. Their legacy has left a significant impact on Japanese culture and history, making it a must-see topic for those interested in Japan.

Samurai were the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. The Samurai followed a set of rules that came to be known as bushidō – literally ‘the way of the warrior’. The unwritten and unspoken code emphasised frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honor unto death.

Mar 4, 2020 · The samurai are an ancient caste of Japanese warriors, known worldwide for their recognizable katanas and armor. Discover the history of the samurai and visit the places they have left their mark on your trip to Japan.

Explore the literary concept of the samurai and the changing nature of Japanese warrior culture from the 12th to the 19th centuries.