Feudal Japan

Feudal Japan lasted from about 800 years ago until the 1800s. During this time, Japan was divided into many small areas. Each area was ruled by a lord called a daimyo. The top military leader was called the shogun. The shogun held more real power than even the emperor.

Lords and Warriors

Daimyos were rich lords who owned lots of land. They built strong castles to protect their homes. Each daimyo had his own army of samurai warriors. The samurai were loyal to their lord and fought his battles. Farmers worked the land and gave part of their rice to the daimyo.

An old Japanese map from the days of samurai and shoguns.
An old Japanese map from the days of samurai and shoguns. (山村才助（Saisuke Yamamura, 1770-1807） / Wikimedia Commons)

Life and Art

Japanese people loved art, poetry, and gardens. They wrote short poems called haiku. They also enjoyed tea ceremonies and theater plays. Beautiful gardens with ponds and stones were built around temples. This peaceful art existed alongside the world of the fierce samurai.

Fun Facts

  • Japanese castles were built to help defenders see enemies coming.
  • Only samurai were allowed to carry two swords.
  • Ninjas were secret spies and sometimes worked for daimyos.

Did You Know?

Feudal Japan ended in 1868, when the emperor took power back and Japan started to modernize very quickly.