With this article I will describe the Japanese armies from Pre-Samurai through Early Samurai to Later Samurai.
I will set forth the armies that fought the Emishi in the Pre-Samurai Period; the armies that fought with and against the Minamoto in the Gempei War; the early civil wars; and against the Mogol invasions; and the later armies up to the Battle of Tenno-ji, the last pitched battle between Samurai armies; and through to the end of the Samurai Period.
The Japanese Warriors and their equipment evolved over the period from Uji cavalry armed with bow and Tachi to the Samurai Warriors of the Late Period who fought with yari or Naginata.. The armour evolved from the early tanko, to the o-yoroi suits of the 16th century.