Japan: Ishi-jo, the wife of Oboshi Yuranosuke Yoshio, leader of the 'Forty Seven Ronin', was an Onna-Bugeisha or female samurai; painted by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (c. 1797-1861).

Onna-Bugeisha or female samurai, formed a small section of the traditional 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 honor in times of war. They also represented a divergence from the traditional 'housewife' role of the Japanese woman. Consisting of the female word onna (woman) and the masculine bugeisha (warrior), the term creates a misnomer, which can be quite controversial. Nevertheless, onna bugeisha were very important people in ancient Japan. Significant icons such as Empress Jingu, Tomoe Gozen, Nakano Takeko, and Hojo Masako were all onna bugeisha who impacted Japan, shaping it into the country it is today.

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Pictures From History

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WOMEN IN HISTORY