Who am I? Famous women of shogunate japan
First we will read through the lives of important women in Shogunate Japan.
Then we will have a quiz. The first person with each answer gets a prize.
Tomoe Gozen- Gozen was a true warrior woman. While other women were
forced to fight for eg; to defend a castle she chose to fight alongside men.
She was a strong archer, swordsman, could handle unbroken horses and was
said to be a warrior worth a thousand. She was married to Minamoto
Yoshinka who rose against the Taira and took Kyoto. Whenever a battle was
imminent Yoshinka sent her out as his first captain with strong armour and
an oversized sword. With the Taira forced out west Yoshinka claimed he
should lead the Minamoto clan; this led to an attack by Minomoto Yoritimo
leading to a large fight. Tomoe disappeared, died or fled here.
Shei Shonagan- Shonagan was the author of The Pillow Book and a lady in
waiting to Empress Teishi in the middle Heian period. Sei’s book provides
fascinating insights into Japanese life over a thousand years ago, particularly
the role of women under the shoguns. The way she speculated and wrote
about the lower classes caused other writers of the time to label her as
conceited.
Oichi - Oda Nobungas siste (he was a famous Japanese warrior who
overthrew the Muromachi Shogunate and helped restore stable government)
She was married to Shibata Katsuie but Nobunga made her divorce and
remarry Asai Nagamassa after the conquest of Mino. After warring and
betrayal by Nagamassa Nobunga requests the return of Oichi who has 3
daughters and 1 son to Nagamassa. One of her daughters married Tokugawa
Hidetawa the 2nd shogun and they produced the 3rd shogun Lemitsu.
Ojô Masako -1156-1225 Masako was one of the strongest political figures of
the time and was referred to as the ‘mother of the shoguns’. She was the
wife of the shogun Minamoto Yorimoto. She became a nun after her
husbands death. She did not retire from politics and helped form a council of
elders to control the power of her own son who was a shogun. He tried to
stop this and was exiled and later murdered. Masako and her father
Tokimasa then made an 11 year old boy the next shogun. Although Masako
could never take the role of shogun she helped control it.
Tokuko (Kenrei-Mon-In) 1155-1213 -Wife of the Emperor Takakura To seal
her father Taira Kiyomori’s place in politics a young Tokuko was sent to be
adopted by retired emperor Go-Shirakawa. Then Tokuku was married to then
child-emperor Takakura. Tokuku had a boy who was destined to be the
emperor of Japan. 2 years later Takakura was pressured to retire and the boy
named Antoku was named titular emperor. Tokuku enjoyed a lavish lifestyle
however in 1181 Takakura died; in 1183 the forces of Minamoto Yoshinaka
forced the Taira including Tokuko and Antoku to flee as they achieved
victory. Kiyomori's widow, Antoku and Tokoku plunged into the water to
escape but Tokuku was found by Minamoto warriors. she was permitted to
retire to the Chorakuji and shave her head as a nun, forgotten in the political
upheaval.
Murasaki Shikibu Shikibu is the most famous writer of the Heian period. Her
novel the tale of Genji is thought to be one of the first novels ever written.
After her husband died Shikibu’s intelligence was well known and she was
chosen as a lady in waiting to Empress Akiko. Her novel was hugely popular
and is still read and studied today.
Mugai Nodai She was born into a bushi family and married into the hojo clan.
She was very well educated in Chinese and Japanese and begun to study Zen
Buddhism in her middle years. She did not become a nun but became the
first Japanese woman to qualify as a Zen priest. She founded and led the
Keiaji temple in Kyoto and led a network of convents.
Who am I?
Person 1: Clues
I helped control the Shogunate
Person 5: Clues
Some say I was conceited
Person 2 : Clues
I led a network of convents
Person 6: Clues
I could handle unbroken horses
Person 3: Clues
I was a lady in waiting to empress Akiko
I am a writer.
Person 7: Clues
My daughter married a shogun
Person 4: Clues
My husband was very powerful
.