Samurai (侍) were members of the warrior class who served as retainers to lords in Japan prior to the Meiji era. Samurai existed from the late 12th century until their abolition in the late 1870s …

Dec 29, 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 …

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.

Whatever happened to the samurai? The samurai were a preeminent class defending Japan for centuries. But as the Tokugawa shogunate ushered in an era of stability, the need for them …

Oct 28, 2009 · The samurai, members of a powerful military caste in feudal Japan, began as provincial warriors before rising to power in the 12th century with the beginning of the country’s …

Jul 11, 2025 · The samurai warrior caste dominated Japan from the Kamakura to the Edo period. Over those centuries, they developed in ways that shaped Japanese history.

Jan 28, 2025 · The samurai, a class of highly skilled warriors, played a pivotal role in shaping Japan’s history and culture. From their emergence during the early feudal period to their …