Samurai Sisters In the early feudal period, it was not out of the ordinary for women to become samurais and warriors. These women were known as the onna-bugeisha and were expected to show: loyalty, bravery, and take on the duty of revenge. During wartime, women sometimes had to defend their homes. Trained in weaponry, women carried a dagger in their sleeves or sashes and could throw with deadly aim. The naginata, a long, curved sword, was considered the weapon most suitable for women. Japanese girls today continue the ancient art of naginatajutsu as they learn how to wield the naginata. Sometimes women joined men in battle, actually fighting alongside them or encouraging the troops. And, like their husbands, women were expected to commit suicide, also known as hara-kiri, if the family was dishonoured in any way. Some women used suicide as a form of protest against injustice, as in the case of one woman who killed herself when her husband mistreated her. An example of the continuing power of women in the early feudal period is Hojo-Masako. This strong-willed woman took control of the Shogunate after her husband, the first shogun Yorimoto Minamoto, died in 1199. In her old age it was she who unified the Shogunate army which crushed the forces of the Emperor Go-Toba in 1221. The Hojo clan remained the leading shoguns for the next century and a half. For this reason, Hojo Masa-ko, known as “Mother Shogun”, has been referred to as the founder of the shogunate. Wives of samurai had important duties at home since her husband was often away fighting. Her responsibility was the food and all the household supplies. She oversaw the harvesting of crops, managed all the servants, and took over all financial business. She also had to provide a proper education of her children, especially through instilling in them, a strong sense of duty, courage and physical strength. Over time the independent samurai woman was replaced by a different image, to be humble, obedient, self-controlled and above all subservient to men. Respecting one's husband and family and bearing a male child became this ideal woman's most important tasks. By the later feudal ages, the laws changed which made it impossible for daughters to inherit property. After the 15th century, the Buddhist and Confucius teachings of the "Three Obediences" reinforced women’s lesser status in society. "A woman has no way of independence through life. When she is young, she obeys her father; when she is married, she obeys her husband; when she is widowed, she obeys her son." 1. What is another Japanese term for a female warrior? 2. When would a woman need to perform ‘hari-kiri’? 3. Why was Hojo Masa-ko given the title of ‘Mother Shogun’? What evidence from the text suggests that she was a powerful woman? 4. List all the duties a samurai wife would need to perform in her husband’s absence. 5. What are values do these women hold? Why do they need to pass them on to their children? 6. How did the role of Japanese women change towards the late feudal period?
