Followership and the Samurai

Japan's samurai were a class of followers—their very name samurai originally meant those who served. The current study examines the colorful nature and significance of followership in the unique cultural setting of Japan's Edo or Tokugawa period (1603–1868), and how the relationship between samurai and their lords was affected by bushido—the way of the warrior. It also considers the relevance of samurai‐style followership to today's world.