court-nobility

Updated: June 2, 2025

Degenerating into a mere court-nobility, they made little effort to exert any direct authority in other than civil directions, entrusting military matters almost wholly to the Buke. In the eighth century the distinction between military and civil organization had been made upon the Chinese plan; the great military class then came into existence, and began to extend its power rapidly.

Lafcadio Hearn - Japan: an Attempt at Interpretation