WHAT WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND

During the Heian Period, a new class of military leaders was

created, including the Shogun and the Samurai
The Bushido is the code of honor and morals developed by the
Japanese samurai.
The samurai is a member of a powerful military caste in
feudal Japan (a doer)
The Shogun is the commander in chief (military president) of
Feudal Japan (a thinker/planner)
THE SAMURAI
The samurai, members of a powerful military caste in feudal Japan,
began as provincial warriors before rising to power in the 12th
century with the beginning of the countrys first military
dictatorship, known as the shogunate. As servants of the daimyos,
or great lords, the samurai backed up the authority of the shogun
and gave him power over the mikado (emperor). The samurai
would dominate Japanese government and society until the Meiji
Restoration of 1868 led to the abolition of the feudal system.
Despite being deprived of their traditional privileges, many of the
samurai would enter the elite ranks of politics and industry in
modern Japan. More importantly, the traditional samurai code of
honor, discipline and morality known as bushidoor the way of
the warriorwas revived and made the basic code of conduct for
much of Japanese society.
THE SHOGUN
A Shogun ("general", literally "military commander") was a hereditary
military dictator in Japan during the period from 1192 to 1867, with some
cautions. In this period, the shoguns were the substitute rulers of the
country, although technically they were appointed by the Emperor as a
formality.
The Shogun held almost absolute power over territories through military
means, in contrast to the concept of a colonial governor in Western culture
who was appointed by a king. The actual shogun during this period met the

same fate as the Emperor and was reduced to a figurehead until a coup in
1333, in which retainers restored power to the shogun.