81-572: [REDACTED] Look up ya in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. YA , yA , or Ya may refer to: Language [ edit ] Ya (arrow) , the Japanese word for an arrow Ya (Cyrillic) (Я), a Cyrillic alphabet letter Ya (Javanese) (ꦪ), a letter in the Javanese script Units of measurement [ edit ] years ago (ya),
162-553: A 'samurai'". In modern usage, bushi is often used as a synonym for samurai . The definition of "samurai" varies from period to period. From the Heian period to the Edo period , bushi were people who fought with weapons for a living. In the Heian period, on the other hand, the definition of samurai referred to officials who served the emperor, the imperial family, and the nobles of
243-682: A Japanese magazine Young adult fiction , fiction marketed to young adults Other uses [ edit ] Ya (river) , a river in Tynset municipality in Innlandet county, Norway Yet another (YA), a common initial part of acronyms YoungArts (YA), a scholarship program for American high school students A US Navy hull classification symbol: Ash barge (YA) See also [ edit ] Ya-ya (disambiguation) Yah (disambiguation) Yaya (disambiguation) Yea (disambiguation) Yeah (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
324-572: A family name, and as samuraihon or saburaibon ( 侍品 ) , they acquired a status equivalent to that of a samurai. In other words, a high-ranking person among the bushi was called a samurai. During the Muromachi period , as in the Kamakura period, the definition of samurai referred to high-ranking bushi in the service of the shogun. Bushi serving shugo daimyo ( 守護大名 , feudal lords) were not considered samurai. Those who did not serve
405-422: A military government. The Kamakura period (1185–1333) saw the rise of the samurai under shogun rule as they were "entrusted with the security of the estates" and were symbols of the ideal warrior and citizen. Originally, the emperor and non-warrior nobility employed these warrior nobles. In time they amassed enough manpower, resources and political backing, in the form of alliances with one another, to establish
486-503: A particular lord, such as the rōnin ( 浪人 ) , who were vagabonds, the nobushi ( 野武士 ) , who were armed peasants, and the ashigaru ( 足軽 ) , who were temporarily hired foot soldiers, were not considered samurai. During the Sengoku period , the traditional master-servant relationship in Japanese society collapsed, and the traditional definition of samurai changed dramatically. Samurai no longer referred to those serving
567-481: A result, yari , yumi (bow), and tanegashima became the primary weapons on the battlefield. The naginata , which was difficult to maneuver in close formation, and the long, heavy tachi fell into disuse and were replaced by the nagamaki , which could be held short, and the short, light katana , which appeared in the Nanboku-cho period and gradually became more common. The tachi
648-650: A strong defensive point against the Mongols. The Mongols attempted to settle matters in a diplomatic way from 1275 to 1279, but every envoy sent to Japan was executed. Leading up to the second Mongolian invasion, Kublai Khan continued to send emissaries to Japan, with five diplomats sent in September 1275 to Kyūshū. Hōjō Tokimune , the shikken of the Kamakura shogun, responded by having the Mongolian diplomats brought to Kamakura and then beheading them. The graves of
729-429: A unit of time Yoctoampere (yA), an SI unit of electric current Yottampere (YA), an SI unit of electric current Arts, entertainment, and media [ edit ] ¡Ya! , an album by the band Marquess Ya (film) [ ru ] , a 2009 Russian sci-fi film with Artur Smolyaninov and Oksana Akinshina Yahoo! Answers (YA), a community-driven question-and-answer site Young Ace ( YA ),
810-590: A well-known figure who rose from a peasant background to become a samurai, sengoku daimyo , and kampaku (Imperial Regent). From this time on, infantrymen called ashigaru , who were mobilized from the peasantry, were mobilized in even greater numbers than before, and the importance of the infantry, which had begun in the Nanboku-chō period, increased even more. When matchlocks were introduced from Portugal in 1543, Japanese swordsmiths immediately began to improve and mass-produce them. The Japanese matchlock
891-441: Is a simple pointed design. The yanagi-ba , also known as "willow-leaf", is known for its elegant design. Karimata have a unique split point, and are sometimes referred to as "rope-cutters". The barbed "flesh-torn" is known as watakushi . The tagone-ya is shaped like a chisel. Kaburi-ya was used for signalling and creating fear with the loud whistling noise it would produce. Ya were large enough that they could be signed on
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#1732771767799972-660: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Ya (arrow) Ya ( 矢 , arrow) is the Japanese word for arrow , and commonly refers to the arrows used in kyūdō ( 弓道 , Japanese archery) . Ya also refers to the arrows used by samurai during the feudal era of Japan. Unlike Western arrows, the ya is close to a metre long or longer. Traditional ya are made from natural materials, usually bamboo, while modern ones may use aluminium or carbon fiber. The no are made from yadake bamboo and can have different shapes – straight or tapered – depending on
1053-523: Is often made from goat or deer horn and archers file the slot to match the diameter of their own bowstring. Older or ceremonial ya can have bamboo nocks. Ya used for target practice have a conical iron tip called a ne . Ya used in war by the samurai had a variety of tips called yajiri or yanone ; these arrowheads were forged using the same steel ( tamahagane ) and methods as traditional Japanese swords . There are many different kinds of arrowhead and they all have their own special name. Togari-ya
1134-624: The Ashikaga Shogunate with Emperor Kōgon . As a result, the southern court, descended from Emperor Godaigo, and the northern court, descended from Emperor Kogon, were established side by side. This period of coexistence of the two dynasties is called the Nanboku-chō period , which corresponds to the beginning of the Muromachi period . The Northern Court, supported by the Ashikaga Shogunate, had six emperors, and in 1392
1215-808: The Heian period , powerful regional clans were relied on to put down rebellions. After power struggles, the Taira clan defeated the Minamoto clan in 1160 . After the Minamoto defeated the Taira in 1185 , Minamoto no Yoritomo established the Kamakura shogunate , a parallel government that did not surplant the imperial court. The warriors who served the Shogunate were called gokenin, landholding warriors whose retainers were called samurai. Gokenin were regulated by
1296-546: The Heiji rebellion and became the first samurai-born aristocratic class, eventually becoming Daijō-daijin , the highest position of the aristocratic class, and the Taira clan monopolized important positions at the Imperial Court and wielded power. The victor, Taira no Kiyomori, became an imperial advisor and was the first warrior to attain such a position. He eventually seized control of the central government, establishing
1377-478: The Hitachi province , fled to Masakado. He was wanted for tyranny by Fujiwara no Korechika , an Kokushi ( 国司 , imperial court official) who oversaw the province of Hitachi, and Fujiwara no Korechika demanded that Masakado hand over Fujiwara no Haruaki. Masakado refused, and war broke out between Masakado and Fujiwara no Korechika, with Masakado becoming an enemy of the imperial court. Masakado proclaimed that
1458-450: The Minamoto and Taira . Taira no Masakado , who rose to prominence in the early 10th century, was the first of the local warrior class to revolt against the imperial court. He had served Fujiwara no Tadahira as a young man, but eventually won a power struggle within the Taira clan and became a powerful figure in the Kanto region . In 939, Fujiwara no Haruaki , a powerful figure in
1539-596: The Taihō Code of 702, and the later Yōrō Code , the population was required to report regularly for the census, a precursor for national conscription. With an understanding of how the population was distributed, Emperor Monmu introduced a law whereby 1 in 3–4 adult males were drafted into the state military. These soldiers were required to supply their own weapons, and in return were exempted from duties and taxes. The Taihō Code classified most Imperial bureaucrats into 12 ranks, each divided into two sub-ranks, 1st rank being
1620-555: The tang by the fletcher in the manner of Japanese swords. Samurai Samurai ( 侍 ) or bushi (武士, [bɯ.ɕi]) were members of the warrior class in Japan . They were originally provincial warriors who served the Kuge and imperial court in the late 12th century, and eventually came to play a major political role until their abolition in the late 1870s during the Meiji era . In
1701-562: The 14th century. Invasions of neighboring samurai territories became common to avoid infighting, and bickering among samurai was a constant problem for the Kamakura and Ashikaga shogunates. The outbreak of the Onin War , which began in 1467 and lasted about 10 years, devastated Kyoto and brought down the power of the Ashikaga Shogunate. This plunged the country into the warring states period , in which daimyo (feudal lords) from different regions fought each other. This period corresponds to
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#17327717677991782-555: The Edo period, the shogun. A vassal or samurai could expect monetary benefits, including land or money, from lords in exchange for their military services. The Azuchi-Momoyama period refers to the period when Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi were in power. The name "Azuchi-Momoyama" comes from the fact that Nobunaga's castle, Azuchi Castle , was located in Azuchi, Shiga , and Fushimi Castle , where Hideyoshi lived after his retirement,
1863-589: The Imperial Court was reunited by absorbing the Southern Court, although the modern Imperial Household Agency considers the Southern Court to be the legitimate emperor. The de facto rule of Japan by the Ashikaga Shogunate lasted until the Onin War , which broke out in 1467. From 1346 to 1358 during the Nanboku-cho period, the Ashikaga shogunate gradually expanded the authority of the Shugo ( 守護 ) ,
1944-652: The Imperial family, the Kuge and Temples and Shrines received grants of tax-free land. In the 9th Century, the farmers began to give their land over to the nobility in order to avoid taxes. They would then administer and work the land for a payment of rice. This also reduced the wealth of the Emperor, as he had no private land and was dependent on tax income. Many of the farmers armed themselves and formed warrior groups called rōdō. These warriors then followed powerful families like
2025-560: The Kanto region under his rule was independent of the Imperial Court and called himself the Shinnō ( 新皇 , New Emperor) . In response, the imperial court sent a large army led by Taira no Sadamori to kill Masakado. As a result, Masakado was killed in battle in February 940. He is still revered as one of the three great onryō ( 怨霊 , vengeful spirits) of Japan. The Heian period saw
2106-465: The Mongol invaders despite being vastly outnumbered. These winds became known as kami-no-Kaze , which literally translates as "wind of the gods". This is often given a simplified translation as "divine wind". The kami-no-Kaze lent credence to the Japanese belief that their lands were indeed divine and under supernatural protection. In 1336, Ashikaga Takauji , who opposed Emperor Godaigo , established
2187-520: The Muromachi period and a rank below kachi ( 徒士 ) and above ashigaru in the Edo period. In the early Edo period , even some daimyō ( 大名 , feudal lords) with territories of 10,000 koku or more called themselves samurai. At the beginning of the Tokugawa shogunate , there was no clear distinction between hatamoto ( 旗本 ) and gokenin , which referred to direct vassals of
2268-436: The Nanboku-chō period to the Muromachi period, large groups of infantrymen became more active in battle, close combat became more important, and the naginata and tachi , which had been used since the Heian period, were used more. The yari (spear) was not yet a major weapon in this period. During the Nanboku-chō period, many lower-class foot soldiers called ashigaru began to participate in battles, and
2349-572: The Onin War; in other words, it marked the end of the Muromachi period. Oda Nobunaga was the well-known lord of the Nagoya area (once called Owari Province ) and an exceptional example of a samurai of the Sengoku period. He came within a few years of, and laid down the path for his successors to follow, the reunification of Japan under a new bakufu (shogunate). Oda Nobunaga made innovations in
2430-562: The Samurai dokoro. During the Sengoku Period , the term was vague and some samurai owned land, others were retainers or mercenaries. Many served as retainers to lords (including daimyo ). There was a great increase in the number of men who styled themselves samurai by virtue of bearing arms. During the Edo period , 1603 to 1868, they were mainly the stewards and chamberlains of the daimyo estates, roles they had also filled in
2511-403: The abdomen. In the late Kamakura period, a new type of armor called haramaki appeared, in which the two ends of the haraate were extended to the back to provide greater protection. Various samurai clans struggled for power during the Kamakura shogunate . Zen Buddhism spread among the samurai in the 13th century and helped shape their standards of conduct, particularly in overcoming
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2592-422: The appearance of distinctive Japanese armor and weapons. Typical examples are the tachi (long sword) and naginata (halberd) used in close combat, and the ō-yoroi and dō-maru styles of armor. High-ranking samurai equipped with yumi (bows) who fought on horseback wore ō-yoroi , while lower-ranking samurai equipped with naginata who fought on foot wore dō-maru . During
2673-411: The bravery of their armies. These changes in the aspect of the battlefield during the Sengoku period led to the emergence of the tosei-gusoku style of armor, which improved the productivity and durability of armor. In the history of Japanese armor, this was the most significant change since the introduction of the ō-yoroi and dō-mal in the Heian period. In this style, the number of parts
2754-413: The category of buke hōkōnin ( 武家奉公人 , servants of the buke ) . In times of war, samurai ( wakatō ) and ashigaru were fighters, while the rest were porters. Generally, samurai ( wakatō ) could take family names, while some ashigaru could, and only samurai ( wakatō ) were considered samurai class. Wakatō , like samurai, had different definitions in different periods, meaning a young bushi in
2835-399: The character 侍 was originally a verb meaning 'to wait upon', 'accompany persons' in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau . In both countries the terms were nominalized to mean 'those who serve in close attendance to the nobility', the Japanese term saburai being the nominal form of the verb." According to Wilson, an early reference to
2916-402: The definition of samurai became synonymous with gokenin ( 御家人 ) , which refers to bushi who owned territory and served the shogun . However, some samurai of exceptional status, hi-gokenin ( 非御家人 ) , did not serve the shogun. Subordinate bushi in the service of the samurai were called rōtō, rōdō ( 郎党 ) or rōjū ( 郎従 ) . Some of the rōtō were given a territory and
2997-503: The emperor's entourage, and became the first of the Minamoto clan to assume the office of Sei-i Taishōgun (shogun) . In response, Minamoto no Yoritomo sent Minamoto no Noriyori and Minamoto no Yoshitsune to defeat Yoshinaka, who was killed within a year of becoming shogun. In 1185, the Taira clan was finally defeated in the Battle of Dan-no-ura , and the Minamoto clan came to power. The victorious Minamoto no Yoritomo established
3078-472: The emperor, who tried to control their actions. He died in 1582 when one of his generals, Akechi Mitsuhide , turned upon him with his army. Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu , who founded the Tokugawa shogunate, were loyal followers of Nobunaga. Hideyoshi began as a peasant and became one of Nobunaga's top generals, and Ieyasu had shared his childhood with Nobunaga. Hideyoshi defeated Mitsuhide within
3159-569: The fear of death and killing. Among the general populace Pure Land Buddhism was favored however. In 1274, the Mongol-founded Yuan dynasty in China sent a force of some 40,000 men and 900 ships to invade Japan in northern Kyūshū . Japan mustered a mere 10,000 samurai to meet this threat. The invading army was harassed by major thunderstorms throughout the invasion, which aided the defenders by inflicting heavy casualties. The Yuan army
3240-546: The fields of organization and war tactics, made heavy use of arquebuses, developed commerce and industry, and treasured innovation. Consecutive victories enabled him to end the Ashikaga Bakufu and disarm of the military powers of the Buddhist monks, which had inflamed futile struggles among the populace for centuries. Attacking from the "sanctuary" of Buddhist temples, they were constant headaches to any warlord and even
3321-401: The first samurai-dominated government and relegating the emperor to figurehead status. The clan had its women marry emperors and exercise control through the emperor. However, when Taira no Kiyomori used his power to have the child of his daughter Taira no Tokuko and Emperor Takakura installed as Emperor Antoku , there was widespread opposition. Prince Mochihito , no longer able to assume
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3402-482: The first samurai-dominated government. As the power of these regional clans grew, their chief was typically a distant relative of the emperor and a lesser member of either the Fujiwara , Minamoto , or Taira clan. From the Kamakura period onwards, emphasis was put on training samurai from childhood in using "the bow and sword". In the late Kamakura period, even the most senior samurai began to wear dō-maru , as
3483-483: The five executed Mongol emissaries exist to this day in Kamakura at Tatsunokuchi. On 29 July 1279, five more emissaries were sent by the Mongol empire, and again beheaded, this time in Hakata . This continued defiance of the Mongol emperor set the stage for one of the most famous engagements in Japanese history. In 1281, a Yuan army of 140,000 men with 5,000 ships was mustered for another invasion of Japan. Northern Kyūshū
3564-399: The heavy and elegant ō-yoroi were no longer respected. Until then, the body was the only part of the dō-maru that was protected, but for higher-ranking samurai, the dō-maru also came with a kabuto (helmet) and shoulder guards. For lower-ranked samurai, the haraate was introduced, the simplest style of armor that protected only the front of the torso and the sides of
3645-413: The highest adviser to the emperor. Those of 6th rank and below were referred to as "samurai" and dealt with day-to-day affairs and were initially civilian public servants, in keeping with the original derivation of this word from saburau , a verb meaning 'to serve'. In 780, general conscription was abolished, and the government relied solely on units of capable warriors called kondei recruited from
3726-468: The imperial court, the upper echelons of society. They were responsible for assisting the nobles in their daily duties, guarding the nobles, guarding the court, arresting bandits, and suppressing civil wars, much like secretaries, butlers, and police officers today. Samurai in this period referred to the Fifth ( go-i ) and Sixth Ranks ( roku-i ) of the court ranks . During the Kamakura period ,
3807-466: The imperial throne, called upon the Minamoto clan to raise an army to defeat the Taira clan, and the Genpei War began. Minamoto no Yoshinaka expelled the Taira clan from Kyoto, and although he was initially welcomed by the hermit Emperor Go-Shirakawa, he became estranged and isolated due to the disorderly military discipline and lack of political power under his command. He staged a coup, overthrew
3888-401: The joints are too far apart; the Kanto area has a moderate climate which makes the joints the perfect distance apart. The joints of the shaft help with the balance. After harvesting, bamboo continues to change in size and shape so it must rest for 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 3 years after cutting before it can be used. When it has aged the proper time the bamboo should provide a good tight grip around
3969-413: The late Kamakura period allowed them to produce Japanese swords with tougher blades than before, and during the Nanboku-chō period, ōdachi (large/great sword) were at their peak as weapons for the samurai. Until the Mongol invasion in the late Kamakura period, the main battle was fought by small groups of warriors using yumi (bows) from horseback, and close combat was a secondary battle. From
4050-619: The late Muromachi period. There are about nine theories about the end of the Sengoku Period, the earliest being the year 1568, when Oda Nobunaga marched on Kyoto, and the latest being the suppression of the Shimabara Rebellion in 1638. Thus, the Sengoku Period overlaps with the Muromachi, Azuchi–Momoyama , and Edo periods , depending on the theory. In any case, the Sengoku period was a time of large-scale civil wars throughout Japan. Daimyo who became more powerful as
4131-588: The local military and police officials established by the Kamakura shogunate, giving the Shugo jurisdiction over land disputes between gokenin ( 御家人 ) and allowing the Shugo to receive half of all taxes from the areas they controlled. The Shugo shared their newfound wealth with the local samurai, creating a hierarchical relationship between the Shugo and the samurai, and the first early daimyo ( 大名 , feudal lords) , called shugo daimyo ( 守護大名 ) , appeared. The innovations of Sōshū swordsmiths in
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#17327717677994212-414: The lowest-ranking bushi , as exemplified by the provisions of the temporary law Separation Edict enacted by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1591. This law regulated the transfer of status classes:samurai ( wakatō ), chūgen ( 中間 ) , komono ( 小者 ) , and arashiko ( 荒子 ) . These four classes and the ashigaru were chōnin ( 町人 , townspeople) and peasants employed by the bushi and fell under
4293-413: The other hand, owl feathers were never used, as they were thought to be bringers of misfortune. Feathers from either the left and right wing may be used; these wing feathers naturally curve left or right. Ya with feathers from the left wing are called haya and they spiral clockwise, whereas ya made from the right wing feathers are called otoya and they spiraled counter-clockwise. The nock or hazu
4374-462: The outstretched left hand. The arrows are fletched with hane (feathers) about fifteen centimetres in length, and fletching can be the most expensive part of the arrow. Traditionally, the outermost tail feathers of large birds of prey were considered the finest. Many of these birds are now endangered – in particular the sea eagle – and therefore feathers of lesser eagles, swans, geese or even turkeys are being used in modern times. On
4455-440: The past. During the Edo period, they came to represent a hereditary class. On the other hand, from the mid-Edo period, chōnin (townsman) and farmers could be promoted to the samurai class by being adopted into gokenin families or by serving in daikan offices, and low-ranking samurai could be transferred to lower social classes, such as chōnin , by changing jobs. In the 1870s, samurai families comprised 5% of
4536-412: The popularity of haramaki increased. During the Nanboku-chō and Muromachi periods, dō-maru and haramaki became the norm, and senior samurai also began to wear haramaki by adding kabuto (helmet), men-yoroi (face armor), and gauntlet. Issues of inheritance caused family strife as primogeniture became common, in contrast to the division of succession designated by law before
4617-589: The population. As modern militaries emerged in the 19th century, the samurai were rendered increasingly obsolete and very expensive to maintain compared to the average conscript soldier. The Meiji Restoration formally abolished the status, and most former samurai became Shizoku . This allowed them to move into professional and entrepreneurial roles. In Japanese, historical warriors are usually referred to as bushi ( 武士 , [bɯ.ɕi] ) , meaning 'warrior', or buke ( 武家 ) , meaning 'military family'. According to translator William Scott Wilson : "In Chinese,
4698-415: The rank of sengoku daimyo during this period. Uesugi Kenshin was an example of a Shugodai who became sengoku daimyo by weakening and eliminating the power of the lord. This period was marked by the loosening of samurai culture, with people born into other social strata sometimes making a name for themselves as warriors and thus becoming de facto samurai. One such example is Toyotomi Hideyoshi ,
4779-599: The reigns of Emperor Shirakawa and Emperor Toba , the Taira clan became Kokushi ( 国司 ) , or overseers of various regions, and accumulated wealth by taking samurai from various regions as their retainers. In the struggle for the succession of Emperor Toba, Emperor Sutoku and Emperor Go-Shirakawa , each with his samurai class on his side, fought the Hōgen rebellion , which was won by Emperor Go-Shirakawa, who had Taira no Kiyomori and Minamoto no Yoshitomo on his side. Later, Taira no Kiyomori defeated Minamoto no Yoshitomo in
4860-401: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title YA . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=YA&oldid=1258720747 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
4941-513: The samurai class became the political ruling power in Japan. In 1190 he visited Kyoto and in 1192 became Sei'i Taishōgun , establishing the Kamakura shogunate, or Kamakura bakufu . Instead of ruling from Kyoto, he set up the shogunate in Kamakura , near his base of power. "Bakufu" means "tent government", taken from the encampments the soldiers lived in, in accordance with the Bakufu's status as
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#17327717677995022-440: The shogun and the daimyo of each domains, and as the distinction between bushi and chōnin or peasants became stricter, the boundaries between the definitions of samurai and bushi became blurred. Since then, the term "samurai" has been used to refer to " bushi ". Officially, however, the high-ranking bushi were called samurai and the low-ranking bushi were called kachi ( 徒士 ) . Samurai and kachi were represented by
5103-485: The shogun or daimyo . According to Stephen Morillo, during this period the term refers to "a retainer of a lord - usually ... the retainer of a daimyo" and that the term samurai "marks social function and not class", and "all sorts of soldiers, including pikemen, bowmen, musketeers and horsemen were samurai". During the Azuchi–Momoyama period (late Sengoku period), "samurai" often referred to wakatō ( 若党 ) ,
5184-449: The shogun or emperor, and anyone who distinguished themselves in war could become samurai regardless of their social status. Jizamurai ( 地侍 ) came from the powerful myōshu ( 名主 ) , who owned farmland and held leadership positions in their villages, and became vassals of sengoku daimyō ( 戦国大名 ) . Their status was half farmer, half bushi (samurai). On the other hand, it also referred to local bushi who did not serve
5265-447: The shogun, but from the second half of the 17th century a distinction was made between hatamoto , direct vassals with territories of 10,000 koku or less who were entitled to an audience with the shogun, and gokenin , those without such rights. Samurai referred to hatamoto in the Tokugawa shogunate and to chūkoshō ( 中小姓 ) or higher status bushi in each han ( 藩 , domains) . During this period, most bushi came to serve
5346-403: The shogunate's control weakened were called sengoku daimyo ( 戦国大名 ) , and they often came from shugo daimyo , Shugodai ( 守護代 , deputy Shugo) , and kokujin or kunibito ( 国人 , local masters) . In other words, sengoku daimyo differed from shugo daimyo in that a sengoku daimyo was able to rule the region on his own, without being appointed by the shogun. During this period,
5427-471: The sons of wealthy peasants and provincial officials. Another principle of the Ritsuryō system had already begun to be abandoned. All the land belonged to the state, and had been distributed on a per capita basis to farmers. However, in 743, farmers were allowed to cultivate reclaimed land in perpetuity. This allowed clan leaders, especially those with lots of slaves, to acquire large amounts of land. Members of
5508-495: The status of kachi , were financially impoverished and supported themselves by making bamboo handicrafts and umbrellas and selling plants. The shibun status of samurai and kachi was clearly distinguished from the keihai ( 軽輩 ) status of the ashigaru and chūgen who served them, but it was more difficult to rise from kachi to samurai than from ashigaru to kachi , and the status gap between samurai, who were high-ranking bushi , and kachi , who were low-ranking bushi ,
5589-439: The superiority of the samurai over the aristocracy. In 1185, Yoritomo obtained the right to appoint shugo and jitō , and was allowed to organize soldiers and police, and to collect a certain amount of tax. Initially, their responsibility was restricted to arresting rebels and collecting needed army provisions and they were forbidden from interfering with kokushi officials, but their responsibility gradually expanded. Thus,
5670-455: The tang of the yanone. The bamboo is tempered in a special kiln similar to the Viking beehive style and straightened with a tool called a tomegi , or "tree tame", which is also used when creating bamboo fishing poles. The appearance of the no varies; some are plain, while others glisten with red lacquer. The proper length is measured from the archer's throat to five centimeters beyond the tip of
5751-424: The traditional master-servant relationship between the lord and his vassals broke down, with the vassals eliminating the lord, internal clan and vassal conflicts over leadership of the lord's family, and frequent rebellion and puppetry by branch families against the lord's family. These events sometimes led to the rise of samurai to the rank of sengoku daimyo . For example, Hōjō Sōun was the first samurai to rise to
5832-412: The use of the arrow in long-distance shooting or target practice. Lighter arrows can lose their stability when shot from a strong bow, heavier arrows have a trajectory that arcs more. Typically they use bamboo from the Kanto area. This is for a purely practical reason: bamboo will not grow fast enough in a cold area and the joints are too close together, whereas in a warm area the bamboo grows too fast and
5913-435: The word shibun ( 士分 ) , a status that can be translated as warrior class, bushi class, or samurai class. Samurai were entitled to an audience with their lord, were allowed to ride horses, and received rice from the land and peasants under their control, while kachi were not entitled to an audience with their lord, guarded their lord on foot, and received rice from the stores of the shogunate and each domain. Gokenin ,
5994-595: The word saburai appears in the Kokin Wakashū , the first imperial anthology of poems, completed in the early 900s. Originally, the word samurai referred to anyone who served the emperor, the imperial family, or the imperial court nobility, even in a non-military capacity. It was not until the 17th century that the term gradually became a title for military servants of warrior families, so that, according to Michael Wert, "a warrior of elite stature in pre-seventeenth-century Japan would have been insulted to be called
6075-474: Was defended by a Japanese army of 40,000 men. The Mongol army was still on its ships preparing for the landing operation when a typhoon hit north Kyūshū island. The casualties and damage inflicted by the typhoon, followed by the Japanese defense of the Hakata Bay barrier, resulted in the Mongols again being defeated. The thunderstorms of 1274 and the typhoon of 1281 helped the samurai defenders of Japan repel
6156-411: Was eventually recalled, and the invasion was called off. The Mongol invaders used small bombs, which was likely the first appearance of bombs and gunpowder in Japan. The Japanese defenders recognized the possibility of a renewed invasion and began construction of a great stone barrier around Hakata Bay in 1276. Completed in 1277, this wall stretched for 20 kilometers around the bay. It later served as
6237-608: Was located in Momoyama. There are several theories as to when the Azuchi–Momoyama period began: 1568, when Oda Nobunaga entered Kyoto in support of Ashikaga Yoshiaki; 1573, when Oda Nobunaga expelled Ashikaga Yoshiaki from Kyoto; and 1576, when the construction of Azuchi Castle began. In any case, the beginning of the Azuchii–Momoyama period marked the complete end of the rule of the Ashikaga shogunate, which had been disrupted by
6318-471: Was named tanegashima after the Tanegashima island , which is believed to be the place where it was first introduced to Japan. By the end of the Sengoku Period, there were hundreds of thousands of arquebuses in Japan and a large army of nearly 100,000 men clashing with each other. On the battlefield, ashigaru began to fight in close formation, using yari (spear) and tanegashima . As
6399-416: Was often cut off from the hilt and shortened to make a katana . The tachi , which had become inconvenient for use on the battlefield, was transformed into a symbol of authority carried by high-ranking samurai. Although the ōdachi had become even more obsolete, some sengoku daimyo dared to organize assault and kinsmen units composed entirely of large men equipped with ōdachi to demonstrate
6480-510: Was quite wide. During the Edo Period, samurai represented a hereditary social class defined by the right to bear arms and to hold public office, as well as high social status. From the mid-Edo period, chōnin and farmers could be promoted to the samurai class by being adopted into gokenin families, or by serving in daikan offices, and kachi could be transferred to lower social classes, such as chōnin , by changing jobs. As part of
6561-486: Was reduced, and instead armor with eccentric designs became popular. By the end of the Sengoku period, allegiances between warrior vassals, also known as military retainers, and lords were solidified. Vassals would serve lords in exchange for material and intangible advantages, in keeping with Confucian ideas imported from China between the seventh and ninth centuries. These independent vassals who held land were subordinate to their superiors, who may be local lords or, in
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