In the early years, Samurai were well respected and held a high social status. The wealth of a Samurai was measured in “Koku”. This was roughly the amount of rice that it took to feed a person in a year. Samurai roughly translates to “those who serve”, and another word for samurai is “Bushi” which comes from the word Bushido (the code samurai would follow”. Samurai would serve their Daimyo in exchange for rice, or a small parcel of land. The power of the Samurai slowly began to rise during the Kamakura period. During this period, Samurai became more organized with the introduction of Buddhism to society. Buddhism largely influenced the code of Bushido and this gave the Samurai a backbone upon which they grew in power.