How were female samurai raised and trained to defend homes in the absence of men?

Japanese culture holds many secrets and mysteries. It is understandable: for a long time the eastern countries were closed and hardly integrated into the world community. The development of all social spheres – writing, education, sports, military arts – took place according to its own canons and within the framework of an individual program.

With the development of trade relations, involvement in the world became wider, and other countries learned about Japan’s rich history full of interesting facts. One of them is the legend of women warriors.

Did female samurai really exist alongside men?

Were there female samurai?

There are still debates about the real existence of women in feudal Japan, who trained and participated in battles on an equal footing with men. Some scientists-anthropologists do not find direct evidence of this fact, and mentions in books and recorded memories of contemporaries consider fantasy and literary exaggeration.

According to the traditions of Japanese culture, girls (especially in rich privileged families) were brought up from early years to be gentle, graceful, fragile and obliging creatures. They were supposed to be a perfect complement to their spouses, to be able to make small talk, keep the house clean, and raise children.

Girls from early years were completely subordinate to the father of the family, and after the death of the head of the clan, power and property were inherited by the eldest son. The image of a warrior capable of enduring the hardships of hiking life was not suitable for a Japanese girl with a refined figure.

Nevertheless, some historical scholars suggest that female samurai may well have existed as a separate cohort. The practice of such education was used in case of barbarian attacks on villages and hamlets, during which men could be killed. Women in this case were to defend their homes and save their children.

Historians have called the female representatives of the fair sex, wielding weapons, a special term – onna-bugeisya. According to the semantic constructions of the Japanese language, this is how to talk about women-samurai.

The term comes from two words: onna – “woman” and bugeisya – “man of martial arts”. The word samurai was applied in feudal Japan only to men.

The term buke-no-onna is also used in relation to a woman skillfully wielding a weapon. It means belonging to the bushi – the estate of samurai. These are those women who have passed the mandatory practical program in fencing and hand-to-hand combat, but may not have participated in battles.

One of the works detailing the history of the clan of female samurai was published in 2006 under the direction of American editor Shoshana Brickman. Its title is Samurai Women, Geisha, Courtesans: The Hidden Lives of Japan’s Magnificent Women. The book describes the rise of warrior girls who influenced the history of the country. It is in this edition you can learn in detail how to grow and temper the character of oriental women.

How were the onna-bugeisya brought up?

Literary sources and chronicles-memories describe that women who were to become defenders of their homes were treated harshly and rigidly – on a par with the stronger sex. They were not favored by their mentors.

Fearlessness and endurance were fostered in girls from childhood. They were sent to the cemetery at night, forced to train several hours a day, to do hard physical labor from morning to night, to sleep in the rain and sleep on the bare ground.

Girls were kept on a strict diet. It was believed that a true warrior, regardless of gender, should be satisfied with small amounts of food and be able to suppress hunger.

In addition to physical skills, no less attention was paid to education. Girls were taught literacy, writing, music, drawing, and were familiarized with poetry and folklore. Legends and tales about the exploits of samurai were of special importance in education.

Having absorbed from childhood the culture of warriors, girls by adulthood could already compete with men. The list of skills numbered dozens of types of possession of battle techniques, and agility and courage could envy experienced warriors.

At the same time, girls did not forget to take care of their appearance, and legends have preserved descriptions of warriors as attractive individuals.

What weapons did the Onna-bugeisya wield?

Just like boys, girls from the age of eight were taught to hold blades and spears. Such skills were considered essential during battle.

The main weapon worth learning to handle was the kaiken dagger. It was hidden in a sleeve or carried in a small pouch on the belt. The length of the blade of the kaiken was 6 centimeters. The stabbing weapon was used for stabbing in close combat.

Another defensive weapon skillfully wielded by the Onna-bugeisha was the naginata, a curved blade with a long handle. For a long time it was the classic female weapon. In the 17th century, every woman in Japan was taught to use a naginata for self-defense. This practice was practiced in Japan until 1945. The length of the blade handle was 1-2 meters and the blade was up to 30 cm.

The yari spear is another cold warfare weapon that female samurai knew how to wield. The shaft of the weapon was made of oak, and the upper part was wrapped with cord. The length of the spear varied from 2 to 4 meters.

Also, female samurai were well trained in the same martial arts as the men. These included sword fencing – kenjutsu, bow skills – kyujutsu, and unarmed martial arts – jiu-jitsu.

Onna-bugeisha, like men, adhered to the code of honor and conduct of the samurai – Bushido. Nothing was to break the willpower and determination to go to the end.

Famous female samurai

Tomoe Gozen

The story of the beautiful warrior woman is the most famous in Japanese folklore. According to the legend, Tomoe Gozen was a skillful brave warrior, brilliantly wielded the bow and stood in defense of her family during the civil war in the XI century in Japan. Gozen died on the battlefield with her husband.

But there is another version of the outcome of the life of an experienced female samurai. The surviving warriors from her husband’s squad ordered the warrior to flee from the battlefield. She spent her last days in a monastery.

Hojo Masako

The daughter of a large feudal lord Hojo Tokimassa became famous not only for her tough temper, but also for her diplomatic skills. The girl grew up among men – often went hunting and fishing, learned horseback riding, she was always interested in politics and intrigue around the ruling lords.

Hojo Masako married Minamoto no Yoritomo, who fought for power in the country. She helped her husband become the chief military ruler, the Shogun. After Yoritomo’s death, she gave advice on ruling to her son, who succeeded to the throne.

Hangaku Gozen

Hangaku Gozen

More than one literary work in Japan has been dedicated to the exploits of this female samurai. Hangaku Gozen is often depicted in color prints. The warrior went down in history for her fearlessness and leadership qualities. In a defensive battle against the Kamakura Shogunate, she led an army of 3,000 warriors. During the battle, Hangaku was wounded and taken prisoner. Her pleasant appearance and good manners helped her to survive. The girl married a warrior from the Kamakura clan.

“Fearless as a man, beautiful as a flower,” they wrote about Hangaku Gozen. According to legend, she always used a naginata in battle.

Strong onna-bugeisha became an example of fortitude not only for the people of Japan, but also for the whole world. And even though it is not reliably proven that female samurai were as a special caste, the stories of individual heroic girls do not raise doubts about their authenticity.