   Japan Samurai Pictures
The samurai were the warrior class in feudal Japan. Members of this caste ranged from the Shogun himself down to the lowliest foot-soldier. From the intense civil wars of the medieval era, through the 250 year-long peace of the Tokugawa Period (1600-1868), the samurai ruled Japan.
Above the samurai class were the Emperor and his court. Below them were the farmers, craftsmen, and merchants. Japan had a rigid class system and there was very little movement between the classes. Strict rules on dress, weapons, transportation and other matters ensured that people always knew where they stood in the hierarchy.
Pictures of Samurai Warriors
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