The following topic came about from the last article, where Minamoto no Yoshitsune is mentioned to have used the strategy to kill oarsmen in order to eliminate his enemies’ oppressive mobility. Why is this significant? It’s because an oarsman is viewed as a non-combatant, and based on context, should not be considered a threat. What is a non-combatant, who fits into this category, and are they truly untouchable during war?

This article is an attempt to review conditions of war outside of the heroics of warriors. This probably won’t be a 100% analysis, for there are too many variables for such a broad topic to cover. We’ll briefly look at those non-combatants who step onto the battlefield, environments outside of the designated fields of war that can be sieged on, as well as actions civilians caught in war can take to survive. This’ll be from the Heian period down to the commencement of the Edo period.

PASSIVE ROLES ON THE BATTLEGROUNDS

The following are non-warriors that take part in specific roles for the sake of war.

• Priests and priestesses: There are rituals done for the sake of victory. Priests and/or shrine priestesses that serve the lord going into battle may conduct blessings rituals during different stages of a battle, such as right before the army sets out.
• Monks: Like priests and priestesses, monks can be called for the sake of offering blessings. They may also provide moral support, through means like blowing a conk shell.
• Drums and bell bearers: these individuals beat drums and/or chime bells for various purposes, such as to raise the morale of warriors to success, or to signal specific actions during skirmishes based on the orders of the commander.
• Messengers and scouts: Special units of an army that use covert means to spy on the enemy, and deliver important messages to their side. They are active before, and during the clash of the war, if needed.
• Boatmen and oarsmen: In certain situations where battles have to take place on water, locals who specialize in seafaring may be recruited to help transport their troops to face off with the enemy.
• Servants and attendants: Normally retainers to high-ranking warriors, these individuals attend to the horses, assist with carrying necessary supplies, and other tasks their master shouldn’t worry about while fighting.
• Field cleaners: There are those that may be requested to step onto the battlefield after the chaos is done to tend to specific tasks. This can include those who bury fellow soldiers, and women who prepare the severed heads of the enemy side for presentation with makeup.

This is a concise, generalized list which, if we look deeper into more specified roles of these individuals, can be expanded on.

INVASIONS AT KEY LOCATIONS

War grounds can take place anywhere, although both sides try to ensure that specific locations are advantageous to them. While it’s common to talk about when 2 sides clash in mutual agreement, what about when one side takes a bold move and invades another’s territory?

• Fields and mountains: An invading army may use heavily dense fields or traverse through mountains for the sake of a surprise attack.
• Castles (and castle towns): Depending on the type and size of the castle, invasion can be swift. Larger, prosperous castles also take responsibility of their castle towns, and may go as far as allow town dwellers entrance into the castle during emergencies¹.
• From the sea: The enemy may use boats to embark entry into another’s territory, instead of marching by land. This option can be very critical for castles that are near the water, and have poor defense against this.

Villages, farms and shrines near these areas get caught in the middle of these invasions. Even though they are non-combatants, the people who dwell in these areas are prone to all sorts of trouble, which can include loss of resources, being held as hostages, tortured and/or violated, to even being killed. Those that act fast can make an attempt to flee to where ever they can find safety. If close enough, would they make an attempt to the land owner’s castle? Perhaps, but that’s only if they have the means to get there (ex. own a horse). Whether or not they can gain entrance is another story.

IN THE EVENT OF A SIEGE

Not all invasions are successful. Through the resourcefulness of spies who can gather intelligence on an enemy’s plans, and the watchful eyes of scouts, a lord of a territory can be alerted in advance about a possible invasion. From this point, certain actions can be taken, such as intercepting the opposition, or rallying neighboring allies to join forces and meet the impending threat head-on. There are even cases where non-combatants need to take up weapons and face off the enemy on the front lines, with the following examples:

• Myōrinni (妙林尼) = Buddhist nun and wife of the defeated Yoshioka Akioka, she led both young and old inhabitants of Tsurusaki castle (鶴崎城) to successfully defend it against the Shimazu army².
• Kai-hime (甲斐姫) = A concubine of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who assisted in defended Oshi castle (忍城) against Ishida Mitsunari and his allies. Donning on armor and wielding a sword, it’s said she lead a small army and successfully repelled further attacks.

However, what happens when these are not an option, except being holed up in one’s castle? When a siege is emminent, available troops and warriors may be stationed in designated points in the castle designed for battles, or stationed outside to try and resist the approaching enemy. Occupants of the castle who are not warriors (this includes servants, maids, and family members) are instructed to arm themselves in their residence and prepare to fight anyone who breaches the castle defenses. Such instructions are made based on worst-case scenrio, where if the castle’s warriors fail in repeling the enemy, they must be prepared to fight off the invaders themselves, and not allow themselves to be captured in the event no chance of escape is possible³. It is also not unusual for non-combatants to partake in the actual castle defense, especially by those who have been trained to wield a melee weapon, such as a spear or glaive.

In the event where an unexpected invasion occurs, the reaction may be vastly different. As warriors scramble to engage with the enemy, castle dwellers may be directed to areas in the castle to hole up and hide. In such cases, there may be soldiers accompanying these non-combatants to protect them, especially if safely escaping the castle has been blocked as an option by the opposition. In most cases, these non-combatants are ladies of the castle, whom are prioritized in keeping safe. When these ladies hiding in the castle are found and threatened by enemy soldiers closing in on them, what can they do? There are some records that mention how they cheer & rally on those warriors sacrificing their lives protecting them, as they lock intensely in battle against the enemy soldiers.

ENDING

To sum up, having non-combatants getting caught up in wars and conflicts is inevitable. In some cases they have tasks on the battlefield, although not to engage with the enemy. In other events, their peaceful lives can be disrupted when an invading army lays assault on their land, creating scenarios where they either have to stake their lives in the governing power’s hands, or take up arms and protect themselves. This is a topic that, through surviving stories and records, gives us an alternative view of war conditions in medieval Japan.

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1) Admittance of entrance into a castle comes with limitations. There are certain areas that are off-limits regardless of the chaos caused by an enemy invasion. One of these areas is the hon maru (本丸), which is the main area where the castle dwellers reside in.

2) You can read an article about Myōrinni and her story here.

3) An example of a successful escape from a castle under siege can be read in the female servant Okiku’s tale here.