What Life Was Like As A Samurai In Feudal Japan

During the Kamakura Period (1185-1333 CE), the samurai began to group together under the command of various warlords. The Imperial Court was an easy mark at this point, and, per Japan Guide, these warrior tribes had taken control of Japan by 1192.

Around this time, a code of conduct and disciplinary standards began to gestate. Different lifestyles were prescribed to different classes of samurai — mid-ranking goshi often served as both warriors and farmers, while hatamoto bannermen were treated more like high-ranking, authoritative officers, sometimes controlling their own districts. This is all being painted in pretty broad strokes. Across different regions and time periods, the roles assigned to samurai of all stations shifted heavily. Sometimes hatamoto were tax collectors. Sometimes they were cops.

The samurai experience can't be summed up in a few quick paragraphs or, for that matter, a weekend at one of the Delos Corporation's luxurious amusement parks. Their traditions reach back to the 10th century CE, and they continued to hold sway until the 1800s. It's a little like asking "what's it like to be a knight?" Difficult for the followers of Robert the Bruce, considerably easier for Ian McKellen.

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