Lords of the Samurai

For more than six hundred years, Japan’s government depended on a warrior class known as the samurai. As a result of the prowess and loyalty of these fighting men, the highest political authority belonged to the shogun, their ultimate leader. The shogun wielded immense power despite expressing deference to the emperor, who was recognized as the head of the country.

Samurai means “one who serves,” and these men served powerful feudal lords known as daimyo, who governed regional domains throughout Japan. It was by balancing these lords of the samurai against each other that the shogun retained power.

A largely hereditary class of gentleman-warriors for whom the arts of warfare were an essential aspect of personal cultivation, the daimyo also considered it important to complement their martial pursuits with involvement in cultural activities, taking a keen interest in arts of many kinds.

All warriors were expected to balance the qualities bun and bu, or culture and arms.  The ideal individual would embody and apply these qualities appropriately—would be humane in social life but fierce in combat, for example. Similarly, the ideal administrator would temper the harsh application of power with the moderating influence of culture.

To learn more about the samurai and their daimyo lords — and our exhibition Lords of the Samurai: Legacy of a Daimyo Family, which opens June 12 — visit our samurai content page.