Onna Bugeisha, the Japanese Female Warrior

 

 

 

 

Onna Bugeisha with a Katana and the traditional weapon used by them, the Naginata.

“An onna-bugeisha (女武芸者^?) 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 represented a divergence from the traditional “housewife” role of the Japanese woman. They are sometimes referred to as female samurai, although this is an oversimplification. Significant icons such as Empress Jingu, Tomoe Gozen, Nakano Takeko, and Hōjō Masako are famous examples of onna bugeisha.”

 

-Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onna-bugeisha

 

Moro

 

Photo from http://www.go2menonly.com/33/post/2014/01/empress-jingu-and-the-mighty-onna-bugeisha.html