Why did Japanese samurai shave the tops of their heads, leave the sides long, and have a small pony tail tied in the back?
Why did Japanese samurai shave the tops of their heads, leave the sides long, and have a small pony tail tied in the back?
I'm reading Vagabond and noticed that the samurai who are learning swordsmanship at a dojo will have this hairstyle, so is it just to show that they are students st a dojo?
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chonmage
Seems like the pony tail helps keep their helmet in place and the shaved pate is a sign peace after their civil war.
Thanks! That's really interesting, I didn't expect that. The media probably throws that in cuz it is kinda the stereotypical hairstyle for old school samurai.
I’ll add that the shaved top of the head helped them stay cool in battle while wearing the aforementioned helmets.