Daily Weeb Facts

Why didn’t Samurai use shields?

Samurai were originally mounted archers, and so holding a shield doesn’t really work while firing a Yumi. Instead Samurai armor incorporated large shoulder hung plates.

O-Sode are the largest and original shoulder guards. Flat almost a foot tall pieces of armor that hung off the back of the shoulders attached with cords. These were worn when samurai were still mostly mounted archers!

Chu-Sode were slightly smaller than O-Sode, and are the most common types of Sode you will see on samurai armor.

Sode’s actual meaning is “Sleeve” but when talking about Samurai armor it just means “Shoulder Armor”

This photo is of Nakano Takato, one of the last Onna-Musha in japan.

What is an Onna-Musha?

An Onna-Musha is litterally “female warrior”, sometimes also called an Onna-Bushi in pop culture and games such as Total war: Sh**un 2.

They were members of the Bushi (warrior) class, and as such were equal to Samurai in social standing. They were trained in the use of Naginata, Yumi, Yari, and Katana. They also were just as revered as Samurai, which means they could be Ladies to a Clan!

As Onna-Musha they were charged with the protection of a house, or even castle. There are many historical documents that give credence to the fact they also went to war with their lords!

So next time someone says “That’s not very ladylike” Just imagine this powerful warrior stabbing them in the throat.

Did you know back in feudal Japan counterfeit yen was so bad that local Lords paid their servants in barrels of rice? There was so much rice eaten with every mean that the word for rice "Gohan" can also mean dinner.

(So i’m an idiot and didn’t post my entire in depth write up yesterday... opps... mabye sundays will be my days off?)

In Japanese mythology Kijin were Ki (demons)so powerful they were also considered Jin (gods). There were three great yokai of japan
Ōtakemaru, the mountain oni
Shuten dōji, the king of the oni
Tamamo no Mae, the power-hungry Kitsune
These three Yokai were so fearsome they are enshrined in legend so deeply you can find mention of them in most stories of emperors or other historical figures!