A Comparison of Japanese and European
Feudalism
Comparison
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feudalism defined by the ownership of land, landowning and non-landowning classes
purpose of feudal system is to protect the land
The king (Europe) or Shogun (Japan) were leaders in the feudal system
These men would appoint lords (Europe) or daimyos (Japan) who pledge allegiance
and watch over and protect pieces of land given from the king or Shogun.
These appointed landowners would have men work the land as farmers to pay taxes
to the king while receiving little in return to the farmers.
Both regions had a certain code of honour as well.
o In Europe, the code of honour is chivalry, code of a medieval knight. As
chivalry stressed the importance of being a proper man, taking care of
women for they are fragile, inferior beings. In Europe, the classes who abided
by Chivalry or their code of honour are the king, lords and knights.
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o in Feudal Japan is bushido code or “the warrior’s way”. The bushido code
stressed loyalty, obedience, and honour to one’s country. These bushido
codes are used to show respect as a fighter. In Japan the Samurai class
consists of the Shogun, Daimyo, Bushi.
were both hereditary class systems: severely limited the opportunities of the masses
for hundreds of years.
o In both areas, those who were born peasants had no chance of becoming
anything other than peasants.
o those who were born into the families of local lords or samurai would belong
to the same class as their parents, no matter how unqualified for leadership
they might be.
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Main role of samurai/ knight that of highly skilled warrior
o Wore armor, were skilled with many weapons, often fought on horseback
o Expected to be in fighting form all the time, ready to do battle should need
arise
Contrast
 Japanese feudalism did not have a true
pyramid form with the monarch
presiding over a hierarchy of less
important nobles.
o
First, authority in Japan was much
less centralized than it was in the
nation-states of Europe. Thus, the
local aristocrats had much more
power in Japan
 European feudalism had true pyramid
form with the monarch presiding over a
hierarchy of less important nobles.
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Authority centralised in nationstates of Europe
local aristocrats had little power
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Secondly, although the lower
nobility in Japan (the samurai)
swore fealty to their local lords,
the local lords did not give the
samurai any land of their own. The
samurai did not join a landowning
hierarchy. Instead, they were
given an independent income
from their local lord based upon
what that lord's lands produced.
only most powerful samurai
received land
Most paid with food, usually rice
Those given land did not work, live
on land
The samurai’s lands were worked
by peasants, who gave the
samurai money or food for
payment each year.
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the European nobility received land
in exchange for their military service,
European knights usually had their own
serfs to work the land the knights
received from their lord.
o
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While a Japanese samurai might have
had servants, these servants did not
work the land they way they would
have done in Europe.
Societal Privileges
• Crowds parted to let them pass when
samurai walked down street
• People dropped eyes out of
respect—and fear—because samurai
had right to kill anyone who showed
disrespect
• Samurai followed strict code of
ethics, known as Bushido, “the way
of the warrior”
• Bushido required samurai to be
courageous, honorable, obedient,
loyal
• Word samurai means “those who
serve;” each had to serve, obey his
lord without hesitation, even if
samurai, family suffered as result
Discipline
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Chivalry” (courtesy, protecting serfs,
loyalty to lord)
o Justice
o Loyalty
o Defense
o Courage
o Faith
o Humility
o Nobility
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Samurai who failed to obey, protect
lord expected to commit seppuku—
suicide by ritual disembowelment
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Strove to live disciplined lives
Pursued activities requiring great
focus, like writing poetry, arranging
flowers, performing tea ceremonies
Zen Buddhism
• Many samurai accepted Zen
Buddhism
• Zen stressed discipline, meditation as
ways to focus mind, gain wisdom
Role of Women
Both men, women of samurai families
learned to fight
• Usually only men went to war
• Female samurai had to follow
Bushido
• Were prepared to die to protect
home, family honor
• Samurai women honored in Japanese
society
– Could inherit property
– Allowed to participate in
business
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Armour
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o Iron, leather, and silk held
together with leather straps
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Sword, mace, bow and arrow, etc
Armour
o Chain mail (links,) heavy
plates of steel
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Sword mainly; some bamboo guns
What features defined Japan’s feudal warrior society?
Samurai gave military service in exchange for property or payment; shoguns ruled in the name of the
emperor; daimyo were powerful warlords.
Rigid Feudal System
Top of Society
• Under Tokugawa rule, Japan’s strict feudal system more rigid
• At top of society, emperor
• Only a figurehead
Shogun, Daimyo
• Next was shogun, held real power as military ruler
• Below shogun, daimyo—owed shogun loyalty
Ruling Warrior Class
• Under daimyo, samurai who served them
• Emperor, shogun, daimyo, samurai made up ruling warrior class
Three Lower Classes
• Below ruling warrior class were three classes
• Peasants, artisans, merchants
Lower Classes
Rules
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Members of lower classes could not rise in social status
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Could not serve in military or government, or hold government positions that might challenge
power of warrior class
Peasants
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Peasants made up vast majority—about 80 percent—of Japan’s population
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Forbidden to do anything but farming
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Supported selves by growing rice, other crops on daimyo, samurai estates
Honor and Some Status
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In Japan, farming considered honorable trade
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Peasants enjoyed relatively high status, just below samurai
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However, peasants paid most of taxes, led hard lives
Artisans and Merchants
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Below peasants were artisans
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Artisans often lived in castle towns; made goods like armor, swords
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Merchants at bottom of society
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Not honored because did not produce anything
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Merchants often grew wealthy
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Could use wealth to improve social position