Rare photos capture portraits of Japanese samurai warriors nearly 200 years ago

At first, samurai were just henchmen of lords and nobles, but they gradually gained power and established the first samurai-dominated government in Japanese history.

When mentioning Japan, people often think of a country that is both modern and has unique traditions. As one of the most developed countries in Asia, the culture of this country has been exploited in many Hollywood movies. Among them, samurai warriors are the image that often appears when mentioning the culture of this country.

Samurai warrior.

The origins of samurai date back to the 12th century, when the landowner elite hired them to fight for their interests. After accomplishing their goals, for the next 700 years, the samurai were said to have controlled the political, economic and social life in Japan at that time.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), samurai made up about 5% of the population and were at the top of the social hierarchy. They lived in castles, which were decorated with poetry, calligraphy, and other elements that highlighted their important role in society.

However, in 1868, as the Japanese economy entered a period of globalization, the government abolished the samurai class shortly thereafter, resulting in many samurai being unable or unwilling to adapt to the new social structure.

Although these people were all given loans to seek a new life, only a few achieved their goal, the rest fell into poverty and made the samurai a thing of the past.

A group of powerful samurai in the 1800s

Portrait of Samurai holding the famous Katana sword

Two geisha receiving a visiting samurai, circa 1880

Three boys dressed as samurai photographed in the early 1900s

Photographic portrait of a female samurai circa 1800s

Samurai of the Chosyu clan, circa 1860s

Samurai warriors wearing armor and holding weapons fight

A Samurai on horseback in the late Meiji period (1868-1912)