California Teacher Credentialing Examination (CSET) 2026 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The characteristic that describes the Japanese Samurai class during the Tokugawa Era is that it declined and faced changes. During this period, which lasted from 1603 to 1868, the samurai, once a powerful warrior class that held significant political and military influence, experienced a transformation in their role due to the stabilization of the Tokugawa shogunate.

As Japan entered a time of relative peace, the samurai's primary function as warriors diminished. Many samurai found themselves in bureaucratic roles within the government, and a growing merchant class began to emerge, shifting economic power away from the traditional warrior class. This change led to social stratification that affected the samurai’s status and livelihoods.

The decline of the samurai class is evident in that many were unable to maintain their traditional privileges and faced difficulties adapting to a new social order where financial stability became increasingly dependent on commerce rather than military prowess. As a result, the samurai era ultimately led to significant political, social, and economic changes within Japanese society.