The Surprising Reasons for Samurai's Strange Hairstyle
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- Опубликовано: 31 май 2024
- Have you ever wondered why the samurai have such a strange hairstyle? The special hairstyle is called “chonmage,” and I’ll like to explain about history and culture. Also about where to see this hairstyle today.
[Time codes]
0:00 Let's START!
1:01 How the history of “chonmage” started
2:03 “Chonmage” popular in the Edo period
2:47 How the culture of “chonmage” ended
3:08 The “chonmage” today
3:36 Today’s conclusion
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I’m Shogo, a Kyoto born & Hiroshima raised Japanese, that grew up in Michigan USA for 6 years, and studied Mandarin in Beijing university for a year!
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#chonmage #chonmagehairstyle #samuraiculture #samuraihair #samuraihairstyle 
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Are there anything else about how samurai looks that interest you?
Can you make a video about the samurai clothing, please? Sandals, trousers, robe, jacket.
Never mind the Samurai, they were only katanas at the beck and call of the Daimyo. Let's talk about the Daimyo. This is what I want to know. Did the Daimyo have sexual seigniorage over all unmarried females in his domain?
Why and who forced them to have short hair and wear western clothing
So male baldness is or never was a stigma in Japan?
Why were some of their shoulder guards so large and rectangular? Was it just due to technology/crafting technique or was there a functional purpose?
i never stoped to think about chonmage, interesting how they prioritized function even in hairstyle
Thank you for leaving a comment! It is indeed very interesting!
@@LetsaskShogo i always thought that it is when a fallen samurai normally would be decapitated the hair was function as away to hold it. And if it is an honarable death in battle the piece of the ponytail would be sent back to the family.. now i know better. Watching too much samurai films i guessed. Thank you for the exp.
I believe that despite the "formal"funcional explanations that are worked into it, it might actually have much more to do with a social fuction than a practical one.
Merchants were hated in a lot of cultures
@@DanJuega merchants took over the entire world ,it makes sense now ,all the armies and goverments are backed and at some extent controled by those merchants
who came here after watching Shogun?
Great series
I didn’t realize the merchant class were even lower than the peasant class in feudal Japanese society.
They were considered less productive than peasants and artisans.
but now some lucky merchant build an empire and probably richer than the emperor
I wonder if that's due to money being seen as evil.
It had existed in many ancient Asian cultures for centuries, like Japan, China, Vietnam, etc., when the feudal dynasties prioritize agriculture rather than commerce and trading, even closed their doors with foreign merchants. That's why western countries have started getting more powerful than the east since the 17th, 18th centuries.
@@EclecticallyEccentric Maybe but it was mainly because merchants never produce anything with their own two hands. While farmers, artisans and wood workers etc were all producing something from their sweat and toil labour.
Thank you, I always wondered why. OT One of my nephews ( we are not Asian) started going bald on top of his head. lots of hair on the sides and back just losing it on top. As a joke, I mentioned the "Samurai hairstyle" . A few weeks later when i drove up to see him and his family, he was sporting it!!! I said I told you to do it as a joke!! He looked into it and started getting immersed in Japanese culture, and got to understand different ways of life and nationalities. He works in construction and wears a helmet , so that strip of hair is used like a cushion, just like what you spoke about.
Modern day samurai, truly inspiring
Awesome story!! I love it!!
Does he watch anime?
Shogo, you're delightful to watch! When your videos pop up in my queue, I get excited because I know I will learn something interesting from my Japanese friend. Thank you for all the content you put out.
Hi
士工农商
I appreciate the wisdom and humility of the disclaimer at the beginning. Ancient history is always a matter of an outsider looking in, even when speaking of one's own ancestral culture.
I have been so depressed over my hair falling out in my late 20s. Now because of you I can say I’m a samurai in my past life. Thanks bud.
Worse when it falls out in your early 20's. You think you'll never have another GF again. Trust me, it weeds out the ones you don't want.
I'm 24, shaved bald since one year and just got the prettiest girlfriend i have ever had@@fleshanthos
Let's rock Chonmage then
I have often commented this to my partner, I was either Samurai or a monk in my past. Either way, there is no shame in losing hair, embrace it and remain yourself.
I’m 25 and I’m starting to get grey hairs hahaha
Makes sense. When I played varsity football, I used to always shave my head because it felt better under the helmet.
My senior year I decided not to, but ended up getting heat stroke during two-a-days (summer preseason) in the brutal 100+ Texas heat.
Very interesting. The Europeans just used padding for a liner under their helmets. I suppose relying in your haircut has some advantages in terms of always being prepared to throw on a helmet...although you would have to take time to prepare your hair in that way. Was the hair bound new each day or do you leave it in for a certain period of time?
I wonder if it was due to the more composite nature of Japanese armor through the centuries. While they used lots of iron in helmets, they were not usually the solid pieces of steel the Europeans could make, which would necessitate a separate liner to ensure fit and comfort. I would imagine if a samurai wanted extra pads in their helmet they would have it. Overtime the hairstyle likely became a status symbol as much as anything practical.
@@ghostdivision2021 I like your line of thinking and while I could agree on the comfort aspect, I think it has more to do with shock absorbtion than form fitting. European smiths were experts at forming metal to fit human bodies with amazing precision. You see padding worn across all qualities of metal armor, even under chain armor which is about as form fitting as you can get.
Kabuto used liners too. A helmet doesn't do much to dampen impact if it isn't separated from the head by a gap and/or cushion layer. It's theorized that helmet wear was also a reason for the odd Norman haircut.
I always wondered why they did that, thank you for the detailed and informative explanation!
I think their leader became bald but he didn't want to go bald alone so he found an excuse to make all of them shave their hair.
I am honestly not only pleasantly surprised by the history of the hairstyle but also how I really like the format of these videos.
I really like that in the end you always does a resume of all informations
During medieval times in Ireland and Scotland priests would shave the frontal part of their heads;the practice was known as "tonsuring",
and a young man who was accepted into the priesthood was said to be
"taking the tonsure." As a matter of fact my own surname;McMillan,literally means
"Son of the tonsured one",denoting that my familial ancestors were those who mainly joined the priesthood.
Was that only in Ireland and Scotland? Didn't the Franciscan friars have this hairstyle in the New World during the colonial times as well? Very interesting how men back then didn't give a f$#@ about going bald. Very based and GigaChad moment. Also awesome that you're family has a cool backstory.
I've often wondered if the reason many cultures have various forms of head shaving, especially around the top, is because whoever was influential at some point had male pattern baldness and thought "if I can't have hair then nobody can!" and made up some reason for all the other guys to follow. Only has to happen one time and that's the culture set.
Yeah he kind of ignores that men go bald and its just a bit suspicious that this hairstyle would allow you to look like it is intended
I thought that too!!!!
Fashion trends throughout history usually seemed to have started out as function, and popularized by nobility and/or warriors, and finally imitated by commoners.
High heels started out as a way for cavalry men to have better grip on their stirrups.
Clean shaven faces became trendy because soldiers were told to shave their faces to properly wear gas masks.
In Japan, besides the chonmage, geta shoes and tatami mats had been symbols of nobility which trends spread to commoners.
Honestly, I first thought that the chonmage was to make yourself look older and more dignified as male pattern baldness signifies age.
@@Kensuke0987 i like that idea
strong will to fight through the pain=strong will to fight through the bald
I happened to stumble upon some of the shorts you've done, maybe, 2 or 3 months ago. I've been hooked since. You are definitely one of my top 5 favorite RUclipsrs. You have great content. Interesting, educational, and the production quality of your videos is outstanding in my opinion. Thank you for teaching us about your truly amazing culture. Much love and respect from Hempstead Texas!
Been watching Shogan series... absolutely brilliant... came here to find out about their hairstyles... Thanks
Thank-you so much for answering a question I've wondered about for years.
Some of our Western Indigenous Tribes here in America traditionally sported a nearly identical hair style to the Chonmage. My Tribe typically wore the opposite with the sides shaved or plucked to keep cool in our hot humid climate and the top and back braided or tied up.
In many of the films that Toshiro Mifune acted in, he wears a hair style that does not include the shaved pate and bundled hair section of the chonmage. It looks like he just ties it back in a loose queue. Is that because he was playing the part as ronin, and therefore not privileged to wear that sign of the samurai? Yojimbo comes immediately to mind...
I've noticed this too. At first I thought it was to make the lead look more attractive by modern standards, but that could well have been my western perspective more than anything else. The ronin thing sounds likely, since I've watched dozens upon dozens of jidaigeki films and I can't recall any ronin characters whith shaved heads, despite landed samurai, merchants, peasants and yakuza all do it.
Yes.
Very informative! great content!
Thank you for leaving a kind comment! Surely not as much as your videos though! :)
The title 😂 ive been questioning this all the time but never searched for the answer and suddenly this video crossed my yt home like an epiphany 😅 thanks for creating such informative video!
I feel very well informed about a part of samurai culture I never knew about. Your briefing style is condensed and direct, amazing. Great video, thank you.
my only problem with the video is there are many sound bits throughout the explanation. They are a little distracting and disrupt the pace of the video in my opinion.
besides that, I liked the explanation and the short history of the hair style
A lot of middle aged men have chonmage. Just not voluntarily . And none are samurai.
This was very interesting Shogo-san. I’ve been lately interested in the Midzura hairstyle of the Yayoi and Kofun Eras.
Japanese culture is so fascinating! Thank you.
This dude wanted 10k subs by July 2021 but has already like 5 times more. Just watchkng a few vids and his sub-count got 1k higher. Definitely deserved🙌🏼
And after 1 year he’s almost at a million. Simply amazing!
This was absolutely fascinating, thanks a million man! Love and respect from Dublin Ireland. I was always interested in Japan's rich culture and this has put be on a learning rabbit hole. Cheers!
From the moment I came in contact of seeing a Samurai which was on T.V. of course!! I was drawn to them!! A man with nothing but a sword ⚔️ to defend himself against his enemies was Extraordinary to me!! Since then I've been Smitten with them!! Samurai's are true Warriors what could be more Perfect 🔥!! Magnificent 💟 video and Thanks for Sharing🧡🤍🎇🤍🧡
Great stuff, shogo-san i always wondered what the dope was on that hairstyle, but never managed to google it. Glad i came across one of your videos. Your channel is one of my favorite YT subscriptions!
Thanks for “tying it all together”! And for the great detail on the different chonmage styles. Nearing 1,000,000 subs! Gambatte!
You wanted 10.000 Subs, now you got the 1.000.000!
Nice to see how this channel growed
Thank you for the summary at the end, that was actually very helpful!
Looks like you blew away that 10k subscriber goal
Totally wasn’t the explanation I was expecting. Thanks for explaining this!
So informative and very interesting indeed, I have always been very curious about Japanese culture, thanks so much for sharing with us.
I was always curious about that. Very informational. Thank you!
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
Man this is legitimately something that I've questioned for years. Cool to actually learn it's origins and it's kinda funny how mundane it actually is
Please read my comment above. That is the real reason.
Thank you so much for all the information. Also in my country of Iran, ancient warriors and wrestlers who practiced a unique form of martial arts called Varzesh-e-Pahlavani (training of the warrior) used to shave the front part of their head. Like in Japan, this was a sign of a Pahlavan or warrior´s high social class and great status.
In Pakistan too
Love it, thanks for sharing this!
Awesome video ! Thank you for sharing this history with us !
When I was in Japan, I asked alot of my students about the reason for that haircut, and nobody really had an answer.
I suspected it had to do with the admiration of one particular warrior from the past who was naturally balding, so they tried to emulate him....but he was lost to time....but it was only my theory.
I knew the sumo have that haircut as a sort of natural helmet, so your answer makes sense.
I love how you explain some less common, but very interesting topics about Japan and Kyoto in paritcular.
Can you talk about machiya? I've seen websites that sell them, and I would love to be able to afford a renovated one in the Kyoto/Otsu area someday!
Coming here just over a year later and hearing you say your goal was only 10,000 subscribers warms my heart. You’ve come so far!
I very much enjoyed this video. Thank you, Shogo-san, for answering a question I have often asked myself. Your voice is very pleasant to hear, and the words are so well spoken and informative!
I wanted to share my thoughts regarding the added sound effects whenever a new text appears on the screen. I perceive these sound effects as noise, and I must admit that they distract me from the spoken words. I also admit that I am challenged by issues of mindfulness!
Likewise, I do not wish for this minor critique (i.e. my noise) to distract from the fact that this is excellent content!
I heard that often in ancient times the reason for adoption of a particular style of haircut was that it was best suited to wear helmet. Hindu people tied hairs into a protective pillow on the top, Koreans wore their hairs in knots so it would form a natural hinge for helm to rest at, I think samurai reasons were similar.
This has been on my mind ever since I saw it in movies and wondered why 20 year olds had bald heads. I always figured it was a "rank" or "spiritual" thing. But now I know; and thank you.
I started balding once I hit 20
Fascinating! Thanks so much for the explanation. I've always wondered how such styles developed having seen them in many samurai films. Thanks again.
The video structure is effective for educational material. I especially enjoy the conclusion. Keep it up.
This was a very interesting history lesson, thank you! I'm here after watching Jiri Prochazka fight in UFC. Interesting hairstyle but looks great.
Hello, Shogo-san! Thanks a lot for the video! Just one question. On photos made in the Bakumatsu period i've noticed that some samurais don't have their head shaved at the top (e.g. Katsura Kogoro's photos). How this could be explained? Does it show some status difference with those wearing traditional "Chonmage"?
Shogo, your videos are always interesting and very clear. I like the way you expose topics trying to be as impartial as you can, and discovering of Japanese tradition has never been so easy and fun. どうも有難う御座います!
Very informative. Your videos are a pleasure to watch, for we always learn interesting things. Thank you.
I've tied my hair up in a sort of top knot of sorts. I was inspired in part by the look of the samurai, but it makes it difficult for me to wear hats so I don't do it very often.
So, the Japanese equivalent of a war mullet.
WAR MULLET!!
Have you ever seen a Canadian mullet from the 80s I am ashamed
Subscribed! Wonderful material! Can't wait to see more! Happy New Years!
That’s so awesome!! I’ve learned something again!! Thank you!!
Hello Shogo-san,
Thank you for these videos. They are very educative and interesting. I learn a lot of very interesting things in each video and I really lovc learning about Japan. Congratulations on reaching 10000 sunscribers! I look forward to seeing more of your videos in the future.
Fascinating, gratitude for sharing! May I offer this in return: the collective word is "Samurai" (not "samurais").
So one can say "the Samurai has different styles of chonmage", rather than saying "samurais".
Hope this helps, & CONGRATULATIONS on the excellent channel.
I love the energy you give off. Very interesting and concise video!
Great info! Thanks so much!
Or some leader felt so insecure about his baldness and so he made all the other men look bald like him.
I’ve been wondering why they had that hairstyle for so long !
To think it was for such a simple reason 😅
But it makes total sense
This chanel is a goldmine.
Really interesting to learn the history and reasoning behind the hairstyle. Thank you Shogo!
Thank you Shogo . Can you give us the history of Tanto's ?
since my visit in tokyo last year i am really into japanese culture. Now I am playing ghost of tsushima and your videos are a perfect addition to that topic 👍🏼
very insightful! thanks for this Shogo!
Just found this video - it's awesome! Really interesting! Keep up the great work!
You are a very handsome man. Just so you know that. Thanks for the lesson!
Nice, I honestly assumed the style was enforced by a _balding ruler_ (too many movies I guess), who made everyone else shave their heads too because of insecurity. Knowing that it was functionality over bad _fashion-sense_ is pretty cool.
wow your explanation is so calm easy and beautiful keep this way man!
Your videos are so amazing! Thank you.
Great video! I have a question, did the scene in The Last Samurai where the chonmage of Katsumoto's son actually happened in real life? Did Japanese law enforcement actually cut the chonmage of samurai?
Thank you so much for leaving a comment!
I remember that shocking scene... It was against the laws to have Chonmage at one point in Japanese history, so it could of happened. Although, I've so far haven't found any historical evidence of someone getting their Chonmage cut off in public... I'll keep you undated if I find anything interesting! Thank you again!
I remember in the film it was done publicly to humiliate and demoralise Nobutada personally.
@@angelus_solus I remember the Yokozuna Akebono crying when his chonmage was cut in real life, look it up! He went to a career in K1 and, later, pro wrestling.
I have neutral chonmage 😁
Crazy, 1 year ago just trying to crest 10k subs. Now you have just under 1 whole million Shogo! Congrats 👏
Finally I learned this. I've seen so many samurai movies but I never bothered to learn about this peculiar hairstyle. Thanks for making the video.
Where do you learn to speak so good english ? Your english is excellent !
Tbh, I never really understood the point in adopting European style clothing and hairstyle.
How did it effect the industrialization of Japan?
They probably wanted to be *exactly* like the European countries both in industrialization and being. From what I gathered from previous videos they must have thought of the Europeans as more dignified, probably because they were defeated by them.
More efficient clothing perhaps. Still the Meiji soldier uniform is super cool.
The japanese saw and quickly understood that westerners, americans and europeans, were the preeminent powers of the world. So their line of thought was probably that it was in their own best interest to follow along.
Thank you for this video. I just finished watching Samurai on FX and wondered about this.
Love the format of the video. 👌
During Edo, the hierarchy backfired on the samurai as the merchant class became incredibly rich while a lot of samurai became working class to dirt poor bureaucrats. Oh and 95% of Edo samurai never fought with a sword and couldn't defeat a wet paper bag with a stick.
😲
"Samurai" means one is a servant. Your boss could order you to dump his poop on a daily basis, and that is all he might have you do as your responsibility.
It seems unlikely a nation would allow its military to become utterly incompetent.
@@MrHarumakiSensei If the nation is being run by a party of idiocrats and plutocrats, it will be weakened overall, regardless.
@@MrHarumakiSensei We are at the moment witnessing just that, a country wich has allowed it's military to become utterly useless.
I find it interesting that the meiji government went to such lengths to make Japan a westernised nation but right now, the edo period is romanticised by the west. Is it still illegal for regular people to have this hairstyle or has the culture just moved past it due to that law?
yes, if caught they must all watch boku no pico and then commit seppuku
Very interesting information!
Thank you for sharing it.
Arigato, thank you 🙏! I always wondered why and now I’ve learned it. Informative and interesting 👍.
Regarding the pyromida on 2:12, why merchants on the basis? Looks unusual, more commont when peasants are there.
Thank you so much for leaving a comment!
I made this new video about this topic, I hope you can take a look!
ruclips.net/video/W8SKDVLIM70/видео.html
So It was different haircuts the reason why they went to war with mongols - they shawed off the opposite part of the japanese..
Sometimes it's different hats, sometimes hair..
Your voice makes it really easy to learn somehow, you sound so peaceful
Interesting. I have wondered about this for decades.
I like how the merchants were the lowest class in Japan. In Europe the lowest class were peasants because of feudalism. I never realised why Japan had it differently until my friend who is half Japanese from her father's side explained to me how merchants were practicaly the most "useless" for society in Japan :D
What was useless about them?
@@mazokuwarrior essentially it was believed that merchants only moved goods and didn't produce anything of value themselves.
Merchants didn't even exist under feudalism. Or rather, all profit enterprise was undertaken by the nobility or the church.
@@mazokuwarrior Because they didn't produce anything ;)
do you know why craftsmen are below peasants? i find that interesting since they would produce goods
This is clearly a case of powerful men going bald and wanting everyone to join the in their suffering. If baldness is in fashion then the true baddies locks don't have to suffer the embarrassment.
It worked for Louis XlV a his gigantic wigs
Absolutely not what I thought! Thank you for teaching me!
I subbed man i love asian culture. Its history remains only scratched and not burnt to ashes.
They trained soo hard that they eventually lost their hair lol.
Checks out.
Saitama?
@@meu9054 yep😁
@@justarandomguy1541 lmao
A hundred push ups a day will do that to you lol
If im going bald should i jus do that hellby hairstyle or shave it all off ? 😤damn it what to doo
Loved the video thanks!
I always appreciate your insight into Japanese culture!