Samurai Women 1184-1877 by Stephen Turnbull

Author:Stephen Turnbull
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Samurai Women 1184–1877
ISBN: 9781780963334
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Published: 2011-12-13T05:00:00+00:00

In this illustration from a woodblock-printed edition of Hojo godaiki we see the aftermath of Hojo Soun’s capture of Fukane Castle. Among the line of heads placed along the castle wall are ones that appear to be female.

The Hojo came on to the receiving end of warfare in 1590 when Toyotomi Hideyoshi advanced against them. Narita Ujinaga, who commanded Oshi Castle in Musashi Province for the Hojo was absent when Oshi came under attack from Ishida Mitsunari as part of a massive operation to neutralize all the Hojo satellite castles prior to a decisive attack being made on Odawara. Like other Hojo castles, many samurai from Oshi’s garrison, including its commander, had been withdrawn to Odawara where it was felt that they were most needed. Ishida Mitsunari was therefore surprised when he discovered that a woman was defending Oshi. Kaihime, Narita’s wife, took charge of the defence until the castle had to surrender when a diverted river flooded it. Kaihime was spared, but when Hachioji, another of the Hojo castles, fell to Hideyoshi the women of the garrison jumped to their deaths from its towers to avoid being captured. The topography of the mountain on which Hachioji was built allowed the bodies of the suicides and the slaughtered to be channelled down into the ravine where a mountain stream flowed. Here the waters ran with blood, giving rise to several ghostly legends.

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