What factors in Japanese culture led to the rise of the samurai?

Question

I'm taking Asian History in high school, and I'm really just looking for kind of an overview. I was really interested in this topic, and I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to use it as a subject for my huge history paper due at the end of the semester.

Answer 1

The imperial court at Kyoto during the Heian Period (794-1192) grew increasingly out of touch with the outer provinces leaving them to fend for themselves.

Warrior clans began to emerge, many of them distant cousins to the emperor but disowned so as not to have a claim to the throne. The two most prominent were the Taira and Minamoto families.

Imperial court aristocrats found themselves having to rely on these warriors more and more to keep the peace and stamp out rebellion. Eventually, in the mid-12 century after an imperial succession dispute, the warriors supplanted the aristocrat ministers and took power for themselves.

The Taira family came to dominate the Imperial Court. Their enemies the Minamoto defeated them after several years of war. Their leader, Minamoto no Yoritomo, established a new government with him as the head under the title of Shogun. From then on till the late 19th century, samurai were the dominant force.

Answer 2

I am not too sure but remember reading that Samauri were the "warrior class" in Japan; and since each province had a War Lord that war lord had warriors. you can find more information at

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2127.html
good luck