The history of Japan's formation is complex and confusing. The Slavs know for certain only a few of its historical facts and events. Among the many Japanese clans, the most famous are samurai - fearless warriors who defended the country. The vast majority of samurai were men, but there were also women samurai.
Warrior princess
A samurai woman in medieval Japan was considered a woman born into a samurai family and trained in all combat techniques on an equal basis with men. These representatives of the weaker sex are called "woman-buke", which indicates that the woman comes from a noble family and is fluent in all types of weapons.
Like fathers and brothers, samurai women from childhood learned absolute loyalty and clear submission to their immediate leader in a complex clan hierarchy. No different from men, they had to unquestioningly carry out all the tasks received, even those that required the use of weapons, women-bouque mastered them masterly. With this highest military training, there were samurai women who never participated in bloody battles in their lives.
If necessary, female samurai could take on the function of carrying out revenge. According to the Japanese interpretation of the theory of Confucianism, revenge was considered the only worthy response to the murder or insult of a relative, master, and was a matter of honor for women too. Even during the most stagnant period in Japanese history, women were very strict in loyalty to their clan, remaining an example for many men. For many centuries, the samurai woman remained a formidable conservative figure, selflessly devoted to all the ethical rules of her clan.
Types of female weapons
The most feminine type of Japanese weapon is considered to be a spear, which is curved - naginata and straight - yari. The preference was still given to the naginata, which had a blade similar to a sword and was rather light and practical. Such a spear was usually hung above the front door to the dwelling, because it was the most accessible place for storing weapons, and a samurai woman could use it at any time against attackers or intruders who entered the house.
Samurai women also masterfully wielded kaiken - a short dagger, which in medieval times was considered an obligatory decoration of clothing and was always hidden in a kimono sleeve or behind a belt. With Kaiken, female samurai could throw at the enemy with deadly speed and deliver powerful blows in close combat with lightning speed. With the same weapon, women committed ritual suicide, which in the female version is called jigai. Moreover, women were allowed not to rip open their stomachs, like men, but to cut their throats. An irreplaceable kaiken was given to samurai girls at the age of 12.
