The ships at Hakodate came from shogunal and domain purchases because Japan did not yet possess a unified national navy. Regional lords likewise maintained their own retainers and armies, with widely varying capability. Samurai warfare cannot be reduced to swords, since the class had a strong archery tradition and could use a range of weapons. What defined samurai here was their status as professional soldiers expected to answer a lord's call. This institutional background helps explain why a national military later had to be assembled from distinct domain forces.
Notable Point · 18:13-20:35
Domain fleets and the military profession of the samurai
Japan entered the Boshin War with domain forces rather than a single national army and navy, while samurai were professional retainers skilled in more than sword fighting.