The Japanese believed that the Emperor was a descendant of the Sun Goddess.

But by the 1100s, the Japanese Emperor was weak. His lords would no longer obey him.

No longer obeying the emperor, Lords refused to pay their taxes.

Feudalism developed in Japan.

In a feudal system, the ruler is weak. powerful lords exchange land for military service.

The most powerful lord in Japan became the Shogun.

The Shogun became the military dictator of Japan. All Japanese lords had to obey the Shogun.

The Lords of Japan were known as the Daimyo. They owned vast estates of land and had private armies.

Serving in private armies were the Samurai. The Samurai were skilled warriors similar to Medieval knights.

The Samurai had to follow the Code of Bushido.

Like the knight’s code of chivalry, the Code of Bushido was a set of rules for samurai to follow.

A samurai had to be loyal to his Daimyo and Shogun. He had to show no emotion.

If a samurai did not adhere to the Code of Bushido, he lost honor.

The only way for a samurai to regain lost honor was to commit suicide.

Feudalism in Japan created a new fixed class system and a new set of rules for society.