Japan transitioned through rule by powerful clans like the Fujiwara in the 8th century, to a feudal system dominated by warrior clans like the Kamakura in the 12th century and the Tokugawa in the 1600s. This established Japan as a warrior state where samurai lived by a code of honor called Bushido that required ritual suicide over disloyalty. Meanwhile, Shintoism focused on nature deities and the emperor's divine status, while Zen Buddhism encouraged mental discipline for warriors.