The Hierarchy of Japan
An Emperor had no real power and Shoguns ruled on the emperors behalf. The Emperor was also known as the Tenno and was Confucian and Shinto. He ruled under the Mandate of Heaven. The Mandate of Heaven was that the Gods gave Emperors the right to rule. The Shoguns (which means Supreme Commander of the army) were military leaders that had taken control. However, even though they ruled on the emperors behalf, they usually put their own interests first. Minamoto Yoritomo ruled the entire country not just the army and this would result in Japan being ruled under a Shogunate (also known as a military government) for about 700 years. Minamato became Shogun in 1192 AD. The Shogun and Daimyo were in the same class but the Shogun was kind of like the most important Daimyo.
The Samurai come next in the hierarchy of Japan and were fearsome warriors that vowed to fight for their lord or Daimyo. They felt that dying a honorable death was better and more important to them than living a long life. Women in a warrior family learned to protect their families from bandits whilst the men were out fighting. Women had more rights and a higher status than in earlier times and some inherited land. Very few became Samurai. These Samurai lived by a code of honor called bushido which is a warrior code for honor, loyalty, and bravery. They also pledged to respect the gods and be generous to the poor. The Samurai also practiced Zen Buddhism which was an important aspect of their lives. After the Samurai came the peasants and artisans. This was the biggest class. The last class are the merchants. They did not produce any goods that contributed to society. They were looked down upon and had to live in a seperate area from everyone else.
The Samurai come next in the hierarchy of Japan and were fearsome warriors that vowed to fight for their lord or Daimyo. They felt that dying a honorable death was better and more important to them than living a long life. Women in a warrior family learned to protect their families from bandits whilst the men were out fighting. Women had more rights and a higher status than in earlier times and some inherited land. Very few became Samurai. These Samurai lived by a code of honor called bushido which is a warrior code for honor, loyalty, and bravery. They also pledged to respect the gods and be generous to the poor. The Samurai also practiced Zen Buddhism which was an important aspect of their lives. After the Samurai came the peasants and artisans. This was the biggest class. The last class are the merchants. They did not produce any goods that contributed to society. They were looked down upon and had to live in a seperate area from everyone else.