What year did the samurai form?

The samurai as a distinct social class began to emerge in Japan during the late Heian period, around the 10th century. Their role became more defined with the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate in 1192, which marked the start of feudalism in Japan. As warriors and retainers to the nobility, the samurai developed their own code of conduct, known as bushido, over the following centuries.