Describe the culture of feudal Japan. What functions did shoguns, samurai, daimyo, and commoners perform?
Feudal Japan was a hierarchical society in which power and wealth were concentrated at the top. The emperor was the symbolic figurehead of Japan, but real political power was held by the shogun, a military dictator who was able to maintain control with the support of the samurai warrior class.
Samurai were the warrior class of feudal Japan, trained in martial arts and serving their lords, the daimyo, as protectors and enforcers of the law. Daimyo were feudal lords who controlled territories or provinces of Japan, and were responsible for collecting taxes, maintaining order, and administering justice.
Commoners, or peasants, made up the largest segment of the population in feudal Japan. They performed the labor that kept the economy running, including farming, fishing, and manufacturing. They were also subject to the laws and taxes imposed by the daimyo and samurai, and had very few rights or opportunities for social mobility.
One of the defining features of Japanese feudal culture was the practice of bushido, or the way of the warrior. Bushido emphasized loyalty, honor, and self-discipline, and was central to the identity of the samurai class. Women, who were largely excluded from the warrior class, played important roles in the economy and family life, but had limited rights and opportunities for education or political power.