Who is Tomoe Gozen?
Tomoe Gozen was a female samurai during the Genpei War of 1180–1185 CE. Though female warriors were not uncommon in Japan at the time, Tomoe Gozen is one of very few female samurai, highly trained and skilled in horseback riding, archery, and sword fighting. She was a senior captain under general Minamoto no Yoshinaka, and either his attendant or consort as well, depending on the source. Tomoe Gozen’s surname is not known, as Gozen is simply a title, somewhat like “Lady.” The earliest written source regarding Tomoe Gozen is from the 14th century Japanese classic, The Tale of the Heike, which in turn is derived from oral tradition. This source describes Tomoe Gozen as almost supernaturally strong, very beautiful, and surpassing her male colleagues in skill and bravery. On 21 February 1184, Yoshinaka and Tomoe Gozen fought a decisive battle against Yoshinaka’s cousin, Minamoto no Yoritomo. Yoshinaka’s forces were outnumbered and Yoshinaka, knowing they had lost the battle, urged Tomoe Go
