Which social class were the Daimyos a part of in feudal Japan?

The Daimyos were an integral part of the feudal system in Japan and belonged to the nobility. They were powerful landowners who governed large estates and maintained their own armies of samurai, serving as local lords under the shogunate. The Daimyos had significant political and military influence and were responsible for local governance, maintaining order, and collecting taxes from the peasants who worked on their lands.

In this social hierarchy, the nobility (Daimyos) stood above the peasantry, who were the farmers and laborers working the land. They were also distinct from the merchant class, which consisted of traders and businesspeople engaged in commerce, and the artisan class, which included skilled craftsmen. Each of these classes played a different role in society, but the Daimyos specifically were part of the ruling elite, characterized by their wealth, land ownership, and military authority.