Women in Shogunate Japan
Born in to a class that determined
responsibilities
Samurai women were expected to teach
young samurai
Women in rural areas were more free than
upper class women
Peasant women worked the fields, planted
and harvested crops, gathered wood,
raised silk worms.
Women were always considered lower
than men.
Women had no legal existance in the Edo
period. Marriage was decided for uppercl
MANY could not own property; however in
the Heian period upperclass women could
have the rights to a manor
The Role of Women
Though, Japan valued men over women, women played an
important role in the society of medieval Japan. They were the
backbone that protected and cared for their
family. Throughout these times, Japanese women were
mothers, entertainers, and even warriors. The amount of
freedom a woman received depended greatly on her social
class. The duty of a Japanese woman in feudal society was to
marry. Women were expected to follow the idea of sanju or
three fold submission. This meant that when she married she
was obedient to her husbands parents , to her husband and to
her grown up male children. Samurai women fought but they
weren’t the only ones. All Japanese women had to partake in
some sort of fighting during their life. They were required to
protect their homes during wartime, while their husbands were
away. Without Japanese women this well-rounded structure,
typical of Japanese society, would be difficult to upkeep.
Women at this time had short lifespans and only lived to an
average of 27 years old due to diseases.
Groups of Japanese Women
• Buddhist nuns
• Becoming a nun was one of the few acceptable ways in which a
woman could avoid the usual roles expected of her. It was
common for middle aged women to join a convent after their
husbands had died. There were many reasons apart from
religious belief, why women became nuns in Japan. These
include a desire to rebel against family, to travel or to be
educated, to grieve and pray for a dead love or even to escape
punishment for a crime.
• Geisha Women
• The term geisha is usually understood to be a glorified
mistress of a man of high status. This is not factual. Geishas
were actually amongst the most respected women in Japanese
society. As young girls geishas are actually
called maikoas. Before becoming a geisha, a maikoa learns
how to converse with men, perform traditional dances to
perfection, and sing and play stringed instruments. Geishas
were of great use to daimyos. Sometimes, geishas were sent to
spy on or assassinate other territorial landlords. Even if a
daimyo sensed a geisha was sent to kill him; he had no defense
against her because she was seen as a respectable woman.
•
High Ranking Women-Mainly referred to as Noble Women
Women of high class had the littlest amount of freedom in medieval
Japan. They could not escape marriage. The purpose of marriage
between two families was to create an alliance which would make sure
the safety of the clan was in good hands; men were chosen who could
increase the family’s social status and affluence. The only way that
they could remain single was if they became a monk or a nun in
Buddhism however this would decrease her social ranking and she
was from then on perceived as a deceitful and amoral woman. Girls
from wealthy families spent many hours copying famous poetry and
practising handwriting. In this way they learned to read and write the
Japanese characters called Kana at home. Beautiful writing was seen
as a mark of good taste and high social class even though educating
women was seen as pointless in this period. Boys went on to study
Chinese characters however most of society was illiterate.
• Ladies of the Court
• There were many roles within the Court of Japan. Female
servants worked as hairdressers, food preparers, nurses to the
emperors children and played music. Ladies in waiting spent
their time writing poetry, playing music and indulging in
conversation. The Japanese emperors also had many
concubines and mistresses. Concubines ranked lower than an
official wife but were mother to some of the emperors children.
Emperor Go Mizunoo was the father of at least 33 children to
his wives, concubines and ladies in waiting.
Low ranking women
Women of the lower class which would have been referred to as peasants
typically had jobs cooking, cleaning, caring for the children of wealthy
families, spinning and weaving, farmers wives worked as farm labourers
planting rice and tending crops, wives of poorer townsmen helped with
family businesses and ran their homes. The wives of rich merchants were
better off in spite of their low social status, and had money to lead a life
of luxury. All these women had the freedom to use the money that they
earned as they wished, to pay taxes and provide their children with
clothing. Women of the lower class had a say in the man she ended up
marrying. They were also involved in guilds where women met for
religious ceremonies.
Samurai Women
Samurai Women were brought up to believe they were inferior to men;
marriages were arranged as alliances between families. She was
expected to bear a son to inherit property and teach daughters good
manners. Samurai women often learnt martial arts and knew how to
defend themselves. If their husband was away they had the task of
commanding soldiers, harvesting crops, managing servants and
organising finances. She also had to provide a proper education of her
children instilling a strong sense of duty, courage and physical strength.
It was not out of the ordinary for these women to become warriors and
sometimes join men in battle. They were known as the onna-bugeisha
and were expected to show: loyalty, bravery, and take on the duty of
revenge. The naginata, a long, curved sword, was considered the
weapon most suitable for women. And, like their husbands, women were
expected to commit suicide, also known as hara-kiri, if the family was
dishonoured in any way.
Close Passage Answers
Buddhist nuns
nun, convent, rebel against family
Geisha Women
geisha, Maikoas, perform traditional
dances
High Ranking Women littlest amount of freedom,
alliances, poetry, handwriting, kana
Ladies of the Court Female servants, ladies in waiting,
concubines
Low ranking women businesses, rich merchants, lower
Samurai Women alliances, martial arts, onnabugeisha, naginata
Review Answers-Role of Women
1. If their husband died, religious belief, a desire to
rebel against family, to travel,to be educated, to
grieve and pray for a dead love or to escape
punishment for a crime. Women were middle aged
2. A geisha is a woman trained to entertain men in
song, dance and conversation. A young geisha is a
maikoa. Geishas learn to converse with men,
perform traditional dances to perfection, sing and
play stringed instruments and sometimes geishas
were sent to spy on or assassinate people
3. Marriage was to create alliances. Reading poetry
and writing. Women were not seen as as important
as men. Men controlled most property,money,
owned businesses. Most werent educated. Was
western idea
Review Answers- Role of Women
4. Female Servants worked as hairdressers, food preparers,
nurses to the emperors children and played music. Ladies in
waiting spent their time writing poetry, playing music and
indulging in conversation. The Japanese emperors also had many
concubines and mistresses; some were the mothers of the
emperor’s children
5. They did jobs like: cooking, cleaning, caring for the children of
wealthy families, spinning and weaving, farmers wives worked as
farm labourers planting rice and tending crops, wives of poorer
townsmen helped with family businesses and ran their homes.
They had a choice in who they married.
6. Onna-bugeisha. Commanded soldiers, harvestedcrops,
managed servants, organising finances , provided an education
for her children and could be a warrior. Hari-kiri is committing
suicide and would be performed if the family was dishonoured.
Extension Table Task
Legal Rights
Occupation and Education
Marriage
Religious roles
FASHION
Women in Shogunate Japan
Australian Women
Not a lot.
Peasants could spend money
they earn’t. Men owned
property.
Geisha, warrior, writer,
harvest crops, work in
businesses, hairdresser,
servant. Few were educated
High Ranking and samuraiarranged Low ranking could
choose a partner
Many became nuns for
different reasons
Right to marry, earn a living
and spend it, still pay tax,
right to own property
Longer dresses such as
Kimono
There are many different
styles of clothing
Can work in many jobs. Have
equal access to education
Can choose who she marries
Has access to many religions
but few choose to be nuns
Image Analysis Task and Reading.
• Firstly we will read the role of Heian women. Then
using the pictures and sources on the page you will
be able to answer the questions below
• Question 1: What does the scene in Source 1 tell us
about the social position of the women divers
compared to others in the picture?
• Question 2: How do we know source 2 is about a
wealthy noble woman?
• Question 3: What does source 4 tell us about the
idea of beauty for noble women in Japan at this
time?
• Question 4: Using the picture of 3 women I have
given you what are the women doing? What class of
women do you think this is?
• Question 5: (Could find an image of women planting
rice or peasant clothes. What are these women
doing? What class of women do you think this is?
Heian Women
In Sei Shonagons’ book The Pillow Book many different
roles for women were described. Women farming, ladies in
waiting who wrote poetry and playing music, fisher girls
with thin ropes diving for shellfish, a shaman, an old
buddhist nun begging for offerings and a serving lady
pouring water for the empress
Ideas of beauty. For a noblewoman beauty meant a plump
figure, small red lips, white makeup, drawn on eyebrows.
They wore coloured silk gowns. Women from farming
families wore simple garments of course fabric.
Family Life. Women only lived on average 27 years. Girls
from rich families copied poetry and practised handwriting.
Marriages were arranged usually. Children died young too.
Source 1
Source 2
An extract from The Pillow Book
• There she sat, in a scarlet robe with
quite indescribably lovely gowns and
starched robes beneath, in layer upon
layer………. The sharp contrast of her
white forehead, clearly visible at the
side of the shielding instrument.
Source 4
Source: Man and woman
Source: 3 women
Image Analysis Answers
1. The women are seen as the servants of
men. Lower class women would have been
divers.
2. We know because of the makeup and
clothes she wore (we read about this in the
Heian women reading)
3. White makeup, hair in bun, eyebrows
drawn on, bright coloured kimono
4. Low ranking peasants as they are
wearing plain clothing out of course fabric.
They are carrying tools and a basket
5. The women are reading. The upper class
were educated.
Glossary Match Terms
Geisha
Concubine
Maikoa
Onna-bugeisha
Hari-Kiri
Buddhism
Shaman
Kana
Glossary Match Answers
Geisha
A Japanese hostess trained to entertain
Glossary Match-Mix up or cut out
men with song
and dance
Kana
A writing system that represents Japanese
syllables
A person who claims to communicate with
evil spirits through mystic rituals
A widespread Asian religion or philosophy,
founded by Siddartha Gautama in NE India
in the 5th century BC. It became popular in
Japan.
(in polygamous societies) a woman who
lives with a man but has lower status than
his wife or wives. Emperors had many of
these.
The word for a young woman who learns
how to converse with men, perform
traditional dances to perfection, and sing
and play stringed instruments before
becoming a geisha
A female warrior belonging to the Japanese
Shaman
Buddhism
Concubine
Maikoa
Onna-bugeisha
FAMOUS JAPANESE WOMEN
Person 1
Person 2
Person 3
Person 4
Person 5
Person 6
Person 7
Ojo Masako
Mugai Nodai
Murasaki Shikibu
Tokuko (Kenrei-Mon-In)
Sei Shonagon
Tomoe Gozen
Oichi
Diary entry
• You are to write a short diary entry of a Heian woman. You can
choose to be a samurai, a noblewoman, a low ranking woman
or a geisha.
• Ideas to think about: What is your name? What duties did you
do that day? Who did you speak or interact with? How do
you feel about your job or position in society?
• Are you happily married/Are you forced into a position you
didn’t choose?
An example:
• Dear Diary. I spent my day working in the rice fields
with my husband and then I went to buy some new
clothes for my children at the market. I ran into my
friend who had been spinning and weaving all day.
We talked about how tiring it is doing the kind of
work we have to do all the time. It makes me
unhappy as I’m sure that the ladies of the court don’t
have to do the hard work we have to do. The only
good thing is that I have the support of my husband.
I am glad I married somebody I loved.
Tukoro Hasimoto
Revision
There were many positions women could hold in
society however many had little rights.
There were differences in marriage rights
Men were seen as being more esteemed
Women wrote about the lives of women at this
time. They were from the higher class.
Women could be geishas, samurais, writers,
farmers, business owners, ladies in waiting,
childcare workers, concubines, hairdressers and
many other professions alongside mothers.