Question

What were the similarities and differences between Japanese and European feudalism?

Answer 1

Hint: Marc Bloch, a great French historian, described feudalism as follows:
"A subject peasantry; common usage of the service tenement (i.e. the fief) as a kind of payment...; dominance of a community of trained warriors; bonds of loyalty and security that attach man to man...; division of authority—inevitably leading to chaos."

Complete answer:
Feudalism had taken root in Europe by the 800s CE, but it took root in Japan only in the 1100s, when the Heian era came to an end and the Kamakura Shogunate rose to power.

European feudalism died out in the 16th century with the rise of stronger democratic states, but Japanese feudalism persisted until the Meiji Restoration of 1868.

Hereditary classes were the foundation of feudal Japanese and European societies. Nobles were at the top, led by soldiers, and tenant farmers or serfs were at the bottom. There was no social mobility; peasants' children remained peasants, and lords' children became lords and ladies.

Constant wars made warriors the most powerful class in feudal Japan and Europe. The soldiers became known as knights in Europe and samurai in Japan, and they served local lords. The warriors were held to a code of conduct in both cases. Knights were expected to follow the code of chivalry, while samurai were expected to follow the rules of bushido, or "warrior's way."

In war, both knights and samurai mounted horses, wielded swords, and wore helmets. The majority of European armour was made of bronze, either chain mail or plate metal. Lacquered leather or metal plates with silk or metal bindings are used in Japanese armour.

European knights were almost immobilised by their armour, requiring assistance to raise their horses; from there, they merely tried to drive their enemies off their mounts. Samurai, on the other hand, wore light armour that made for greater speed and manoeuvrability at the expense of safety.

Stone castles were established by feudal lords in Europe to defend themselves and their vassals in the event of an invasion. Castles were often built by Japanese lords known as daimyo, but they were constructed of wood rather than stone.

Note: The Chinese philosopher Kong Qiu or Confucius (551–479 BCE) was the inspiration for Japanese feudalism. Instead, European feudalism was founded on Roman imperial rules and customs, supplemented by Germanic practises and backed by the Catholic Church's authority.