Hatamoto

A hatamoto (旗本) was an official guard of a daimyo or shogun in feudal Japan. Characterized by their use of the nodachi, or fieldsword, they often acted as an elite force and a quick reinforcement.

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During the Edo period, hatamoto were samurai directly loyal to the shogun, and had the duty to mobilize at the shogun's order. Unlike daimyo, they did not have a duty of Sankin Kotai and had a domain of less than 10,000 koku. Their domains were clustered around Edo. They were both feared and respected by other samurai because of their direct allegiance to the shogun, but this also meant they had a higher standard to fill.

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Daimyo: The daimyo (Japanese: ??: ') were the most powerful feudal rulers from the 12th century to the 19th century in Japan. The term daimyo literally means "great name." From the shugo daimyo of the Kamakura period through the sengoku daimyo to the daimyo of the Edo period, the rank had a long and varied...

Shogun: :This page is about the Japanese ruler and military rank. For other meanings of shogun, see Shogun (disambiguation)....

Japan: For other uses, see Japan (disambiguation)....