What was feudal Japan's social structure like?

The answer

Feudal Japan (1185–1868) operated under a rigid four-tier class system: samurai at the top, followed by farmers, artisans, and merchants at the bottom. Ironically, merchants were ranked lowest despite often being wealthier than samurai, because Confucian philosophy viewed profit-seeking as parasitic. The shogun held real power while the emperor was a figurehead, and samurai who lost their masters became ronin - masterless warriors who often turned to banditry or became wandering swordsmen.