Samurai Ranks - Umamawari

Battle Ready Close Knit Protection Units and Assistants to the Daimyo.

The Umamawari were an elite group of samurai who accompanied the warlord or daimyo's horse as guards, messengers, and troops in battle and on campaigns. Umamawari (馬廻)literally translates to “around the horse”, and even in peacetime, they served as close knit protection units for the daimyo and even Imperial guards. Edo period umamawari sometimes performed administrative duties as aides to the daimyo, such as handling domain business affairs.