The Hierarchy Systems

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Between the 12th and 19th centuries, feudal Japan had an elaborate four tier class system.

Unlike European feudal society, in which the peasants ,or serfs, were at the bottom, the Japanese feudal class structure placed merchants on the lowest rung. Confucian ideals emphasized the importance of productive members of society, so farmers and fishermen had higher status than shop-keepers in Japan.

The Samurai Class:

Farmers/Peasants:

Artisans :

Merchants:

People above the four tier system :

People below the four tier system :

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Japanese Army Hierarchy

For those wishing to join the military in Soul Samurai, here is the hierarchy system.

KYUNIN - Officers

The Kyunin are the nobles of the military class. It was almost required that one be born into this class of warriors to be a part of it. During a particularly bloody era of the Sengoku period, however, lower class warriors including ashigaru could rise to the Kyunin class.

DAIMYO - A Japanese feudal lord; there is only one Daimyo. their real duties were as extensively administrative as they were martial. He may essentially be summed up as the general of a clan's armies. The Daimyo's abilities includes, but are not limited to, accepting new people into the clan and/or noble class, making final decisions in matters of structure and policy, instructing the army as a whole on the battlefield, breaking down the army into smaller regiments, etc.

SAMURAI - The samurai were undoubtedly a key part of the totem of feudal Japanese armies, being specialized warriors usually of high social rank. Historically, their lives centered around feudal allegiances to powerful landowners, themselves being a class of feifdom. Of note is the idea that they followed "bushido," translated as the way, -do, of the warrior, -bushi, which ideally reflected the notion that samurai were a class fanatically devoted to their lord, defense of their honor, and bound unto death.

KACHI - Soldiers

The Kachi make up the bulk of the warrior class; primarily, peasants either willingly or forcefully joined into military service, and personal attendants to the Kyunin.

GASHIRA - Literally, "head." The gashira were battlefield leaders of small units of troops; there would be a gashira at the head of each spear or bow company, for example. The most direct comparison would be to a modern army sergeant. Gashira were essential elements to any ordered samurai army, and served as the final connecting point between the officers and soldiers. Interestingly, both peasant and noble class were found within the ranks of the gashira, since many ashigaru distinguished themselves as equally or more capable than their samurai counterparts in matters of ordering the unit in battle.

ASHIGARU -Were foot-soldiers who were employed by the samurai class of feudal Japan. For the most part, there was no distinction between the Ashigaru ("light foot") and peasant.

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Police Force Hierarchy

In feudal Japan individual military and citizens groups were primarily responsible for self-defense until the unification of Japan by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603. During the Edo period (1603–1868), the Tokugawa shogunate formed a centralized feudal government Samurai warriors who once protected Japan from foreign enemies and fought each other for supremacy became the new police and internal security force. Their new job would be to ensure civil peace, which they accomplished for over 250 years. The Edo period police apperatus utilized a multi-layered bureaucracy which employed the services of a wide variety of Japanese citizens. High and low ranking samurai, former criminals, private citizens and even citizens groups participated in keeping the peace and enforcing the laws and regulations of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Samurai Police

Machi-bugyō

During the Edo period, high ranking samurai with an allegiance to the Tokugawa shogunate (hatamoto) were appointed machi-bugyō (city administrators or commissioners). The machi-bugyō performed the roles of chief of police, prosecutor, judge and other judicial related business both criminal and civil in Edo and other major towns. (In any case, what this means to you guys is that you can become chief of police.)

Yoriki

Working under the machi-bugyō was the yoriki. Yoriki were samurai—they managed patrols and guard units composed of lower ranking police officials. Yoriki, being of a higher class, were able to ride a horse while performing their duties and were trusted to carry out assignments of high importance.

Dōshin

Working under the yoriki was the dōshin. Dōshin were samurai but of a lower class than yoriki—they preformed the duties of prison guard and patrol officer which required close contact with commoners (chonin). They investigated crimes such as murder and helped with executions.

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A ninja (忍者) or shinobi (忍び) was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of the ninja included: espionage, sabotage, infiltration, assassination and guerrilla warfare. The shinobi proper, a specially trained group of spies and mercenaries, appeared in the Sengoku or "warring states" period, in the 15th century, but antecedents may have existed in the 14th century, and possibly in the 12th century (Heian or early Kamakura era.)

Talents

The skills required of the ninja has come to be known in modern times as ninjutsu (忍術), but it is unlikely they were previously named under a single discipline, but were rather distributed among a variety of covered espionage and survival skills. The ninja did not always work alone. Teamwork techniques exist: for example, in order to scale a wall, a group of ninja may carry each other on their backs, or provide a human platform to assist an individual in reaching greater heights. Espionage was the chief role of the ninja. With the aid of disguises, the ninja gathered information on enemy terrain and building specifications, as well as obtaining passwords and communiques. Sabotage, assassination, countermeasures, training, tactics, Disguises, tools, and weaponry were key signs of a ninja arsenal and hand some form of martial arts or weapon style.

Titles

Regular Forces

The regular forces (正規部隊, Seiki Butai) form the foundation of the village and its shinobi system. The majority of shinobi are a part of these forces and together, either individually or in teams, they perform the majority of the missions the village receives. They are also tasked with the various duties within the organisation, such as training and administrative duties.

When an Academy student graduates, they usually become a part of these forces, assuming the rank of genin. Via various exams and tests, they can be promoted to higher ranks, first to chūnin and jōnin after that. Sometimes, when a shinobi is specialized in a very specific skill, they can assume the rank of tokubetsu jōnin, which is a rank between chūnin and jōnin.

Genin

(下忍, Literally meaning: low ninja, Meaning: junior ninja) are the lowest level of ninja and also the ones that display the most difference in power. When they become genin, ninja start to do their bit for their village's economy – being sent on missions that the village gets paid for. They are typically sent either on D-rank missions, which are almost entirely risk-free jobs of manual labor, or, rarely, on C-rank missions, which are a cut above that and begin to verge on real "ninja" work that have a very low possibility of risk to the ninja involved.

Chūnin

(中忍, Literally meaning: Middle Ninja, Meaning (Viz): Journeyman Ninja) are ninja who are qualified to guide other ninja and lead missions. Chūnin have reached a level of maturity and ability that primarily consists of leadership skills and tactical prowess (skill or expertise in a particular activity or field.) Genin who do not have the skills to become chūnin are weeded out in the Chūnin Exams. Some of them move on to function as Academy teachers and others serve as team leaders in charge of small teams who need to make decisions and utilize the skills of the shinobi under their command to the maximum effect. Chūnin are typically sent on C-rank or B-rank missions.

Tokubetsu Jōnin

(特別上忍, Tokubetsu Jōnin, English: Special Jōnin, Literally meaning: Special High Ninja, sometimes known as Tokujō for short) are ninja who, rather than all-around jōnin training, have jōnin-level ability in a specific area or skill, much like warrant officers in real-world militaries. They are elite specialists in their areas and are often assigned as subordinates to regular jōnin when their services are needed.

Jōnin

(上忍, Jōnin, Literally meaning: High Ninja, Meaning (Viz): Elite Ninja) are generally highly-experienced shinobi with great individual skill who serve as military captains. They are often sent on A-rank missions, and experienced jōnin may even be sent on S-rank missions (which are considered to be the greatest difficulty). It is not unusual for jōnin to go on missions alone. Jōnin are generally able to use at least two types of skills.

Kantoku

A Kantoku oversees the activities of their village, from sending ninja on missions to making the hard decisions regarding the safety of their people. A village's Kantoku is generally acknowledged as its most powerful ninja.