Medieval Japan used the a system exactly like the one used in Medieval Europe call the feudal system. It gave every one in society a class, the classes would exchange items like land, loyalty and labor and get some thing in return. The emperor didn't have any real power power in medieval Japan but lived a comfortable and easy life. The shogun had all the real power in Japan and shogun would fight each other over control. Diamyos would hire samurai to fight other diamyos for land. Peasants did all the real work that made Japan function like farming and fishing and building. Merchants where seen as not contributing to society so they where looked down upon.