samurai

right|thumb|The mounted archer represented the quintessential samurai. The were members of the professional warrior class in pre-industrial Japan, who served as retainers to the lords. These men came from warrior families and trained from a young age in military arts through private instruction. Swordsmanship, archery, and horsemanship were the primary martial skills; and often in Japanese history, only samurai had the right to even possess these weapons. These weapons required years of training to master, and this commitment made the samurai superior to conscripts and militia, the latter who were typically given only days of training. The samurai also studied literature, calligraphy, and Confucian philosophy, befitting their roles as bureaucrats under the shoguns.

In 1853, the United States forced Japan to open its borders to foreign trade, dragging the insular country into the industrial age. The adoption of modern firearms rendered the traditional weapons of the samurai obsolete. Firearms require only one or two weeks of training to master, which was something that could feasibly be done with conscripts. Japan therefore had no more need for a specialized warrior class whose men dedicated their lives to martial training. Furthermore, Japan's transition from feudalism to capitalism left the samurai without any lords to serve, ending their traditional social role. By 1876 the special rights and privileges of the samurai had all been abolished.