During that period, if one didn't have a horse, they were walking. All things considered, during the time of the Samurai, Japan was as developed as any other country. Heian Kyo, the capital city, was laid out in a plan, with straight roads. There were main roads leading from there to any of the other large cities of the time, there really wasn't too much trail blazing to do, Japan is a small island, it has about the same land mass as the state of Oklahoma.
The domestic horse of Japan is much smaller than western horses which are used in Samurai movies.
http://www.marvellouswings.com/tankyuuka...
So now it is considered that Samurai did not use horses for marching. Horses were used only in the battle field. Therefore, all Samurai walk irrespective of having horses or not.
For most of human history if any person did not own a horse, then they walked. The samurai were no different. The samurai's armor and gear were lightweight compared to Medieval knights' armor and gear, so they could walk longer without having to rest than knights could.
This is the problem with getting your history from movies. The Samurai were the ruling class in Japan for over 1000 years. The class, it's methods of warfare, and it's equipment changed drastically over that long period of time when the Japanese warred incessantly with each other.
The cavalry was always a very important part of warfare, from the earliest times. The primary weapon was the bow... The "yumi". The bow was asymmetrical to allow it's use from horseback.
Armies were always composed of both cavalry and footsoldiers, just as were armies in the rest of the world.
Cavalry for fast maneuver and quick strikes, infantry for taking and holding ground.
The primary battlefield weapon of the infantry was not the sword, but polearms like the spear and the naginata, backed by archers.
The period you are referring to actually is after the Samurai period. The Meiji Restoration abolished the Samurai and the class system, and thousands of warriors were cast adrift to become ordinary citizens.... Or to remain warrior "Ronin" or 'wave-men" who wandered around, challenging each other to duels and finding what work they could.
I remembered watching a short story supposely base on true story.. They said that Samurai spend all that time training, and riding horse and shoot bow & Arrows. They said that they don't have formal Educations..-shrugs-
Of course when watching Samurai in Japanese Animation it shows that they're educated people and like to write poem -shrugs-
Anyone here can verfity this? That Samurai (some or most) do have formal Education... like able to read and write?
I know that there quite lot of them that write books, like one famous samurai (can't spell his name) start with M that wrote Book...5 rings? He invent two fighting Sword style?
Horses are expensive and expensive to upkeep. If you were employed as a samurai you could afford it, but if you were unemployed rounin then you probably don’t have funds for such a thing. Also it wasn’t necessary as the towns were close enough to walk from one town to another, and there were inns and such on the road for distance travels.
@JKD they actually had the cow option as well. Cows were used for farm work and such, but they were also rideable(though, horse was preferred ride).
If you watch all samurai movie if they have no horse do they walk alot. ? Because they were like trail blazers with gear.
