Tomoe Gozen: The Female Samurai
Tomoe Gozen (Gozen being an
honorific title) was a female samurai – one of the very rare examples of her kind - living in the 12th –
13th century AD. She was married to Kiso (Minamoto) Yoshinaka, a man who rebelled against the Taira clan. In 1184
the couple took Kyoto after winning the Battle of Kurikawa. With the Taira forced into exile in the Western Provinces, Yoshinaka
made it known that he desired to become the leader of the Minamoto clan - a suggestion that prompted an attack by Minamoto
Yoritomo. Yoshinaka and Tomoe faced Yoritomo's warriors at Awazu; it is said that Tomoe took at least one head during this
battle.
The Heike Monogatari says the
following of Tomoe…
"…Tomoe was especially
beautiful, with white skin, long hair, and charming features. She was also a remarkably strong archer, and as a swordswoman
she was a warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot. She handled unbroken horses with
superb skill; she rode unscathed down perilous descents. Whenever a battle was imminent, Yoshinaka sent her out as his first
captain, equipped with strong armor, an oversized sword, and a mighty bow; and she preformed more deeds of valor than any
of his other warriors."
(Tale of the Heike, translated by McCullough, pg. 291)
The Heike
Monogatari goes on to say that Tomoe was one of the last five of Kiso’s army standing at the tail end of the Battle
of Awazu, and that Yoshinaka, knowing that the end was near, urged her to retreat. Although reluctant, she decapitated a Minamoto
warrior named Onda no Hachiro Moroshige, and then fled for the eastern provinces. Some have written that Tomoe died in battle
with her husband, while others assert that she survived and became a nun.
"Tomoe
Gozen Defeating Uchida Saburo" by Yoshitoshi
This print
of Tomoe Gozen fighting her enemy is part of a category of Ukiyo-e prints called musha-e. Musha-e depicts battle scenes and
heroic armored warriors, and includes illustrated novels, historical scenes, and war/battle scenes. Here she defeats Uchida
Saburo at what was to be her final battle - the Battle of Awazu. The fact that she is shown triumphant over her enemy here,
just moments before her supposed death, raises Tomoe up to a perpetually victorious status - while she may have retreated
or died in the end, pictures like this will always show her triumphant over her enemy, and therefore make her a legend.
