Long before the samurai appeared, Japanese warriors had been fighting almost continuously in battles against rival clans and against native peoples, and even attempted invasions of Korea. Thus, the samurai did not invent many of the combat techniques and military equipment with which they were associated, but when the samurai class emerged in the twelfth century, these warriors gradually put their own distinctive mark upon arms, armor, and the art of combat.

The Way of the Horse and Bow

Horses were used in Japanese warfare from very early times, as evidenced by statues and artifacts found in tombs of early chieftains. The first samurai continued the tradition, becoming horsemen of great skill and daring. Because the principal weapon at this time was the bow and arrow, early samurai exploits were spoken of in Japanese war tales as the "Way of the Horse and Bow." This description...