Yes the samurai were an honored military class in Japan from 12th-16th c, albeit mercenary, owing their allegiance to the warlord who paid them, until they became ‘ronin’ or masterless, usually due to defeat of their employer. By the 16th c there were a lot of ‘ronin’ due to turbulence in that country.
Japanese young people today who are drifting rudderless in big cities, getting into trouble, and not following any approved path to stability are also called ‘ronin’
This is a very different tradition from the evolution of martial arts in China.