Feudalism in medieval Japan emerged during the late Heian period as the central government weakened and local landowners gained power. The collapse of the centralized authority led to the rise of powerful warrior clans who controlled vast territories through military force. These clans established a feudal system where land was granted to vassals in exchange for loyalty and military service. This system of feudalism continued to evolve through the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, with the shogunate ultimately becoming the dominant political force in Japan.
