Japan developed a society similar to the Feudal system of Medieval Europe, and the equivalent of the knight was the samurai. Like his western equivalent he was a warrior, often fighting on horseback, serving a lord, and served by others in turn. After the Genpei War of 1180-1185 Japan was ruled by an Emperor, but the real power lay with the military leader, or Shogun. However, civil wars had weakened the Shoguns power by 1550 and Japan was split into kingdoms and ruled by daimyo or barons. In 1543 Portuguese merchants bought the first guns to Japan: soon large, professional armies appeared. A strong Shogun was revived after a great victory in 1600, and the last great samurai battle was fought in 1615.
The samurai’s main weapons were their swords, which they prized greatly. The main Samurai sword was the katana, sheathed in a wooden scabbard (saya). The guard for the hilt was formed by a decorated, oval, metal plate (tsuba). The grip (tsuka) was covered in rough sharkskin, to prevent the hand slipping, and was bound with a silk braid. A pommel cap (kashira) fitted over the end. The pair of swords (daisho) was completed by a shorter sword (wakizashi), which was also stuck through the belt. The cutting edge of this was usually placed facing upwards, while stuck in the belt, so that a blow could be delivered straight from the scabbard.
Learning to use the sword took many years of hard work and there were many moves that the samurai had to perfect. The edge of the blade was deadly sharp.