Historical Status of Women in Japan

Paper Summary:

This paper demonstrates that women in Japan have not always been the fragile and submissive figures that they are thought to be. In the early days, BC and quite far into AD, Japanese women were powerful priestesses, representations of gods, and heads of households that assumed their husbands' responsibilities upon their deaths. This paper shows that it was not until the period of Tokugawa rule that women's role in society most closely resembled that of the current stereotype.

From the Paper:

"Unfortunately, the political decline in female leadership was followed by a spiritual decline. From the late Nara period onward into the new eras of development, the belief systems of Buddhism and Confucianism increased in their popularity among both Japanese leaders and common people. These new faiths were able to peacefully coexist with the native faith of Shintoism. However, minor changes caused these new beliefs to subtly rival Shintoism (Beard 5). Buddhist shrines were constructed alongside Shinto shrines, and male Buddhist priests gained influence in the community (Beard 11). While the Japanese people were still loyal to their kamis and Amaterasu, these great female figures were no longer the only spiritual presences in society. As they became more commonplace amongst the landscape of religious figures, these female figures lost some of their societal authority."

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