When did the samurai finish?

Answer 1

Although officially, in the law books written by the Japanese imperial government, the Samurai existed as a separate social class from the end of the Sengoku (warring states) period, to the end of the Edo period, in reality, at the start of the era of the house of Toyotomi the Samurai were finished. The period of the early 17th century to the 19th, saw the end of their "proud warrior days," and rather than being heroes who defended the populace from brigands and thieves, the Samurai from the 17th to 19th centuries lived a parasitic existence. You ever wonder how Musashi was able to feed himself? How on earth was Musashi able to eat, if he didn't even work? The answer is simple; members of the lower classes HAD to feed Samurai if they asked for food. If you were a Samurai, you could just walk into ANY restaurant in Japan, ANY household (even the imperial one) and say "I need food; feed me." Of course given that the Samurai were really into "good manners" and "etiquete" they would not have put it like that. Musashi, like other members of the Samurai class, especially rogue Samurai, was indeed somewhat of a villain and a parasite; the Samurai could affort to practice swordplay all day because the population toiled to keep them fed. Being a Samurai came with all sorts of perks; 1) Free food 2) Free clothes 3) During the Toyotomi era at least, free hookers. Also one more thing; if the Samurai wandered into town, at every brothel they would ALWAYS get first pick, the most delectable hookers, all other customers would get all the dirt. And all at the Japanese people's expense. Some Samurai were indeed men of honor, who fanatically followed the Bushido code, their motivation was guilt over the fact that while the population was toiling to keep them fed, clothed and, ugh "consoled by women," the LEAST they could do, was protect them from the nastier elements. However some Samurai also abused their position, and the perks that came with the social standing; the reason Emperor Toyotomi, the first one, made it impossible to rise to the rank of Samurai, is because part of the corruption that racked Japan during the warring states period, were ambitious peasants who wanted to be Samurai just because of the perks that came with the station. That is why, to help preserve the peace, Toyotomi outlawed the ability to rise beyond your social class. It WAS also, politically convenient too of course, because Toyotomi himself went from Nobunaga's sandal carrier, to Emperor of Japan. Yeah, I'd say the man "got ahead in life." [[User:67.148.120.72|67.148.120.72]]stardingo747