Women of Japan
From A.D. 552-710 over half of the leaders of Japan had been women. Ruling their country with much equality between men and women these queens were known for their strong will power and control (Sun). Unfortunately, new idea’s make there way to Japan causing the fall of women from top to the very bottom of their social class. These women went from living luxury to writing about luxury. The women’s social class fell quickly and women were seen more behind the scenes as artisans and housewives, also losing most equality to men. By the twelve-century the bushi warriors had claimed Japan and begin to conform to Buddhism, Confucianism, and new laws. The up rise of these new Japanese thoughts lead women to be degraded to nearly nothing. Only to be needed by men to bear their child and provide the family with a son. “She may have borne you seven sons, but never trust a women (Suns 22).” A women’s job was to be a submissive to her husband and his father. Any complications would lead to being chained up, beaten, or killed. From a very young age women learn about obeying the male figure and also learning the ideas of Onna daigaku. This shows the future of household skills, which will be used heavily in womanhood. Around the age of fifteen the daughter will be sent to a new home to serve the father-in-law of her husband. By proving proper ethics and character the women is taken into the family and serves as a servant to her husband also losing all rights to divorce. Urban women of this time had a different fate. Spending most of there time on a farm helping the family they would never learn the skills to become a wife of a bread winning son. Therefore, the father would sell them their daughters into prostitution to get money to keep their family running. These women prostitutes were normally caged behind bars and hopefully bought to become some ones wife (Sun). To keep these new Japanese families loyal to the Japanese laws, the Meiji Civil Code was