HISTORY OF SAMURAI
This is an historical poster featuring five dynasties of Japan. Each poster only uses the Samurai Yukiyoe from that period of time.
1 Hei an Dynasty
The Heian period marked the golden age of classical Japanese culture, dominated by the imperial court in Kyoto. During this time, the samurai class began to emerge as provincial warriors serving noble families. While the emperor and court aristocracy held political authority, regional landowners (daimyo) increasingly relied on warrior clans for protection. The rise of the Taira and Minamoto clans led to the Genpei War (1180–1185), a conflict that ended with Minamoto no Yoritomo's victory, marking the decline of imperial power and the establishment of the first military government. This transition set the stage for the samurai's dominance in Japan.
2 Kamakura Dynasty
The Kamakura period began when Minamoto no Yoritomo established the Kamakura Shogunate, creating a feudal military government ruled by the samurai class. Under the shogunate, samurai loyalty was rewarded with land and political power, making them the ruling elite. This period saw two Mongol invasions (1274 and 1281), which were repelled due to fierce samurai resistance and the fortuitous arrival of typhoons, later called kamikaze (divine winds). However, the cost of these wars strained the shogunate financially, and the lack of rewards for samurai led to growing dissatisfaction. Internal conflicts and the Ashikaga clan’s rebellion in 1333 ultimately brought the Kamakura Shogunate to an end.
3 Muromachi Dynasty
The Muromachi period, also known as the Ashikaga Shogunate, was established by Ashikaga Takauji in 1336. Unlike the previous shogunate, the Ashikaga rulers struggled to maintain strong central control, allowing powerful daimyo to govern semi-independently. This era saw the flourishing of Noh theater, tea ceremony, and Zen Buddhism, deeply influencing samurai culture. However, political instability escalated, leading to the Onin War (1467–1477) and the onset of the Sengoku period, a century-long civil war where various warlords fought for dominance. The Muromachi Shogunate gradually weakened, and in 1573, Oda Nobunaga overthrew the last Ashikaga shogun, signaling the end of this dynasty.
4 Edo dyansty
The Edo period, established by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603, was a time of peace, stability, and strict social order under the Tokugawa Shogunate. The samurai class was transformed from warriors into bureaucrats and administrators, living in castle towns under the sankin-kotai system, which required daimyo to alternate their residence between their domains and Edo (modern Tokyo). Foreign influence was tightly controlled through the sakoku (isolation) policy, limiting trade and diplomacy. While samurai retained their high status, economic changes and the rise of a merchant class led to their financial decline. The arrival of Western ships in the 19th century, particularly Commodore Perry’s fleet in 1853, pressured Japan to open its borders. This, along with internal unrest, led to the Meiji Restoration in 1868, which dismantled the shogunate and ended samurai rule, ushering in Japan’s modernization.