An ancient warrior from Japan. They were extreamly skilled with a sword and bow.
Samurai were Japan's fighting force untill the era of gun powder reached its shores.
This statement is not... accurate...
Samurai tacticians actually revolutionized gunpowder tactics in Asia. In 1590, Hideyoshi sailed the largest firearm-equipped army in the world against Korea. The samurai officers didn't drill with firearms (The lower ranking soldiers did), but samurai officered these men.
What ended the "samurai" era was Emperor Meiji re-establishing control of the country. Arguably, though, the samurai warrior didn't breath his last until Aug 15, 1945 (Japanese military officers into the 1940s tended to come from Samurai family)
By the late 1600s, Japan was well-fortified with guns and cannons. But, the Tokugawa ruling family closed Japan's doors to the outside world and restricted military production (for internal stability against rebellious vassals), and these guns and cannons rusted on their mountings.
