Women's Roles In Feudal Japan

The samurai were a powerful warrior class in Japan, and were very skilled with a sword. Samurai used swords and were trained very well to do many things such as fire a bow while on horseback. The samurai practiced Buddhism, which is a religion that taught people to respect the world to reach enlightenment. When the samurai disobeyed The Bushido Code, they committed Seppuku, which is ritual suicide for the samurai. Japanese culture was influenced by the samurai warrior class.

The samurai, or bushi (warrior), are well-trained cavalrymen that serve a particular lord. The first recorded history of the samurai was about the 9th century A.D. At that time the capitol of Japan was Kamakura, a military installation. Japan was ruled by an emperor who controlled his empire through the use of shoguns. Shoguns were generals that ruled over

starts of with the emperor. The emperor is at the top with his family. The emperor is an important religious figure, he swapped lands swapped land with nobles exchange for their support for he couldn't handle all the land far far away from him. In the shogunate period the emperor didn't have much power for the shoguns had basically controlled the government.

Samurai were the warriors of japan who were known for their skills as warriors . The samurai date all the way back to the heian period.The samurai were the protectors of the emperors in japan and the land around it.

The samurai got there first sword when they were born and was taught buddhism at a young age and went to samurai training school. Like the knights they would learn under a master which would teach them a number of strengths. Then in the following years they endured many hardships to test their strengths. “To help them learn to endure pain and suffering, young samurai boys were subjected to physical hardships such as fasting, marching barefoot in the snow and maintaining rigid postures for long periods.”(Source 4). Then finally at age 13 they were taught to use a sword and truly become a samurai. Though you could argue that the knights method of training was just as efficient. The samurai training method really tested the strength of the warrior and prepared him for the hardships of the

Samurais were warriors who were well trained and fought for japan. The title “samurais” were given to armed clan leaders in the north. The term “samurai” means “to serve”. The samurai answer to the daimyos. If the samurai disobey their master in any sort of ways, they would disgrace himself and his family. Samurai were trained at a very young age. At 14 they would already be a samurai, but before they became a samurai they had t learn how to ride a horse and other things as well. Their warfare's were filled with all kind of weapons like, the sword, The longbow, and the japanese spear. Armors were also part of samurai warfares. Samurai’s fighting were an important part in the history of their warfare.

The Heian court of medieval Japan was a progressive and dynamic society where women commanded a fair amount of power and respect. In many ways it seemed to be the basis of the "rank n file", material culture of today’s society. The social structure of society throughout the court was set up in three different ranks. In chapter two, Genji’s friend, To no Chujo explained the three roles and how they determined the role of women in court. Women of high rank would be the wife of a high ranking elite, thus responsible for raising the future heirs, women of lower rank were concubines and often had better relationships with the man than his wife. did It was this complicated ranking system that led to the abundance of accepted promiscuity, however the two roles kept a bit of stability and normalcy throughout the court.

Women in Western Europe and Japan compare and contrast religiously, politically, and economically. Religiously, women in Western Europe were better off with the advantage of becoming a nun than women in Japan were who lost their role in Buddhist and Shintu rituals. Politically, feminist thinkers were allowing women to have a greater say politically but there were fewer female rulers or regents in Europe. Japan who had female empresses prior to Koken was less inclined to have success. Economically, women in Japan could not inherit land but were able to be in the merchant class, while women in Europe could also inherit land; they were better off and more economically engaged than Japan with the running and working of a craft guild.

The Diary of Lady Nijo during the 13th and 14th centuries of early tradition Japan provides a primary account of what life was like for a female from the time 1271 to 1306. Lady Nijo’s life is one of sadness and suffering. As the daughter of Masatada Koga, Lady Nijo gives us a personal account of how women in court life had to conduct themselves and highlights the conduct between female and male in early traditional Japan. After losing her mother at age two and her father at fifteen, she is raised under the Retired Emperor Gofukakusa. Lady Nijo is powerless at times to the wills and wants of those in the court family. Her role as a woman during the time period shows the reader just how arduous life was for a female during the time period. Lady Nijo had a certain role she had to conform to because of the circumstances she endured. Lady Nijo’s relationship with not only the retired Emperor, Gofukakusa, but a high court official Akebono, as well as Ariake, Gofukakusa’s half-brother and a Buddhist monk made her appear as more of a pawn. Lady Nijo bears children with all of these men previously mentioned, and as her life

The samurai of Japan were a very loyal and honorable people. In ancient times the samurai’s lives were filled with discipline and intense training. The warriors were always ready for war or an attack, for they had developed a sixth sense. The samurai were important in history for their swords and art.

The main weapon of the samurai was his katana, which is said to be the soul of the samurai. The katana was expertly made by the artisans, it was made of steel that was heated to hot temperatures and then folded over for strength and sharpness, it could even cut through limbs. The sword also had a curved edge so they could slash a person instantly after pulling it out. The samurai were expert archers and could fire accurately while on a moving horseback. The samurai started training at the age of five and spent years of constant practice on archery, swordsmanship, martial arts, poetry and religious discipline. The training was very strict and one master would even strike his students at random times until they learnt to never lose their guard. The samurai had a significant impact on Japanese society, protecting and serving (PBS, 2003; History.com, No

Women’s obligation was to have children. Also, in this time period Japanese women were

Geisha are customary Japanese entertainers, sometimes acting as hosts or performers for their customers. When people think of geishas, the image of a young Japanese woman with a face caked in a white paste, with lips lined in bright red, clad in an extravagant kimono comes to mind. However, the earliest geishas were actually men in the 18th century, who worked as entertainers, singing and dancing. By the late 1700s, the career was mostly dominated by women. Geishas are regarded as cultural icons of Japan.

A high point of Japanese aristocratic culture, the Heian period was a time of significant intellectual and cultural growth. It is during this time that women came to have a very important role in the social and interpersonal workings of the court. Though there were still many restrictions upon them, women were able to express themselves as never before and faced a surprising degree of freedom and autonomy in a society that was defined by an immense amount of rigid formalities. One of the things I found to be most interesting from my findings were the power structures that developed within the court of Empress Fujiwara No Shoshi. Women as well as men not only exerted influence within the court but also developed pecking orders as well. Though, today, we have a rough idea of what this pecking order may have looked like with the Empress at the top followed by imperial consorts and the Empresses’ ladies in waiting, there appears to be no official documented hierarchal structure. Yet, although their may be no official documentation of this structure, evidence of these power structures can be found in the memoirs and works of women of the time, including Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shonagon. In a society where one was defined almost entirely by their social standing, earning the title of “Lady in Waiting” was an extremely sought after goal. Although the title most certainly provided women within the court certain privileges over others, it also came with a great deal of anxiety and

Beginning on their initiation day, Geisha were taught exactly how to act around men; submissive and dainty. Ordered to tend to the every want or desire of the opposite sex, Geisha made little difference within her own realms of existence. This is best demonstrated through Sayuri, a young apprentice within the Geisha community of Gion. Within mere minutes of arriving at her assigned living quarters, she is greeted, and succinctly told, “Listen here stupid girl. Keep your eyes down...men