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An onna-bugeisha (?????

) was a type of female warrior belonging to the Japanese


upper class. Many wives, widows, daughters, and rebels answered the call of duty
by engaging in battle, commonly alongside samurai men. They were members of the
bushi (samurai) class in feudal Japan and were trained in the use of weapons to
protect their household, family, and honour in times of war. They also represen
ted a divergence from the traditional 'housewife' role of the Japanese woman. Th
ey are sometimes referred to as female samurai. Significant icons such as Empres
s Jingu, Tomoe Gozen, Nakano Takeko, and Hojo Masako are famous examples of onna
bugeisha.
Early history[edit]Long before the emergence of the renowned samurai class, Japa
nese fighters were highly trained to wield a sword and spear. Women learned to u
se naginata, kaiken, and the art of tantojutsu in battle. Such training ensured
protection in communities that lacked male fighters. One such woman, later known
as Empress Jingu (c. 169-269 AD), used her skills to inspire economic and socia
l change. She was legendarily recognized as the onna bugeisha who led an invasio
n of Korea in 200 AD after her husband Emperor Chuai, the fourteenth emperor of
Japan, was slain in battle. According to the legend, she miraculously led a Japa
nese conquest of Korea without shedding a drop of blood. Despite controversies s
urrounding her existence and her accomplishments, she was an example of the onna
bugeisha in its entirety. Years after her death, Jingu was able to transcend th
e socioeconomic structures that were instilled in Japan. In 1881, Empress Jingu
became the first woman to be featured on a Japanese banknote. Designed to stop c
ounterfeiting, her image was printed on oblong paper.[1] In addition to economic
changes in Japan, onna bugeisha also stretched social structures.
Tomoe GozenDuring the earlier Heian and Kamakura periods, women who were promine
nt on the battlefield were the exception rather than the rule. Japanese ideals o
f femininity predisposed most women to powerlessness, in conflict with a female
warrior role.[2] Women warriors were nonetheless pioneers in this role, and some
even went on to lead their own clans.
Kamakura Period[edit]The Genpei War (1180 1185) marked the war between the Taira a
nd Minamoto; two very prominent and powerful Japanese clans of the late-Heian Pe
riod. During this time, the epic Heike Monogatari was written and tales of coura
geous and devoted samurai were recounted. Among those was Tomoe Gozen, wife of M
inamoto Yoshinaka of the Minamoto clan. She assisted her husband in defending hi
mself against the forces of his cousin, Minamoto no Yoritomo. During the Battle
of Awazu on February 21, 1184, she rode into the enemy forces, flung herself on
their strongest warrior, unhorsed, pinned, and decapitated him.[2] In the Tale o
f Heike, she was described as being "especially beautiful, with white skin, long
hair, and charming features. She was also a remarkably strong archer, and as a
swords-woman she was a warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a
god, mounted or on foot. She handled unbroken horses with superb skill; she rode
unscathed down perilous descents. Whenever a battle was imminent, Yoshinaka sen
t her out as his first captain, equipped with strong armor, an oversized sword,
and a mighty bow; and she performed more deeds of valor than any of his other wa
rriors."[2]
Although she was not proven to be a historical figure, Tomoe Gozen has impacted
much of the warrior class, including many traditional Naginata schools. Her acti
ons in battle also received much attention in the arts plays such as Tomoe no Mo
nogatari and various ukiyo paintings. As time passed, the influence of onna-buge
isha saw its way from paintings to politics.
After the Heike were thwarted towards the western provinces of Japan, the Kamaku
ra shogunate (1185 1333) was soon established under the rule of Minamoto no Yorito
mo. After he passed, his wife, Hojo Masako, acting in the early years of the Hoj
o regency, became the first onna-bugeisha to be a prominent player in politics.

Masako became a Buddhist nun, a traditional fate of samurai widows, becoming kno
wn as "The General in Nun s Habit". She bullied the samurai class into supporting
her son, Minamoto no Yoriie, as the first Hojo Shikken (regent) in Kamakura.[3]
Through the collective efforts of Masako and a few political puppets, laws gover
ning the shogun s court in the early 13th century allowed women equal rights of in
heritance with fraternal kin. Even though the primary role of women in ancient J
apan continued to be the support to their family and their husbands, they acquir
ed a higher status in the household. These laws also allowed Japanese women to c
ontrol finances, bequeath property, maintain their homes, manage servants, and r
aise their children with proper, loyal, samurai upbringing. Most importantly, Ja
panese women were also expected to defend their homes in times of war.

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