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Onna bugeisha
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An onna bugeisha (女武芸者) was a female of the buke class in feudal Japan.[1] The term consists of the word onna ("woman") and the word bugeisha ("warrior"). Use of the term "female samurai" is actually an oxymoron. "Samurai" is actually a gender-specific term much like "husband" or "wife." "Samurai" is only used for certain males of the buke class. Likewise, "female bushi" or "onna bushi" is also incorrect as "bushi" is also gender-specific and is used for males. "Buke no onna," which is "female of the buke class," is more appropriate. The term "buke no onna" actually does not denote that the female in question has had any training in any martial arts. It simply conveys that the woman was of the privileged class (i.e. the buke class). "Onna bugeisha," on the other hand, does convey that the female is trained in the use of weapons and of the privileged buke class.
The onna bugeisha appears often in jidaigeki. The television series Kenkaku Shobai featured such a character, Sasaki Mifuyu. An early episode of the series had the title Onna Bugeisha.
