Feudalism is characterised by a system of individual landholding, in which the owners of land, in addition to their proprietary rights, also exercise certain political, administrative and judicial rights over their lands and the population of them, the cultivation of lands so owned being carried on by a peasantry entirely or partially dependent on the landlords. (Miller)
Feudalism is not a word easily defined by historians. When thinking of feudal systems, most people might think of the feudal system in England which consisted of barons, knights and serfs. However, although both systems had common characteristics such as private armies and a code of honor, there were differences as well. The Japanese feudal system broke down into several levels including the emperor, the shogun, the daimyo, the samurai (also known as the warrior class) and the peasants. Although the Emperor is at the top of the hierarchy, he mostly existed as a figurehead, with most of the political power belonging to the Shogun, who was backed up by the warrior class.
Although the exact date for the beginning of the feudal period is unknown, most resources that I found credited the start of the shogunal rule was in the Kamakura period. The feudal system continued until the Tokugawa Shogunate was established in 1603. The Tokugawa Shogunate would bring order to a region that had been in the midst of war for almost 100 years and would continue to rule for over 2 centuries. The end of the shogunate came with Emperor Meiji’s restoration to power. Japan would underwent rapid modernization during this time, including the end of the feudal system.
Although the exact date for the beginning of the feudal period is unknown, most resources that I found credited the start of the shogunal rule was in the Kamakura period. The feudal system continued until the Tokugawa Shogunate was established in 1603. The Tokugawa Shogunate would bring order to a region that had been in the midst of war for almost 100 years and would continue to rule for over 2 centuries. The end of the shogunate came with Emperor Meiji’s restoration to power. Japan would underwent rapid modernization during this time, including the end of the feudal system.