Historical Female Samurais

 

                          Illustrations by Koei Tecmo Wiki and The Dragon Vault, edited by Red Samurai

 

You have heard numerous tales of Samurai from western and Japanese films, dramas, anime, games, documentaries, books and so much more. But have you heard about the tales of female Samurai? Yes, they do exist but it little numbers that we know of, which makes them all the more fearsome. 

Below are list of them whose stories are tragic but inspiring, as warriors are not the ones that always win but the ones that always fight. Before we dive into the list of known female Samurai, we must first distinguish the difference between Onna Musha and Onna Bugeisha. 

Onna Musha are military female warriors who fought on the battlefields alongside the Samurai while Onna Bugeisha, are non-military women who are trained in self-defense, acting as the last line of defense of the household or castle when the males have gone to battle elsewhere.

1. Ii Naotora

Illustrations by Koei Tecmo Wiki and edited by Red Samurai

Ii Naotora was a daughter of Ii Naomori of Ii Clan, which had been defeated by the powerful Imagawa Clan, becoming it's vassal. By the time the Imagawa were crushed by the rising Oda Nobunaga, the Ii family had no male heir as the males died in battle or betrayed due to treachery.

She assumed the leadership of her weakened Clan, despite the objections of others as a woman was forbidden from being a Daimyo (Lord) on her own. She defied the feudal society's expectations and proves that she is just as capable in leading her Clan, doing things no man has ever done before.

She and her Clan survived the long wars of Sengoku Jidai, through the rise and fall of one warlord to the other. While other Clans waged war, destroying each other, the Ii Clan survived from being almost annihilated to being restored to its former glory through her adopted son, II Naomasa.

2. Nakazawa Koto

Meisa Kuroki as Nakazawa Koto by queenfredegund and edited by Red Samurai

Nakazawa Koto was taught martial arts during her childhood years and was skilled in swordsmanship (Kenjutsu). Koto enlisted into the Shinsengumi (Law Enforcers of Kyoto) by dressing as a man, to protect the Tokugawa Shogunate and its people living in the capital of Kyoto.

During the Boshin War where the Shogunate lost to the Imperials, Nakazawa Koto was surrounded and outnumbered but fought through and survives, witnessing the Meiji Restoration under Imperial rule. She was reportedly said that she would only marry a man who could defeat her in a duel.

So far no men had won which explains why she lived her life of celibacy after the long war and died peacefully in 1927. It was aid that when she dresses as a man, many women fall in love with her but when she dresses as a woman, many men fall in love with her.

3. Tomoe Gozen

Tomoe Gozen figurine by The Dragon Vault and edited by Red Samurai

During Genpei War, Tomoe Gozen commanded 300 Minamoto Samurai, under the leadership of Yoshinaka, against 2000 Taira Samurai. After the Taira were defeated, civil war broke out between Yoshinaka and his cousin, Yoritomo, and Tomoe Gozen continued fighting the rival Minamoto.

Yoshinaka and Tomoe Gozen were surrounded and outnumbered, forcing Yoshinaka to issue his last command to her to flee, either because it's a lot easier for a woman to disguise herself as a peasant and gets overlooked, or because he doesn't want to be seen dying with a woman warrior.

Nonetheless, Tomoe Gozen took heed but not before she made several kills including taking the head of a Samurai commander while she was escaping. She was described as being strikingly beautiful and a remarkable warrior, who is always the first to perform more deeds of valour than any other.

4. Takeko Nakano

Meisa Kuroki as Takeko Nakano by Red Samurai

During the last battle in the Siege of Aizu of Boshin War, when almost all the Samurai were killed by the Imperials, Takeko Nakano led a group of non-military female combatants armed only with naginata against the modernized Imperials who were armed with guns and canons.

While the last Samurai commander refused their aid for fear of being laughed at by the enemy for relying on women of the households of dead husbands, sons, brothers and fathers, he eventually agreed after seeing Takeko and the women's bravery and determination in wanting to fight.

Takeko and the women defenders have stepped forward on the frontline without permission, instead of holding the fort back at Tsuruga Castle. They fought bravely till their deaths, while there are a few survivors, Takeko herself died in battle. Their unit was called, Joshitai, the Girl's Army.

5. Yae Niijima

Haruka Ayase as Yae Niijima by Red Samurai

During the last battle in the Siege of Aizu of Boshin War, when all hope was lost, when all the Samurai were killed and her friends, Takeko Nakano and other women defenders had died on the frontline, when the Imperials are closing in to surround the castle to demand their surrender.

Yae Niijima, a musket-woman, led the last line of defense of Tsuruga Castle, commanding and organising a group of surviving foot soldiers, youths, elderly, women and children, who refuses to surrender and wants to avenge the deaths of their loved ones and defend their home and Lord.

The Lord eventually surrendered as he could bear to see the innocents die in his name. Yae Niijima survives the war but lost her father, brother, husband and friends, which left her traumatised for years before she healed and became a teacher and medical volunteer to help ease their sufferings.

6. Komatsuhime

Illustration of Komatsuhime by Koei Tecmo Wiki and edited by Red Samurai

During Sengoku Jidai, Komatsumhime married Sanada Nobuyuki and serves Tokugawa Ieyasu. Her father in law, Sanada Masayuki and her brother in law, Sanada Yukimura, fought on the opposing side, serving Toyotomi Hideyori. Her treatment of her in-laws is what shot her to fame.

On the eve of battle, Masayuki and Yukimura stopped by Nobuyuki's Castle on their way to their stronghold. Masayuki wanted to see his grandchildren, the children of Komatsuhime and Nobuyuki for the last time. Komatsuhime appeared before them wearing her battle armour and denied his request.

As Masayuki and Yukimura withdrew to a nearby temple, Kohmatsuhime arrived with her children to honour her father in law's wishes, much to their delight and happiness, before they finally bid farewell. She was praised by many as a good wife and mother, but also a steadfast warrior in battle.

Recommendations

Their stories are long and interesting but I summarised them to give an idea of the type of person they are and what they had done being a fearsome and resilient warrior and leader to their people while being a loving and affectionate daughter, mother and wife.

There are Japanese historical dramas which cover the lives of these female warriors which I would recommend you to watch. Although they are as long as 50 episodes for each series, they are worth watching. In a time where girls are looking for role model to look up to, they already exist in history.

Naotora : The Lady Warlord (2017) with Ko Shibasaki as Ii Naotora, Yae No Sakura (2013) with Haruka Ayase as Yae Niijima and Meisa Kuroki as Takeko Nakano, Yoshitsune (2005) with Eiko Koike as Tomoe Gozen, Sanada Maru (2016) with Yo Yoshida as Kohmatsuhime.