The Samurai: The Feudal System In Medieval Japan

The Samurai’s Tale by Erik Christian Haugaard is about a boy named Taro, the protagonist in the story. The major characters in the story are Taro, Yoshitoki, Lord Takeda Katsuyori, Lord Akiyama Nobutomo, and Togan. The setting of the story is in Japan, in around the 16th century. In the beginning of the story he was presented as a gift by the great Lord Takeda Shingen to Lord Akiyama after his parents had been killed. By using his wits and suppressing his fierce pride, Taro slowly escalates the ranks of his lord’s household until he achieves his greatest goal—becoming a samurai like his father and Lord Akiyama, whom he has come to admire. The life of a samurai is not so easy, Taro finds himself sacrificing opportunities of love and friendship

Feudal Europe and Feudal Japan were two different civilizations, with two different social structures. Although both used the Feudal system, they used altered versions of it. Feudal Japan differs from Feudal Europe by its social classes.     To begin, the leaders in the two civilizations had different roles. The Feudal Europe King had to rule his country, and had all the authority.

From approximately 1000 C.E. to 1600 C. E. The system of feudalism was dominating both Europe and Asia. Lords would give land to warriors in exchange for military services. In Europe, these warriors were called knights, and halfway across the world, in Japan, the warriors were called samurai (Doc. 1). Both the samurai and the knights used feudalism, and both had a code that they followed. Between the codes, feudalism, and even how they prepared for battle, the warrior’s similarities were, without a doubt, greater than their differences.

Have you ever heard of the medieval knights from Europe or the medieval samurais from Japan. Both warrior served a important role in defense for their region. In fact both knights and samurais played a role in a social system known as feudalism. Feudalism began in Europe as early as the 8th century and began in Japan in about 1185 A.D both due to the lack of security. In a one-on-one battle, a samurai would win because of their strong weapons, enforced training, and the acceptance of death.

More than you can remember, a high class of professional warriors who swore oaths of loyalty to noble lords and fought to to the death to defend them in battle. The warriors of Europe were called knights and the warriors of Japan were called samurais. They both developed a system called feudalism. This system called for samurai and knights to protect the people of their countries At the bottom of the feudal system in both Japan and Europe were masses of peasants who farmed the land and provided food for the classes above them. The samurais were led by a powerful general called the “Shogun”.

Throughout history, the system of feudalism is used several times in different areas in the world. Because of this form of government, the European lifestyle changed dramatically as the Japanese culture began to form. Although feudalism in Europe had started earlier, the feudal systems of Japan and Europe are somewhat alike. However, they are much more different than they are comparable.

Document A shows the feudal social structures in both Japan and Europe. When defining samurai and knights it read, “Warriors who owned loyalty and military service to daimyos or lord for land,” both samurai and knights were awarded for their pledged loyalty with land for them and their families. Document E states that “both samurai and knights were both expected to abide by a code of honor.” Although the honor code that Japanese warriors followed was different than the one of the European knights, they had the same general idea. A warrior had to be honest, loyal, and just and if they ever ignored or dishonored their duty as a warrior then it would bring shame, not only on them but their whole

Throughout History, there have been many different groups or events that are still widely known today. Groups of people such as the Indians or Vikings are popular groups which are referenced constantly in today’s society. However, none of these groups is more known or referenced than the Japanese Samurai. Originating in 646 AD, these Japanese warriors developed from a loose organization of farmers to the dominant social class in Feudal Japan. Along with their dominant military and political standing, the samurai brought with them a unique code or moral belief that became the core of Samurai culture. Because of this, the Samurai and their principles still affect modern day Japanese society with social customs today

European feudalism was based on contract and Japanese feudalism was based on personal relationship with the lord and vassal. This helps prove that the differences between European and Japanese feudalism made limited government more likely to develop in the West because a contract limits what the lords and vassals could do. William, the king of English, said, “I command you [the vassal] to summon all those who are under your charge......and bring ready with you those five knights that you owe me[.]”1 This helps prove that European feudalism was based on contract because when you owe someone something, it implies an agreement. The key terms are I command you and owe. The vassal has to send troops because he has to. He is under the rule of

The role of tradition within religion in medieval Japanese society was of great significance. Shinto and Zen Buddhism were two of the major religions practiced in medieval Japan. Shinto was mainly concerned with daily life, while Zen Buddhism prepared the people for the life to come. The samurai also followed an important code called Bushido, a form of warrior philosophy. The ancient Japanese religions helped people understand the universe and also provided a connection between the physical world on earth and the spiritual world.

The warrior rule began in 1185 began as the previous emperor died and Minamoto no Yoritomo seii taishogun - "the barbarian-subduing great general" usually abbreviated as Shogun. Shogun was the highest rank a Warrior Class person could get and was the official head of the warrior government. The Shogun was the supreme military leader and held a great amount of control over the government such as appointing shugo or military agents in provincial regions and jito or military stewards on estates. The first person to become shogun was Minamoto no Yoritomo who established the Kamakura Shogunate after he consolidated land. He was given power over many military courts and was able to assign people to certain warrior class roles.

Few countries have a warrior tradition as long and exciting as Japan. It is a tradition found in the Samurai, the loyal and self-sacrificing knight of ancient Japan. The Samurai is a valiant warrior who can both appreciate the beauty of nature in that of a rose blossom but will also kill or die for his master in an instant. This well-rounded warrior was the ruling class of Japan for almost seven hundred years. He fought for control of his country and to keep Japan free from outside influences. (Turnbull 1)

The samurai had an unwritten code of honor called the bushido. Bushido means “way of the warrior” (History of the Samurai 3). This provided them with a code to help show them how to live and conduct themselves at home and in battle. One of the most important duties of the samurai was their loyalty to their lord. The samurai would defend their lord until the death. Revenge was also central in the samurai’s

An argument that has been fought for hundreds of years is the idea that Japan used to be a feudal society. Along with this, historians still debate over whether comparative history is good and beneficial for human knowledge and the use of history. Both sides of each idea have facts that both support and disprove the other. Considering each side of the argument, was Japan truly a feudal society, and does comparative history matter? Feudalism was meant to sum up the historical experience of the residents of Western Europe during the Middle Ages (Farris). Japan was a feudal society because of its use of officials and their land, the lack of use of money in the economy, and the samurai, and this supports the idea of comparative history.

During the middle ages both Europe and Japan experienced feudalism. The feudal system in both social structures was very similar and different. The system of feudalism in Europe and Japan was a system that had similar roles for the nobles,and the peasants.Both cultures had warriors who defended the people of our country.They follow certain codes of honor. The feudal system has many similarities but also consisted of many differences.