Among the entire population of Japan, samurai in the first place stood out for their original appearance. Their costume and hairstyle caught my eye. Hairstyles were different. It was this or that type of hairstyle that indicated the social status of a person in society. Violation of this gradation had bad consequences. That is why the lower classes had to wear only those hairstyles that were intended only for them. Thus, the highest nobility was different from ordinary samurai. The hairstyle is the hallmark of the samurai in society.
What did the original samurai hairstyle look like?
It should be noted that in ancient times the hairstyle of the Japanese warrior was quite simple. The hair on the head was collected in a strong bun, which was tied with a black cord into one knot at the crown. In some cases, the hair was collected in two bundles and tied in the area of the temples.
After some time, the beads began to shave the front of the head. The new hairstyle has received the laconic name "sakayaki". As a rule, all samurai did this hairstyle after passing the rite - genbuku.
Curl "cobin"
In subsequent years, starting from the first half of the 16th century, one can note the evolution of hairstyles. For example, in the 16th century, samurai wore hairstyles with hair shaved at the forehead and on the crown of the head. But the hair on the temples was absolutely not shaved off. Such a lock of hair was called "kobin". It was the "kobin" that was the key feature of the samurai's hairstyle. If the kobin hung loosely, then all the other hair on the head was collected in a tight bun.
In order to distinguish between samurai and other layers, all artisans and merchants were required to shave off such a curl. At the end of the 16th century, the samurai returned to their old traditions. They just tied a big knot of hair.
This hairstyle was quite practical. She did not require much time, effort, did not close her eyes. With such a hairstyle, it was easy to wear any headdress, in particular a cone-shaped hat.
Samurai beard and mustache
As for the beard or mustache, they were not so popular among the samurai. The hair on the cheeks, chins, forehead samurai shaved almost every day. However, in early times, the beads still launched a beard, mustache, which gave them an image of abomination. Each warrior had to scare away the enemy with his appearance. It was on the basis of such a theory that military face masks were also made, which had a terrifying appearance.
A common type of haircut for beards and mustaches at that time was small tips on the chin and long ends of the mustache. This appearance was not the best and most beautiful. In some cases, the mustache and beard were quite unnatural in color.
What hairstyle did the ronin wear?
The samurai who lost his vassalage and became a ronin wore a completely different hairstyle. He let his hair go long. It was this feature in the image that indicated that the samurai had lost his master-patron.
At the present time, the samurai hairstyle is quite popular. The main secret of its creation is carefully collected hair in one bun. To do this, you need to comb your hair back from your forehead and collect it in the crown area. As a fastener, you should use an elastic band to match the tone of your hair.
See also
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Arato Castle
Arato Castle was built in 1524 by the Yamada clan under the orders of their overlord, Murakami, as a small mountain fort. Over time, it gained strategic importance and became a focal point in the conflict between two famous daimyō of the Sengoku period — Takeda Shingen and Murakami Yoshikiyo. This conflict turned the castle into one of the key fortifications in the struggle for control over Shinano Province.
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Tatsuno Castle
Tatsuno Castle is not a single fortification but rather a complex consisting of two parts: a mountain fortress located at the summit of Mount Keirozan and a flatland-mountain castle situated at its base. The mountain stronghold was built around 1499 by Akamatsu Murahide. During the Muromachi period, the Akamatsu clan was an influential family that, at the height of its power, controlled the provinces of Settsu, Harima, Bizen, and Mimasaka. Murahide’s ancestors were directly involved in the events of the Genkō War in the 14th century and in the subsequent establishment of the Ashikaga shogunate. However, by the 15th century, due to the process of gekokujō, the clan began to lose its position under pressure from rising families, including their former vassals—the Urakami and Bessho clans. In addition, the Akamatsu faced constant pressure from the Amago clan of Izumo Province.
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Takamatsu Castle
Takamatsu Castle was founded by Ikoma Chikamasa (1526–1603), who was appointed ruler of Takamatsu by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1587. The following year, Chikamasa began construction of the castle on the coast of the Inland Sea (Setonaikai), completing it by 1590.
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Sawayama Castle
During the Kamakura period, Sabo Tokitsuna, the sixth son of Sasaki Sadatsuna, built a fort on Mount Sawayama. This fort occupied a strategically important position because it allowed control over traffic along the important Tōsandō route, which was later known as Nakasendō. This road connected the capital, Kyoto, with the eastern regions of the country. Due to its location, the fortification held great military importance, and during periods of civil war it repeatedly became the site of fierce battles.
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Nadzima Castle
It is believed that the first structures on this site were built by Tachibana Akitoshi (?-1568), head of the Tachibana clan, a branch family of the Ōtomo clan, as auxiliary fortifications for Tachibanayama Castle. In 1587, Toyotomi Hideyoshi established control over the island of Kyushu and granted Chikuzen Province to Kobayakawa Takakage, one of the leading vassals of the Mori clan. Takakage began construction of a new castle on the site of the existing fortifications in 1588. The exact date of completion is unknown, but by the time the invasion of Korea began in 1592, the castle had already been finished, as records note that Toyotomi Hideyoshi stayed there overnight on his way to Hizen Nagoya Castle, which served as the headquarters of the invasion forces.
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Kubota Castle
The founder of the castle is considered to be Satake Yoshinobu (1570–1633). Yoshinobu was one of the six great generals of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. During the Odawara Campaign of 1590, he took part in the siege of Oshi Castle under the command of Ishida Mitsunari, with whom Yoshinobu developed a good relationship.
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Kavanhoe Castle
Kawanoe Castle is located on the small Wasi-yama hill near the port area of the Kawanoe district in the city of Shikokuchuo, occupying a central position along the northern coast of Shikoku Island. Kawanoe was also known as Butsuden Castle. The term “butsuden” in Japan refers to temple halls, and for this reason it is believed that a Buddhist temple once stood on the site before the castle was built. Due to its location at the junction of four provinces on Shikoku Island, Kawanoe held significant strategic importance and was repeatedly targeted by rival forces seeking military control over the region.
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Yokote Castle
The founder of the castle is considered to be the Onodera clan. The Onodera were originally a minor clan from Shimotsuke Province and served Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199), the founder of the first shogunate. The Onodera distinguished themselves in battle against the Fujiwara clan of the Ōshū branch and were rewarded with lands around Yokote. Around the 14th century, the Onodera moved to Yokote as their permanent residence. Their original stronghold was Numadate Castle, but after a series of clashes with the powerful Nambu clan, they relocated their base to the site of present-day Yokote Castle. It was likely during this time that the first fortifications appeared at the castle.
