The noble samurai is one of the most iconic symbols of Japan. Originating as a dedicated military caste during the Kamakura Shogunate in the 12th century CE, the samurai would become a dominant force in Japan's military, political, and cultural history for the next 700 years until they were disbanded after the Meiji Restoration in the 19th century. Even after they were rendered obsolete by modern weapons, samurai still remained fixtures of Japanese popular culture, something that continues to this day.