Samurai Their Final Years In Stunning Photos

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1 of 23Japanese samurai warrior with tattoos, 1890.Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images 2 of 23Japanese samurai warrior with body tattoos.Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images 3 of 23Samurai of the Chosyu clan, circa 1860s.Wikimedia Commons 4 of 23Two geishas receive a visiting samurai, circa 1880. Hulton Archive/Getty Images 5 of 23Three young boys dressed as samurai, early 1900s.Vintage Images/Getty Images 6 of 23New York Public Library 7 of 23Photographic portrait of a female samurai, circa 1800s.Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images 8 of 23"A Group of Samurai," circa 1890.The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images 9 of 23Three samurai warriors in armor, circa 1880. Kusakabe Kimbei/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 10 of 23A group of men pose together in military uniform. Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images 11 of 23New York Public Library 12 of 23Circa 1890.Wikimedia Commons 13 of 23Samurai on horseback, late Meiji Period (1868-1912).Culture Club/Getty Images 14 of 23Circa 1901. 15 of 23A Japanese soldier sitting next to a tall bow and a bundle of arrows, 1867. Elice Beato/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 16 of 23Circa 1880.Hulton Archive/Getty Images 17 of 23New York Public Library 18 of 23Circa 1880. Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images 19 of 23Samurai commiting seppuku (hara-kiri) ritual suicide, circa 1880.adoc-photos/Corbis via Getty Images 20 of 23A portrait of three male models dressed as samurai warriors, 1890s.Michael Maslan/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images 21 of 23Circa 1860s.Wikimedia Commons 22 of 23Samurai brandishing sword, 1860.Historical Picture Archive/CORBIS 23 of 23Like this gallery?Share it:

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These days, we tend to associate military rule with political systems run amok. In pre-modern Japan, however, the rule of the samurai — a military elite — signaled government in its most pristine form.

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The Strange Story Of William Adams – The Englishman Who Became A Samurai

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1 of 23Japanese samurai warrior with tattoos, 1890.Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images

2 of 23Japanese samurai warrior with body tattoos.Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images

3 of 23Samurai of the Chosyu clan, circa 1860s.Wikimedia Commons

4 of 23Two geishas receive a visiting samurai, circa 1880. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

5 of 23Three young boys dressed as samurai, early 1900s.Vintage Images/Getty Images

6 of 23New York Public Library

7 of 23Photographic portrait of a female samurai, circa 1800s.Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images

8 of 23"A Group of Samurai," circa 1890.The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images

9 of 23Three samurai warriors in armor, circa 1880. Kusakabe Kimbei/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

10 of 23A group of men pose together in military uniform. Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

11 of 23New York Public Library

12 of 23Circa 1890.Wikimedia Commons

13 of 23Samurai on horseback, late Meiji Period (1868-1912).Culture Club/Getty Images

14 of 23Circa 1901.

15 of 23A Japanese soldier sitting next to a tall bow and a bundle of arrows, 1867. Elice Beato/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

16 of 23Circa 1880.Hulton Archive/Getty Images

17 of 23New York Public Library

18 of 23Circa 1880. Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images

19 of 23Samurai commiting seppuku (hara-kiri) ritual suicide, circa 1880.adoc-photos/Corbis via Getty Images

20 of 23A portrait of three male models dressed as samurai warriors, 1890s.Michael Maslan/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

21 of 23Circa 1860s.Wikimedia Commons

22 of 23Samurai brandishing sword, 1860.Historical Picture Archive/CORBIS

23 of 23Like this gallery?Share it:

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Gorgeous Photos Of The Last Samurai View Gallery

Gorgeous Photos Of The Last Samurai

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The samurai finds its origins in the 12th century, when landowning elites hired these warriors to overthrow Japan’s central government. The samurai succeeded, and for the next 700 years they governed political, economic, and social life in Japan.

Over the ensuing centuries, the power they wielded came not just because of the fear they instilled in the governed populations, but out of the populations’ respect and a caste system which enshrined that respect into law.

Indeed, many viewed the samurai — as a consequence of their mastery of brutality — as deeply in touch with the fragility of life, and thus those most equipped at protecting it.

During the Edo period (1603-1868) samurai – around five percent of the population – stood at the top of the social caste system, and lived in castle towns where they often devoted themselves to Buddhism, poetry, and calligraphy, utilizing ornate aesthetics to add visual distinction to the role they played in public life.

This ended in 1868, when globalizing economies and external political pressures saw the end of the Edo period and Emperor Meiji’s return to power. The government abolished the samurai class soon after, and many samurai – unable or unwilling to adapt to the new social structures – fell into poverty.

As one government inspector wrote of the time, “[samurai in Ishikawa] are lazy and inactive, and still have not shed their old habits. Although they have been loaned funds to establish enterprises, only a few have achieved their goals. Most of them do not work and thus produce nothing. As the days go by, they increasingly face hunger and cold, but they do not display the spirit to help themselves and just depend on others for their living.”

Those once entrusted with protecting life could not grapple with its transformation.

Next, learn about the Japanese monks who practiced self-mummification. Then, see what modern-day sword fighting in Japan looks like.