Sohei: The Warrior Monks of Medieval Japan

The Weapons and Equipment of Feudal Japanese Sohei.

Sep 26, 2009

Sohei were buddhist monks who took up arms to defend their temples. Occasionally they fought for samurai lords or as part of an ikki (a peasant uprising).

The modern view of Buddhism is one of a peaceful, highly spiritual faith, where the devotee sets out upon the path to enlightenment through meditation and discipline. But the sohei of feudal Japan were anything but peaceful.

Sohei means 'warrior monk'. They came into being in the early middle ages, as differing septs of buddhism ultimately took up arms against each other. They were a major political force in Japan, terrifying not only for their prowess in war but also because they carried immense spiritual authority, bringing down curses upon any who displeased them. Their overall effectiveness can be summed up in the words of the 12th century emperor Go Shirakawa-In: 'There are three things that are beyond my control: the rapids on the Kamo river, the dice at gambling, and the monks of the mountain.'

Sohei EquipmentThe equipment of sohei differed little from that used by samurai. They wore the usual kimono and broad trousers. Their garments were usually white or saffron.

They used traditional samurai armour - the do, of lamellar iron construction, with long 'skirts' protecting the upper legs. A dark jacket would usually be worn over the armour.

Monks were instantly recognisable because they wore a white headcowl over their shaven heads, wrapped around the head until only the eyes were exposed. Some, but not all, wore helmets.

The most popular weapon in the warrior monk arsenal was the naginata, a vicious glaive-like polearm that they wielded with great proficiency. They also carried katana (swords) and tanto ( daggers) tucked into their belts. Many sohei were expert archers.

Distinguishing features included the headcowl, and most monks wore wooden rosaries around their necks. Many warrior monks wore geta ( wooden sandals), although these would have been impractical in a fight, so whether they wore them in battle is debatable.

When on campaign, sohei carried a mikoshi (portable shrine) around with them. This in itself was daunting to their foes, for to enact violence in the presence of such a holy item was blasphemous in the extreme.

Sohei Organisation

Warrior monks were loyal to their temple. Some of the most famous ( or notorious) were the septs of Negoroji, Nara, Miidera and Mount Hiei. Most of the infighting between rival septs was not secular in nature: almost all violence had it's roots in politics. In this, the wars of the sohei differed markedly from the religious strife of medieval europe.

The backing of the sohei could spell the difference between victory or defeat. Many samurai warlords loathed them, branding them akuso ( evil monks), whilst others fearfully curried favour with them.

Oda Nobunaga, one of the great generals who put Japan on the path of unification, had particular reason to hate them. The monks of Mount Hiei became the allies of the Asai and Asakura families, some of Nobunagas biggest rivals. Nobunaga defeated them in battle in 1570, but they struck back later that year. Defeated once more by Nobunaga's general, Toyetomi Hideyoshi , they fled into the mountains and were saved by the sohei of Mount Hiei. Weary of their interference, Nobunaga launched a campaign against the monks in September 1571, completely destroying the temple complex of Mount Hiei and massacring every man, women and child - in all, over twenty thousand people.

Nobunaga detested the sohei and mounted a number of campaigns against them, all resulting in heavy slaughter. As Japan gradually came under a single unifying influence - first Nobunaga, then his succesor Hideyoshi, and finally Tokugawa Ieyasu - the last centres of independant sohei authority were brought to heel. The days of the warrior monks were over.

The copyright of the article Sohei: The Warrior Monks of Medieval Japan in Military History is owned by Grant Sebastian Nell. Permission to republish Sohei: The Warrior Monks of Medieval Japan in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.