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]

Apr 4, 2025 · In Japan, the samurai class arose in the 12 th century and lasted until the 1870s. The samurai were a hereditary caste that held a great deal of political and military power, as well as a unique culture adhering to the martial code of bushido.

Jul 5, 2019 · The samurai (also bushi) were a class of warriors that arose in the 10th century in Japan and which performed military service until the 19th century. 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.

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 6, 2022 · Japan's most famous samurai largely emerged from its two most significant feudal conflicts: the Genpei War (1180-1185) and the last years of the Warring States Period (1467 …

The following is a list of Samurai and their wives. They are listed alphabetically by name. Some have used multiple names, and are listed by their final name.

Samurai were the military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan. Samurai is a masculine term, but in the Japanese Bushi class – the social class Samurai came from – many women also received training in martial arts and strategy.

Mar 18, 2025 · Since these samurai swords were skillfully crafted and handed down from one generation to the next, many early samurai swords still exist. This list covers some of the oldest and most important samurai swords in Japan’s history.

Feb 23, 2025 · The Samurai were a class of warriors active during Japan’s medieval and early modern periods under the feudal system. Renowned not only for their combat skills but also for their commitment to Bushido —the code of honor and ethics—they became an integral part of Japan’s cultural foundation.

Samurai were once a dominant elite social class within Japan. How did the samurai rise and fall? Discover the history of the samurai right here!