[VZF74G0M]

Konnichiwa Everyone!

I have read many books on Samurai, and there has not been much coverage about Female Samurai, if anyone has any pictures or information about Female Samurai please could you please to post it, as i am writing a book at the moment on not too much material.

[Irrampbroow]

Konnichiwa Everyone!

I have read many books on Samurai, and there has not been much coverage about Female Samurai, if anyone has any pictures or information about Female Samurai please could you please to post it, as i am writing a book at the moment on not too much material.

Well...it depends. Feudal Japan was not a great tiem for women's rights. I mean hell, they could sell you into prostitution to absolve debts.

If you're talking fictional ppl well...Azumi(very old manga about a female assassin), Tomoe Ame from Usagi Yojimbo(haahaa). There have been instances where women helped men in battle...I remember something about a christian clan revolt in kyushu and the women fought with naginatas, side to side with their samurai.

[Rapiddude]

i dont think anyone should right a book about anything till they at least have a degree in that field

plus , your 16, (as am i ) and if i caught myself telling me that i wanted to right a book i would slap myself

[xanonlinexan]

i dont think anyone should right a book about anything till they at least have a degree in that field

plus , your 16, (as am i ) and if i caught myself telling me that i wanted to right a book i would slap myself

Not really...you think Tolkien had a degree in orks and elves? Or take David Gemmell...top fantasy writer and he used to be a club bouncer.

Having a strong knowledge of the era would help...but you can learn just as much reading up in a library and writing to experts. You don't need a degree to use your imagination.

btw, its write not right

[Enjoymms]

i dont think anyone should right a book about anything till they at least have a degree in that field

plus , your 16, (as am i ) and if i caught myself telling me that i wanted to right a book i would slap myself

Having an ambition to do something does not deserve a slap. Don't be so negative!

And I agree with the Yama about the degree too!

[Signabeademia]

Oh yeah...a few movies with female samurai.

Zatoichi 12 (Zatoichi and the Chess Expert) one of the character's sister dressed as a Samurai so she could travel the road unmolested.

Azumi. Ryuhei Takahashi (Versus) directs this live action version of the manga.

Shogun's Samurai(you can get this at HMV in the UK). Jubei's sister is a Samurai in it.

************************************************** *****
You also go the manga Blade of the Immortal. There's an assassin in there who uses an interesting weapon(3 segmented nanchaku with blades on the ends). She hides it in her shimasen and works as a traveling geisha...

The idea of a female samurai would be interesting because of the fact that its out of the ordinary. Stan Sakai's comic Usagi Yojimbo has one character called Tomoe who was gifted with the blade and later became the chief bodyguard to a lord.

The character in Blade of the immortal (described above) was from a prominent sword school. Her father wanted her older brother to take over the school but one day he was jokingly asked to fight her for fun and she proceeded to hand him his arse on a plate. Her brother promptly commited seppuku to atone for the shame and she was disowned.

etc etc

Character options are limitless...

Good Luck!

[Keeriewof]

It seems higly unlikey that there were any female samurai during the feudal days of Japan. Women were expected to stay home and take care of their families, to cook, to do all things considered femmenine. The only weapon they were allowed to use would be the naginata or a tanto if they had one handy. I really don't think you'll find any records of a female samurai but I wouldn't completely rule it out. There may have been one but again, highly unlikely.

[TimoDassss]

In the term's of class; yes, their were Female Samurai. Although, they didn't join the rank's that fought for a certain Daimyo. And they didn't carry a Daisho. Like ShinKenshi said: They stayed home and took care of their families. Alike women in Feudal Europe.

[Audi_z]

In the term's of class; yes, their were Female Samurai. Although, they didn't join the rank's that fought for a certain Daimyo. And they didn't carry a Daisho. Like ShinKenshi said: They stayed home and took care of their families. Alike women in Feudal Europe.

Good point on class. For some reason I forgot that being a samurai was being a part of a class and that it extended to their families. So yes, techinically there were female samurai (retract last statement, partially). And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, they did not go off to fight but stayed at home.

[loan4younow]

Good point on class. For some reason I forgot that being a samurai was being a part of a class and that it extended to their families. So yes, techinically there were female samurai (retract last statement, partially). And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, they did not go off to fight but stayed at home.

In terms of class it would be a Samurai family. The wife would not be called a Samurai.

And in a few cases women did fight. The revolt I mentioned above was real. The women fought with naginatas against government troops. They joined their own Samurai in open revolt.

Women in battle have been documented although they are rare. Jean of Arc is probably the most famous...then theres Mulan.

In real life, you could take the example of the russian army, whose women fought alongside the men with the same respect and distinction.

[MAKEMONEY]

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0312/feature5/

Article from the National Geographic:

Samurai Women
The samurai class did not consist solely of men, of course. Though frequently overlooked in history books, women had an important role during the samurai period, particularly in the early days. Samurai wives took on the responsibilities of running the households during times of war, overseeing the crops, servants, and finances. Trained in martial arts and skilled in the use of the naginata, a type of lance, many samurai women defended their homes when under attack. Sometimes they even fought alongside the men in battle. One of the most famous female warriors was Tomoe Gozen, wife of Minamoto Yoshinaka. She fought bravely against the Taira clan during the Gempei War (1180-85) and was hailed as a gifted archer and swordswoman.

—Karen Font
http://www.gendergap.com/military/Warriors-1.htm

Like their noble European counterparts Japanese women of the samurai caste were expected to protect their family's lands and castles when their male relatives were absent. They were trained in the use of weapons, especially the naginata and knife and taught to train and ride warhorses. In the Kamakura period (1192-1333) clan warfare was so widespread that women frequently took to the battlefield. Itagaki led a charge of 3,000 warriors of the Taira clan against 10,000 Heike soldiers in 1199. In the 12th century Fujinoye, wife of Kajiwara Genda Kagesuya defended Takadachi Castle killing at least two of the attackers in hand to hand combat. Kogo Jingo, Empress of Japan was skilled with sword, bow and naginata. She conquered Korea in 201 AD, personally leading her navy who she prohibited from raping or plundering when they took cities. She governed for 70 years and was succeeded by her son Emperor Ojin. Among the tributes she brought back from her conquests was Japan's first written language. And a whole bunch of yes and no's here:

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/que...ay.html?0+7443

This line was interesting tho'

Basically the number one rule of Japanese fiction is "If you make the character a chick, more people will buy it!" http://www.bellaonline.com/ArticlesP/art24550.asp

Almost always eliminated from popular knowledge of warriors in ancient Japan, is the role women played as wives of the samurai or warriors in their own right. The primary role of women of the samurai class had been to support the family and their husbands. During the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), women were responsible for raising their children with the proper samurai upbringing. The women of this period were allowed rights to inheritance and to bequeath property. They controlled the household finances, and managed the staff. Women were also expected to defend their homes in times of war. This period in Japanese history produced some of the most famous women: Tomoe Gozen, wife of Minamoto Yoshinaka and a fierce warrior very proficient with sword and bow; and Hojo Masako (1157-1225), wife of Minamoto Yoritomo and known as the "nun shogun". In keeping with customs of the time, Hojo Masako became a Buddhist nun upon the death of her husband in 1199. After Yoritomo's death, Hojo Masako along with her father and son, usurped the real ruling power from her dead husband's ruling Minamoto clan to her own Hojo clan. Her efforts gave the Hojo clan true power over the now 'puppet regime' Minamoto clan. http://www2.una.edu/Takeuchi/DrT_Jpn...le_samurai.htm

DID "FEMALE SAMURAI "ACTUALLY EXIST IN MEDIEVAL JAPAN?*

S. Alexander Takeuchi, Ph.D.

Department of Sociology

University of North Alabama



March 30, 2004


3. Were there any “female warriors” in the Japanese history who were also members of the privileged social category of buke and who fought the war as did male warriors?

Yes, there were several. As most already know, Tomoe-gozen, the wife of late Kiso Yoshinaka, was a prime example of such women

There are lots of sources on the web. But I would take note and then fact check. Go to a library or source from credible websites or ask an authority(like a lecturer on the subject or a university) on the subject.

more sites here:

http://www.google.com/search?num=50&...an&sitesearch=

right...now off you go and write that book!

[incimisiche]

i dont think anyone should right a book about anything till they at least have a degree in that field

plus , your 16, (as am i ) and if i caught myself telling me that i wanted to right a book i would slap myself

That was pretty rude, hehe. Actually I know a lot of 16-20 year olds that write plenty of short stories out of boredum. Which leads me to believe it's totally possible for a 16 year old to write a book.

Aside from that, I think I read somewhere about a group of 20 female samurai lead by a female naginata wielder fought in a battle for Osaku castle... Or something, killed hundreds of men in the battle. I'll look it up here in a sec.

[brulpcoersero]

Wow nevermind what I just posted was stupid. The whole Osaku castle thing, sorry, mixed stuff up in my head, hey it is 2 am here after all :P

Anyway...

Just something I found lookin around randomly on the net.

http://victorian.fortunecity.com/duc...femalesam.html

However, the fighting sprit of the female samurai still managed to show itself on occasion. Their martial prowess was demonstered during the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, when the women of Kagoshima fought against the imperial army. In 1868, the fighting between suporters of of the shogunate and those supporting the imperial restoration privided another such display.
Samurai of the Aizu clan, supporters of the shogunate, were left to defend thier stronghold of wakamatsu Castle without any hope of outside assistance. Heaviley out numbered by an army of 20,000 men, the 3,000 Aizu samurai mobilased anyone who could use a weapon. A group of 20 women formed a unit that fought on the front line.
One women, Nakano Takeko, was highly skilled in the use of the naginata, and during the fighting she rushed into enemy lines and cut down many men. Eventually she was shot in the chest. To aviod the disgrace of capture, she told her sister Yuko to remove her head and take it home.
A monument to her was erected in the Hokai temple in Aizu Bangemachi, Fukishima province.

[scewLacysmazy]

--No idea how reliable that website is though.

[radikal]

Cheers for the info :-), oh im sorry am i meant to get a degree in the field before hand oh sorry to have upset u lolol, seriously i have loads of time on my hands just finished GCSE's, i hav around 10 weeks and within that time im working in Liverpool Museum (Far East Section), that should be fun :-), but just becuase i am a 16 year old doesn't mean i can't write like an expert.

[wowwieholmes]

Someone has already mentioned Tomoe Gozen. She is the only female samurai warrior (as contrary to just being samurai wife ) I've heard of that has a name. Most people will say that there were female warriors, but don't name any.

Anyway...here's a link with a little (ver little) info: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A681004 (scroll down)

There also seem to be a book "about" her: http://www.legendsmagazine.net/141/tomoe.htm

[intendepods]

... and if i caught myself telling me that i wanted to right a book i would slap myself

...that's the Samurai Spirit!
A sad sentence; in construction and intention.

Anne Frank died at 15, her diary has been translated into 67 languages and is one of the most widely read books in the world.

To write a book, you just need to have something to say.
To 'right' a book, well wait until the book has fallen over first.

[Snweyuag]

oh no.. so sorry, i thought you meant a non fiction, historical reference book, no of course, a creative peice would work regardless of age or even knowlegde, and i would encourage you to create one.. by all means, sorry for the judgement..