The Seven Classes of Japanese Warriors in Feudal Japan

Japanese Warriors

In feudal Japan that started in 1158, it was the Shogun and Daimyo who ruled the government, while the monarchs control an area of land through agreements with landholders. Then, the peasants farmed the land and served as soldiers when needed in war. Hence, different Japanese warriors and classes were formed. Here are some of the few.

The Samurai Class

Samurai are the Japanese warriors of pre-modern Japan. They are the dominant military caste in feudal Japan.

The Samurai are servants to the Daimyo or great lords and backed up the Shogun’s authority over the Mikado. Samurai were wealthier and more privileged than ordinary citizens.

Bushido or “the way of the warrior” was the code that the Samurai follows. It stressed discipline towards oneself.

They embraced loyalty, discipline, respect, and ethical behavior as part of their lives. Many of the Samurai practise the teachings of Confucianism.

But some Samurai adapted the rituals and beliefs of Zen Buddhism. Like “salvation comes from within”, this made an ideal philosophical background to their own behavior.

The Samurai fought with a lot of weapons such as the bow and arrows, spears, and guns. Soon, the Katana became a Samurai’s right hand.

Samurai used a pair of swords, the long Katana and the shorter Wakizashi. Both of these are made of curved blades. They are unlike the straight swords of the Medieval knights.

The Katana is also believed to be the Ninjato or sword of the Ninja. But they never found any historical writing about the Ninja swords.

The Most Common Japanese Warriors: The Ashigaru Class

Ashigaru are the foot soldiers in the Samurai army. They were the most frequent participants during the war.

As a matter of fact, Ashigaru were the backbone of the Samurai army. They are the lower-class Samurai.

The foot soldiers are the farmers who are pulled from the fields. Being an Ashigaru proved to be more difficult than being a farmer.

No proper training happens, so the Japanese warriors didn’t rely much on them, too. The weapons they yield are either farming tools or looted from dead Samurai, very much like the Renaissance weapons wielded at war.

Being an Ashigaru serve different functions. They served as spearmen, archers, and musket men during the battlefield. Noncombatant Ashigaru would serve as personal attendants to their lord. Some would be the flag bearers, and others would carry the baggage.

They weren’t considered soldiers at that time, so proper outfit for battle was not provided. The Ashigaru wore less protection than his lord.

Ashigaru didn’t wear thigh guards or Haidate and shin guards or Suneate. Instead, they wore the simplest battle armor. One that only protects the front and the back. Only a hinge and a cord connected the armor.

The Ninja Class

Unlike other warriors, Ninja does not fight on the battlefield. Ninja are mercenaries who specialized in covert warfare. Their stealth was a lot more valuable than their fighting skills.

Ninja or Shinobi’s functions are to spy, infiltrate, sabotage, and assassinate their enemies. Most people hired Ninja for these services. They use strategic ways of deception to take their opponents by surprise.

Ninja didn’t follow the same honor code of a Samurai. Their methods contradicted the Bushido code.

The Shinobi practiced Ninjutsu or the art of stealth. Ninjutsu involves training in armed combat, techniques in a weapon, and military strategies.

It also involves breathing synthesis, meteorology, and geometry.

They dress in outfits that would conceal them from view. During the daytime, they would wear a khaki brown outfit. At night, they would wear black.

The Sohei Class

Usually, when we hear Buddhism, it is when one tries to be at peace or follows a great spiritual faith. It sets to reach the path of enlightenment through meditation and discipline.

However, the Buddhist warrior monks known as Sohei are anything but peaceful. Obliging the imperial and military government, they held a considerable amount of power. Their fearlessness in war and their persuasive spiritual authority made them terrifying.

The Sohei became warriors because of power and control. The political feuds of different temples and sub-sects of Buddhism fought. The Buddhist warrior monks would protect during these times of strife.

Sohei always find themselves defending their temples. New recruits learn their skills in weapons and fighting inside the temple, too. The Sohei were responsible for their own protection and safety towards the war. As a result, it led them to their growth as Japanese warriors.

The warrior monks wore armors just as a traditional Samurai would wear. They wore breastplates over monastic robes with an outer robe over. The Sohei wears a white knotted towel or head cowls to cover their shaved head. A bladed polearm or a Naginata was the traditional weapon they would use during a battle.

The Ronin Class

Being a Samurai means being a part of the hierarchy, granted that they must know how to accept it and defend it. Losing that place in the hierarchy would make a Samurai a Ronin.

Ronin was the term used for a Samurai without a master. It translates to a wanderer or drifter which corresponds to unemployment.

There are many reasons why a Samurai would become a Ronin. One reason could be that his master has died. The other would be when a Samurai loses his master’s favor, and he sends him off.

Without a master, a Ronin must seek other ways of employment. The Ronin had a low and negative status in society. Most of them go rogue or become criminals. They are “failed men with no honor”.

Buddhist Japanese Warriors: The Ikko-Ikki Class

Ikko-Ikki is a large group of religious Japanese warriors. The Buddhists of Jodo-Shinshu believed in the salvation of all humanity.

Their main goal is to control Japan and end the feudal government. Also, they would also want to spread the teachings of Jodo-Shinshu Buddhism.

Participants of the group consisted of the priests, peasants, merchants and local lords. They were the lowest members of Japanese society.

For them, they could only gain power through military campaigns. They have stronger beliefs in equality than the Sohei.

The word Ikko means “single-minded”. They believe that their worship of Amida would welcome them into paradise.

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The word Ikki means “league” that can also mean “riot”. Because of their force and riot, the Samurai became aware of their presence. They called them the class of the rebels.

Some Ikko-Ikki believe that shaved heads would show the sign of their faith. The warrior monks were fearless. Like the Samurai-led armies, Ikko-Ikki looked and fight like them during battle.

They would chant or Nembutsu in a battle. It is their way of striking fear to their enemies and as well as to improve their own morale.

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The Tsukai-ban Class

The last but not the least among our classes of Japanese warriors are the Tsukai-ban. To have a successful and effective operation, each soldier needs to have a distinct role. Tsukai-ban is the messengers and couriers in the battleground. They send information and the right coordination during battle. Though they are a non-fighting class, they have important roles to keep.

Final Thoughts

There are more classes besides those mentioned above. What we have taken are those that would be usually seen at wars or active in battle. All of them evolving and changing with time.

At present, we now see modern classes of people, too. Though we try our best not to, society creates these castes, categories, and classifications.