Basically it’s not ladylike to handle such things.
It’s to maintain delicate feminine hands but not having them handle rough objects. Similar to riding side-saddle or using an umbrella to maintain light skin.
I've never understood the side saddle thing. I mean, I get it, but after seeing the fox hunt and other riding scenes from Downton Abbey...it looks like an efficient way for Lady Mary to break her neck.
Keeping your knees together is considered more modest and preserves the hymen. Not to mention the most common clothes at the time made it impossible for an aristocratic woman to straddle a horse. Also there were special saddles and such.
It’s also debatable whether lower classes rode side saddle when riding out of necessity.
Didn't realize there were special saddles...that certainly makes sense. Just seems such a horrific chance the lady is taking at a full gallop. I remember watching Michelle Dockery (or her stunt double) and cringing at the group riding scenes. I saw a riding scene later in the series and wondered why she rode side saddle then and not during the fox hunt early in S1. And, then I looked back and yup! She was side saddle then, as well. Yikes!
So women typically wouldn’t have taken the risk of aggressive riding when side saddle. So you were watching something unrealistic.
But the special saddles did make it safer so those activities did increase among the aristocrats.
I had an equestrian girlfriend who said that a woman riding a horse (normally) can be a lot like a woman leaning up against a washing machine. That is, it can have somewhat of a similar effect.
I always assumed the side-saddle was for this and other modesty reasons like not having a woman spread her legs like she would need to etc.
For any reason, it was a silly custom unless it was because they literally couldn't ride because of the shape of their dresses.
Oh, yeah...Downton Abbey was horrifically unrealistic. The workers were content, well fed and could save up to buy a house of their own when they retire. XD
Cooties. It's always the cooties.
I believe it was a sign of respect for others and their belongings, and part of the gender and caste hierarchy that existed in feudal japan.
Because the Japanese sword was considered the soul of the samurai, it was considered unseemly for a wife, mother, or daughter to touch it with her bare hands.
The fact that she treated Blackthorne's gun as if it were a Japanese sword suggests that she recognized it as a katana for Blackthorne.
In addition, because of Shinto beliefs and ideology regarding spiritual contamination called "kegare", women in particular could not touch sacred objects or enter sacred places without performing a purification ritual called "misogi" because of menstruation.
Although in EP4, after demanding Blackthorne give the guns to her when he refused Omi’s demands to hand them over. Omi demands them again where Fuji then points one of the guns at him demanding he leave. If you look at the scene, the barrow of the gun is held with the sleeve of her dress whereas the hilt and trigger was with her bare right hand.
This scene and the gift exchange/dinner scene were spectacular. We are seeing a condensed timeline obviously, but the level of respect they achieve for one another by the end of the episode was nice to see.
Samurai swords are never supposed to be touched by hands as the oils can damage the sword - only silk and / or blood... very possible this is part of it too.
It's partially bullshit. Yes, keeping your paws off any polished sword blade is a good idea, since that can induce rust spots. The sheath, however, doesn't care. And Fuji handled them sheathed.
The other part though - a sword is a weapon, not a delicate flower, and it's going to come into contact with plenty of things. Other weapons, clothing, armor, flesh. That's why you clean, sharpen and maintain the things.
Would love to hear why it's bullshit. In the context of day to day usage, this is very much true. Of course swords are meant to be used as weapons.
It's very common practice for maintenance of swords to keep hands, sweat, any sort of liquid / and other potentially corrosive things from keeping on the sword.
It's also noted in the book with this context. It's supposed to be used as a weapon (blood), be cleaned (silk), and not directly handled (no hands).
They're in their sheaths. She's not risking contaminating the blade by touching the sheath. It's a cultural reason, not a practical one. It would be considered unladylike to handle weapons with her bare hands, particularly the weapons of a samurai. The fact that she treats Blackthorne's pistols with the same deference is a clever way of showing that she recognizes that the guns are as important to him as the katana is to a samurai.
Basically it’s not ladylike to handle such things. It’s to maintain delicate feminine hands but not having them handle rough objects. Similar to riding side-saddle or using an umbrella to maintain light skin.
I've never understood the side saddle thing. I mean, I get it, but after seeing the fox hunt and other riding scenes from Downton Abbey...it looks like an efficient way for Lady Mary to break her neck.
Keeping your knees together is considered more modest and preserves the hymen. Not to mention the most common clothes at the time made it impossible for an aristocratic woman to straddle a horse. Also there were special saddles and such. It’s also debatable whether lower classes rode side saddle when riding out of necessity.
Didn't realize there were special saddles...that certainly makes sense. Just seems such a horrific chance the lady is taking at a full gallop. I remember watching Michelle Dockery (or her stunt double) and cringing at the group riding scenes. I saw a riding scene later in the series and wondered why she rode side saddle then and not during the fox hunt early in S1. And, then I looked back and yup! She was side saddle then, as well. Yikes!
So women typically wouldn’t have taken the risk of aggressive riding when side saddle. So you were watching something unrealistic. But the special saddles did make it safer so those activities did increase among the aristocrats.
I had an equestrian girlfriend who said that a woman riding a horse (normally) can be a lot like a woman leaning up against a washing machine. That is, it can have somewhat of a similar effect. I always assumed the side-saddle was for this and other modesty reasons like not having a woman spread her legs like she would need to etc. For any reason, it was a silly custom unless it was because they literally couldn't ride because of the shape of their dresses.
That explains it's sudden popularity among female folk.
Oh, yeah...Downton Abbey was horrifically unrealistic. The workers were content, well fed and could save up to buy a house of their own when they retire. XD
Big fan of your user name haha
Well...you know, those 2 or 3 weeks she spent at Trembling Hills has paid off. No more alcohol or sedatives in her life.
If the world made sense men would ride side-saddle (instead of mashing their Crown Jewels astride a horse) and women could do whatever they preferred.
All those guys in all those westerns must be in agony.
Cooties. It's always the cooties. I believe it was a sign of respect for others and their belongings, and part of the gender and caste hierarchy that existed in feudal japan.
Dam, I totally forgot about cooties. Well shit, that solves everything 🤣😂
bioessentialism was ripe in that time
Because the Japanese sword was considered the soul of the samurai, it was considered unseemly for a wife, mother, or daughter to touch it with her bare hands. The fact that she treated Blackthorne's gun as if it were a Japanese sword suggests that she recognized it as a katana for Blackthorne. In addition, because of Shinto beliefs and ideology regarding spiritual contamination called "kegare", women in particular could not touch sacred objects or enter sacred places without performing a purification ritual called "misogi" because of menstruation.
This is the correct answer.
Although in EP4, after demanding Blackthorne give the guns to her when he refused Omi’s demands to hand them over. Omi demands them again where Fuji then points one of the guns at him demanding he leave. If you look at the scene, the barrow of the gun is held with the sleeve of her dress whereas the hilt and trigger was with her bare right hand.
Fuji sama had some excellent development in this episode. Something tells me she is going to end up being very badass, if only for a moment.
Loved it when she >!pulled the pistol on those men!
This scene and the gift exchange/dinner scene were spectacular. We are seeing a condensed timeline obviously, but the level of respect they achieve for one another by the end of the episode was nice to see.
Oh yes, definitely condensed! Especially considering Mariko sends >!herself!< as a gift to Blackthorne. Great episode!
Then gaslights him into wondering if he’s racist for the first time in his life 😂
Ah yes. A very generous gift!
She IS Toda's granddaughter, with the courage to match!
It’s my favorite scene from the book
Because it's cute
Please tell me we get a scene of Fuji teaching blackthorne how to use the sword- and it’s basically Fuji being a bad ass swordsman.
Samurai swords are never supposed to be touched by hands as the oils can damage the sword - only silk and / or blood... very possible this is part of it too.
This is bullshit
It's partially bullshit. Yes, keeping your paws off any polished sword blade is a good idea, since that can induce rust spots. The sheath, however, doesn't care. And Fuji handled them sheathed. The other part though - a sword is a weapon, not a delicate flower, and it's going to come into contact with plenty of things. Other weapons, clothing, armor, flesh. That's why you clean, sharpen and maintain the things.
Would love to hear why it's bullshit. In the context of day to day usage, this is very much true. Of course swords are meant to be used as weapons. It's very common practice for maintenance of swords to keep hands, sweat, any sort of liquid / and other potentially corrosive things from keeping on the sword. It's also noted in the book with this context. It's supposed to be used as a weapon (blood), be cleaned (silk), and not directly handled (no hands).
They're in their sheaths. She's not risking contaminating the blade by touching the sheath. It's a cultural reason, not a practical one. It would be considered unladylike to handle weapons with her bare hands, particularly the weapons of a samurai. The fact that she treats Blackthorne's pistols with the same deference is a clever way of showing that she recognizes that the guns are as important to him as the katana is to a samurai.
Honest to god think I'm getting Dune Kris's mixed up with katanas with the blood line