Ōhōri Tsuruhime

Ōhōri Tsuruhime (1526 – 1543) was a Japanese Shinto priestess who took up arms to defend her island home of Ōmishima in the 16th century.

Daughter to the Chief Priest of the Oyamazumi Shrine on Ōmishima, Ōhōri was only 16 when she inherited her father’s title following his death from illness. Her elder brothers had been killed in battle fighting invading Ōuchi forces from the mainland of Honshu. Ōhōri had been in trained in martial arts all her life and when Ōuchi forces further encroached on the Oyamazumi Shrine’s territory, she raised an army to resist them. She claimed that she was not merely a mortal warrior, but a divine avatar of the shrine’s kami (god-spirit), Mishima Myojin.

When Ōuchi samurai raided Ōmishima in 1541, Ōhōri led her forces in driving them back to the sea. When they returned 4 months later, her fleet met them on the open sea and she boarded the Ōuchi flagship to challenge their general to single combat. The general, named Obara, was both surprised and scornful at being faced with the young woman and mocked Ōhōri by likening her to a prostitute. In response Ōhōri cut him down and his ship was bombarded by horokubiya (grenades) launched from her nearby ships, forcing the Ōuchi once more into retreat.

Ōhōri continued to successfully defend her home for a further two years. However following the death of her fiance in battle, she committed ritual suicide by drowning herself. She was 18 years old. To this day she is remembered as a Japanese heroine and her armour remains on display at the Oyamazumi Shrine.

Nakano Takeko

Nakano Takeko (1847-1868) was a Japanese Onna-bugeisha who fought in the Boshin War. 

Nakano was the daughter of an official from Aizu, but was raised in Edo (Tokyo) where she was trained in literary and martial arts, specialising in a form of Ittō-ryū one-sword fighting. She also became a skilled instructor in the use of the naginata, a bladed polearm. She spent five years as the adopted daughter of her martials arts teacher, Akaoka Daisuke, but left him after he attempted to arrange a marriage for her. She relocated with her native family to Aizu in 1868. 

During this time the Boshin War began between the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and supporters of the Imperial Court. Although the Shogun surrendered in May 1868, some of his forces continued to fight on, retreating to Aizu. Nakano joined the army in repelling the Imperial forces and fought at the Battle of Aizu, which was in effect a month-long siege.

While Aizu retainers did not allow women to fight, Nakano formed an unofficial unit of twenty women armed with naginata, including her mother and sister. The group took part in a counter-attack designed to break the siege, during which Nakano killed five enemy opponents before taking a fatal bullet to the chest. Afraid that the enemy would take her head as a trophy, she asked her sister to instead decapitate her and bury the head.

The shogunate forces eventually lost the siege to the better-armed Imperial forces. As requested, Nakano’s sister buried her head under a pine tree at the Hōkai-ji Temple and a monument was erected there in her honour. During the annual Aizu Autumn Festival, a group of young girls take part in the procession to commemorate the actions of Nakano and her band of women warriors.

Yamakawa Futaba

Yamakawa Futaba (1844-1909) was an educator in the Japanese region of Aizu. While little is recorded of her life, it is known that she was trained as a fighter and took part in the defense of Tsuruga Castle when it was besieged during the Boshin War. While the castle’s defenses were eventually breached, Futaba survived the siege and following the war went on to lead the movement demanding improved education for women and girls in Japan.

Onna-bugeisha

“The picture above is a vintage photograph of an onna-bugeisha, one of the female warriors of the upper social classes in feudal Japan.

Often mistakenly referred to as “female samurai”, female warriors have a long history in Japan, beginning long before samurai emerged as a warrior class. However, they did fight alongside of samurai warriors. They were wives, widows and daughters who answered the call of duty to protect their families, households and honor in times of war.

Onna Bugeisha were the exception, rather than the rule, but they still played an important role nonetheless. One famous example is empress Jingu, who reportedly lead a successful conquest against Korea in 200 AD without shedding a single drop of blood (or so the legends say).”

Source: Unknown. Sorry.

Tomoe Gozen

Tomoe Gozen (or ‘Lady Tomoe’) was a samurai warrior in 12th century Japan who was famed for her ability with both the sword and the bow. She was also a master horsewoman, said to be able to ride an unbroken horse with skill.

Tomoe served in the Genpei War (1180-1185) as the First Captain of her daimyo (and possibly her husband), Minamoto no Yoshinaka. The Tale of the Heike describes her as a beautiful woman with charming features, who went to battle in heavy armour and wielding an oversized sword.

Following their defeat of the Heike, she led Yoshinaka’s forces in the taking of Tokyo in his attempt to claim leadership of the Minamoto clan. This action led to civil war within the clan against Yoshinaka’s cousins, culminating in the Battle of Awazu in 1184. During this battle Tomoe is recorded as beheading members of the enemy army, however Yoshinaka was killed and the army defeated.

Her ultimate fate is unknown. Some accounts say she fought to the death on the battlefield, others that she escaped on horseback carrying an enemy head and disappeared.