There was a long period of internal peace in Japan from about the 17th century onward, the Tokugawa shogunate period. During this time Samurai largely transitioned into being bureaucrats, rulers, courtiers, etc. After Japan was forced to end its relative isolation in the mid 19th century Japan began to modernize, intentionally and rapidly. The "feudal" organization of its military was abandoned in favor of a more western style military with primarily conscripted members. With the Meiji restoration the government substantially eliminated the special rights and privileges of the samurai, taking away their positions of power in the military, taking away their sources of income (government stipends), taking away their right to wear a sword in public, and taking away their rights to get away with actions that would be a crime for others (such as killing a commoner).

There was, naturally, some backlash by the samurai against these changes to the country and to their financial well being and positions of extreme privilege, which came to a head in the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877. Samurai led forces faced off against western style industrialized armed forces, and were crushed utterly and rapidly. The Samurai could no longer go against the tide of change and soon after there was an end to formalized class differences in Japan.