Hello,
I have noticed this in some movies and TV shows such as Ryoumaden (Sanjō Sanetomi and some court officials) or Atsuhime (lord from Konoe clan). The high-ranking nobles, especially the ones serving the emperor at the court in Kyoto, are often portrayed acting like women compared to the rough and prideful samurai lords. What I mean by that is a very fine behavior, high pitched voice and laugh, overreacting and overly expressing emotions etc. Is there a reason for this? My guess is that it is to show how they were pampered since childhood, living in luxury? Or was this some kind of a cultural habit?
I am asking because of the contrast between these nobles and samurai. The nobles were not of a samurai class? They often wear a bit different clothes and big hats while samurai are often wearing just yukata or kimono and of course the two swords.
Thanks.
https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/146s5w0/why_are_edo_period_nobles_often_portrayed_in/
2 comments
I think you hit the nail on the head. The court nobles spent their time writing poetry and sipping tea while the samurai classes had the job of running the country and protecting their spoiled asses, often by force.
It’s also a thing that in some periods of history, what was considered “masculine” was different from today.
To be clear, the nobles in those shows *are* samurai. Samurai is a caste; the tough burly warriors and the dainty nobility are all samurai. You’re noticing the difference between warriors (*bushi*) and non-warriors. And it’s similar to what you’d see in any drama featuring stereotypical rough’n’tough military characters vs non-military characters. Just look at the way US military is portrayed in Hollywood in comparison with non-military. This is the feudal Japanese version of that.