Video: Japan's Girls Trained to Kill: The Ancient Class of Samurai Women
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
These were not just women, they were the ladies of the upper class of Japan, often quite attractive. Marrying such a girl was doubly useful, because even if her husband was not around, she could not only protect her home and family, but mutilate her enemies beyond recognition. However, looking at their decisive faces in these photographs, it is hard to believe that someone dared to test their abilities.
Strictly speaking, the name "samurai woman" is not entirely correct, since the title "samurai" could only be received by a man. The women were called "onno-bugeisha." They often took part in battles alongside samurai men. However, participation in epic battles was not expected from them (although they were welcomed), onno-bugeisha had to be always ready to protect their family, their home, their honor, and also teach the basics of combat to their children.
While the male samurai used the katana, the women had a spear. It was for them that she was supposed to attack the intruders who entered her house. However, in the process of training, onno-bugeisha were also taught to use the yari spear, ropes, naginata (long blade), and chains. Behind the belt, such a woman, as a rule, had a short dagger (kaiken), which was used in close combat, as well as for throwing. The girl received such a knife during the ritual of celebrating her majority (12 years old).
Initially, training women in martial arts was a forced measure for a community that lacked male fighters. Although very remarkable stories from the life of onno-bugeisha are known. Perhaps the most famous "female samurai" was Empress Jingu, wife of the 14th ruler of the Yamato Dynasty (170 AD - 269 AD). After the death of her husband, she became regent under her son Odzin, and in fact ruled the country for almost 70 years. She led troops against the South Korean state of Silla, established diplomatic relations with another South Korean state of Baekje (it was from this country that the Chinese script came to Japan, which was used for the Japanese language).
However, there are many aspects in the history of Japan that attract modern people. In our review " 25 colorized photographs of the 19th century from the Land of the Rising Sun"You can see geisha, samurai and the most ordinary Japanese, photographed over a hundred years ago.
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