Define and explain reasons for the development of feudalism in Japan.

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Minamoto Yoritomo, The First Shogun
After the death of Prince Shotoku, Japan remained strong in a fairly calm and peaceful state.  Even with this peaceful and strong time period, all governments must fall eventually.  This happened to the Japanese in the 1100's.  Around this time, the Japanese central government began to decline, dragging the Fujiwaras down with them.  The Fujiwaras were the leaders at that time, controling Japan.  The Japanese government was begginning to lose money and authority over the powerful large landowners.  These landowners were called the daimyos.  The daimyos all had their own miniature private armies of samurai to fight other daimyos with.  Not only this, but the daimyos had to pay absolutely no taxes to the government, making them even richer.  The daimyos would use the power of their armies to capture new lands and protect themselves.  All of the time, the daimyos would be fighting each other in their own small wars, trying to become the wealthiest daimyo and control the most land.  Many of the samurai that helped the daimyos were actually vassals, people who pledged their allegiance to a military purpose in return for protection.  The lord and vassal system gave the daimyos even more power and created the begginnings of feudalism in Japan.  The daimyos' power continued to grow, weakening the power of the central government.  A man named Minamoto Yoritomo declared himself the first shogun.  The shogun was considered the most powerful daimyo in the system of daimyos.  During this time of the shogun, the emporer still remained in office and acted as a role model for his people, but had no real power in government.  Almost all of the power was given to the shogun and the daimyos.  The shoguns were then considered the true rulers of Japan, though they ruled on the emperors behalf.