Editing Samurai (section)

===Heian period===
[[File:Blacksmith Munechika, helped by a fox spirit, forging the blade Ko-Gitsune Maru, by Ogata Gekkō.jpg|thumb|upright|In the [[noh drama]] ''Sanjō Kokaji'', the 10th-century blacksmith Munechika, aided by a [[Kitsune|''kitsune'' (fox spirit)]], forges the ''[[tachi]]'' (samurai sword) ''Ko-Gitsune Maru''.]]
In 792, the gundan, or provincial garrisons, in most of the country were abolished. This was a part of a shift from general conscription to conscripting only the rural elite. This came after the garrisons had their numbers reduced and recruitment focused on skilled horse archers.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Friday |first1=Karl |title=Teeth and Claws. Provincial Warriors and the Heian Court |journal=Monumenta Nipponica |date=1988 |volume=43 |issue=2 |pages=153–185 |doi=10.2307/2384742 |jstor=2384742 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2384742}}</ref> Another principle of the Ritsuryō system had already begun to be abandoned. All the land belonged to the state, and had been distributed on a per capita basis to farmers. However, in 743, farmers were allowed to cultivate reclaimed land in perpetuity. This allowed clan leaders, especially those with lots of slaves, to acquire large amounts of land. Members of the Imperial family, the Kuge and Temples and Shrines received grants of tax-free land. In the 9th Century, the farmers began to give their land over to the nobility in order to avoid taxes. They would then administer and work the land for a payment of rice. This also reduced the wealth of the Emperor, as he had no private land and was dependent on tax income.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Inoue |first1=Kiyoshi |title=Geschichte Japans |date=1993 |publisher=Campus Verlag |isbn=3-593-34845-4}}</ref>

[[File:Sagami Jiro and Taira no Masakado Attacking an Opponent on Horseback LACMA M.84.31.433.jpg|thumb|[[Taira no Masakado]] attacking an opponent on horseback ([[Yoshitoshi]])]]
Warriors in the provinces formed networks for mutual protection at the same time court officials and monetaries also established private military entourages.<ref name="Hired Swords page 94">{{cite book |last1=Friday |first1=Karl |title=Hired Swords The Rise of Private Warrior Power in Early Japan |date=1992 |publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=9780804726962 |page=94 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iNc89Xvh-D0C}}</ref> These networks allowed the formation of large private armies as warrior leaders with hundreds of followers could combine forces. These networks were organized vertically, with a prominent figure (such as [[Taira no Masakado]]) partnering with lowing ranking warriors.<ref name="Hired Swords page 98">{{cite book |last1=Friday |first1=Karl |title=Hired Swords The Rise of Private Warrior Power in Early Japan |date=1992 |publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=9780804726962 |page=98 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iNc89Xvh-D0C}}</ref> Gradually, the Court began to rely more and more on these private warrior bands instead of the militia. New military and police posts were created to legitimatize the warrior leaders who were then given military responibilites. These leaders often delegated tasks to their followers.<ref name="asianstudies.org">{{cite web |last1=Karl |first1=Friday |title=Once and Future Warriors: The Samurai in Japanese History |url=https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/once-and-future-warriors-the-samurai-in-japanese-history/ |website=Association for Asian Studies }}</ref>

The Heian period saw the appearance of distinctive [[Japanese armor]] and weapons. Typical examples are the {{transliteration|ja|[[tachi]]}} (long sword) and {{transliteration|ja|[[naginata]]}} (halberd) used in close combat, and the {{transliteration|ja|[[ō-yoroi]]}} and {{transliteration|ja|[[dō-maru]]}} styles of armor. High-ranking samurai equipped with {{transliteration|ja|[[yumi]]}} (bows) who fought on horseback wore {{transliteration|ja|ō-yoroi}}, while lower-ranking samurai equipped with {{transliteration|ja|naginata}} who fought on foot wore {{transliteration|ja|dō-maru}}.<ref name = "o-yoroi">[https://web.archive.org/web/20200607115832/https://costume.iz2.or.jp/column/489.html 式正の鎧・大鎧] Costume Museum</ref>