Rise and fall of the Samurai

The Rise

The samurai's importance and influence grew during the Heian Period (794-1185), when powerful landowners hired private warriors for the protection of their properties.

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Match

Match the following

armour

katana

kabuto

kimono

• armour

• katana

• kabuto

• kimono

The Rise

Towards the end of the Heian Period, two military clans, the Minamoto and Taira, had grown so powerful that they seized control over the country and fought wars for supremacy against each other.

Heian Period (794-1185)

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Poll

The Minamoto and Taira clans fought for supremacy during the Heian Period. Make a prediction, who eventually won?

• Taira clan

• Minamoto clan

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The Rise

In 1185, the Minamoto defeated the Taira, and
Minamoto Yoritomo established a new military
government in Kamakura in 1192. As shogun, the
highest military officer, he became the ruler of
Japan.

Kamakura Period (1192-1333)

The Rise

Following the Battle of Dan no Ura in 1185 Minamoto Yoritomo became Japan’s first Shogun or military
dictator.

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Multiple Choice

What is a shogun?

• Lowest military officer

• Highest military officer

• A high ranking samurai

The Rise

During the chaotic Era of Warring States (sengoku jidai,
1467-1573), Japan consisted of dozens of independent
states which were constantly fighting each other.

Consequently, the demand for samurai was very high.

Between the wars, many samurai were working on farms.

Muromachi Period (1333 - 1573)

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The Rise

When Toyotomi Hideyoshi reunited Japan, he
started to introduce a rigid social caste system
which was later completed by Tokugawa Ieyasu and
his successors.

Hideyoshi forced all samurai to decide between a
life on the farm and a warrior life in castle towns.

Furthermore, he forbade anyone but the samurai to
arm themselves with a sword.

Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573 - 1603)

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The Rise

According to the Edo Period's official hierarchy of
social castes, the samurai stood at the top, followed
by the farmers, artisans and merchants.
Furthermore, there were hierarchies within each
caste.
All samurai were forced to live in castle towns and
received income from their lords in form of rice.
Masterless samurai were called ronin and caused
minor troubles during the early Edo Period.

Edo Period (1603 – 1868)

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The Fall

With the fall of Osaka Castle in 1615, the Tokugawa's
last potential rival was eliminated, and relative peace
prevailed in Japan for about 250 years.

Reorder

Reorder the following in chronological order

• Minamoto becomes shogun

• Demand for samurai is high due to constant fighting.

• Only samurai could carry a sword

• Tokugawa established control and there was peace.

• Importance of Martial Arts declined

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

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The Fall

As a result, the importance of martial skills declined,
and most samurai became bureaucrats, teachers or
artists.

Match

Match the following

• Samurai became teachers or artists

• waring clans

• lived in castle towns

• feudal error came to an end

martial arts declined

high demand for samurai

forced by the shogun

samurai class abolished

• martial arts declined

• high demand for samurai

• forced by the shogun

• samurai class abolished

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The Fall

In 1868, Japan's feudal era came to an end, and the
samurai class was abolished.