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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Sanada Yukimura Nobushige’s War Fan
Sanada Yukimura Nobushige's war fan, also known as "gunpai" in Japanese, is a remarkable piece of history that embodies the bravery and skill of a legendary samurai warrior. This fan was an essential part of Sanada's armory during the Warring States period in Japan and was believed to have been used by him during some of his most famous battles.
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Samurai horse
The horse is not a native inhabitant of Japan, but at the same time it was a true friend for every samurai. This animal was brought from the mainland. Given the temperament and peppy nature of the horse, she quickly fell in love with the locals. It is worth noting that the first memories of the use of horses in Japan date back to the Kofun era: this is the end of the 3rd-4th century AD. The horses that were brought from East Asia were quickly distributed throughout the country. Of course, such an animal played a big role. Horses were used as beasts of burden as a draft force, as well as as a means of transportation. However, only representatives of high society had the right to ride a horse. It was from the moment the horses appeared in Japan that the art of riding began to actively develop. The rider "yabusame" - this was one of the most valuable qualities of a warrior. Of course, not all samurai had horses: only the noble could afford such a luxury.
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Samurai clothing
A samurai warrior must not only be strong mentally and physically, but also look beautiful. That's why his clothes are a special outfit that was chosen carefully.
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Kyudo
The traditions and martial art of the Japanese samurai are still relevant and some of them are used to this day. A prime example of this is Kyudo. This is traditional Japanese archery, which is based on two key principles: spiritual harmonic and physical development.
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Kendo
Kendo (Japanese swordsmanship) is a martial art based on swordsmanship. This direction traces its history from the traditional techniques of samurai swordsmanship. Surprisingly, for a long time the sword was not used as the main weapon of the samurai. It was used solely for the purpose of self-defense, when the main weapon of the samurai warrior was absent.
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Samurai training
There are many legends about samurai. Their most important feature is their enormous willpower, fortitude, and harsh upbringing. These were the strongest warriors who were not afraid of death.
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Samurai religion
Along with the development of feudalism in Japan and the advent of the samurai, the doctrine of "Zen" was born and developed. "Zen" or "Zenshu" is one of the directions in Buddhism. Subsequently, Zen would become the most popular and influential teaching among the samurai.
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Samurai Hara-Kiri Rite (Seppuku)
The Hara-Kiri Essence
The hara-kiri rite, or as it is also called seppuku, is closely related to the bushido samurai philosophy. This custom originated in the early period of Japanese feudalism. It was the benefit of the samurai only who were proud to have free control of their lives, to have the moral courage and show contempt for death with seppuku.
