![]() ![]() ![]() Samurai now had no salary and no land and took up jobs in a wide range of industries.īy 1870 an institutionalized military academy was founded. The Meiji government abolished the samurai class. The transition that had begun before the new government gained power was now completed. The samurai class ultimately lost its warrior influence in Japan during and after the 1868 Meiji Restoration. unattributed, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Samurai officially lost their traditional privileges during the Meiji Restoration. After centuries of peace during the Tokugawa Shogunate, the samurai were now comfortable working in bureaucratic positions. In just a few decades prior to the Meiji Restoration, more samurai took on the role of civil servant than ever before. Eager to keep up with the times and provide better protection for their country, samurai began pushing for reform. Western countries surpassed Japan in both military organization and technology. ![]() While the Meiji Restoration is considered the downfall of the samurai class, the samurai had been experiencing changes in their roles and responsibilities since the Battle of Sekigahara.īy the early 19th century, many young samurai recognized the need for military reorganization. Adolfo Farsari (1841 – 1898)HDR Photographs by Esby, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Men pictured in samurai armor and weapons sometime before the 1880s. This transition from warrior to bureaucrat happened peacefully for several reasons. Relative peace between the samurai clans ensued and many samurai traded in their armor and weapons for bureaucratic roles in the Japanese government. The clan would rule Japan from 1603 to 1868. Felice Beato, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsĪfter centuries of fighting and victory in the decisive Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, the Tokugawa clan reunified the country. Samurai experienced changes to their status and purpose prior to the Meiji Restoration. This period in medieval Japanese history consisted of almost constant conflict between the top samurai clans and lesser clans eager for power. The Sengoku, or Warring States period, is perhaps the most studied era of samurai history. Its members established the shogunate, which was a military dictatorship made up of samurai. Ultimately, the Minamoto clan gained dominance over the Taira and other lesser clans. The Minamoto and Taira clans met on the battlefield and on the water to determine who would reign supreme. In the earliest days of the samurai, two clans fought for absolute power in Japan. Since the very beginning of their history, the samurai organized themselves into clans controlled by a daimyo, or samurai lord. Let’s take a look at the samurai clans that still exist in Japan today and the influential people who belong to each group. Many hold influential positions in Japanese society and honor the legacy of their ancestors in different ways. The samurai warriors of centuries past no longer exist, but their descendants continue to live and work across Japan. While the samurai are best known as historical figures, samurai clans continue to exist in Japan today. They are some of the most popular figures in Japanese history and captivate the imaginations of history buffs and fans of Japanese culture. The samurai were an elite class of warriors who enjoyed a good deal of power in Japan from the 12th to 19th centuries. ![]()
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