Chonmage: The hair of the samurai (2024)

They say that hair is the frame of the face, but beyond that, it also has great importance in cultural aspects. The Chonmage (丁髷) is the name given to a traditional Japanese hairstyle worn by samurais in ancient times.

In this hairstyle, the front part of the head is shaved and then the lower part where the hair is longer is oiled and then a folded ponytail is tied at the top of the head.

This hairstyle became common in Japanese society, but initially only samurai men used it with the aim of securing the Kabuto (兜, 冑), a Japanese helmet that was part of the armor. This also helped to prevent the head from sweating too much due to the heat, as the shaved part allowed for better ventilation.

Here’s a different way to get rid of unwanted heat, isn’t it?! Now let’s get to know a little more about this 髪型.

When did the samurai haircut appear?

The origin of this peculiar hairstyle is related to the use of ancient hats by nobles in China around the Heian Period (794 to 1185). But it was only during the Asuka Period (592 to 710) that Chonmage became popular in Japanese culture.

But it can be said that the Chonmage is related to the Tokugawa period (1603-1868). This period was marked by heavy restrictions and political-economic isolation in Japan and strict internal control that regulated the fiefs through a code of laws.

It was during this time that Japanese men had to adhere to the original Chonmage hairstyle in obedience to the demands of the time. In addition, they had to completely shave their beards.

samurai hair pride

The hairstyle became popular among the citizens due to the changing appearances of the samurai. But the pattern was not completely followed, other variations of Chonmage emerged. And as the hairstyle was introduced into society it became a symbol of pride among the population. What was once limited to only civil servants of the Japanese empire became something that anyone could join.

The samurai hair today

After the Meiji period underwent a restoration process, the Chonmage ceased to be used (19th century). This hairstyle is still seen today by Kabuki actors and is very commonly worn by sumo wrestlers.

However, the fighters did not adopt the front part of the shaved head. When they belong to the sekitori category, they usually wear the hairstyle with a topknot known as a ginkgo leaf (õichõ).

The final "parte" of the topknot is spread out like a fan "aberto". There are specific hairdressers who do the hairstyle of the fighters called Tokoyama.

Samurai hairstyle in the movies

Who has never watched a movie or anime with samurai? Films especially help a lot when we want to know with images how a certain time and culture was.

When it comes to conveying the reality of period clothes and hairstyles, feature films go to great lengths to get as close to reality as possible.

To write this article, I was inspired by some movies to better understand how the Chonmage was used by samurais. This hairstyle appears very well in the movie 13 Assassinos. This film is inspired by "Os sete samurais". 13 Assassinos takes place in the year 1844 and tells the story of 13 samurais who are summoned to kill a powerful local leader. The most interesting thing is that they use the Chonmage in its original form, as well as the costumes during the fights.

Now in the drawing category, most people must have seen a scene from Samurai Jack, this cartoon is American, but it is inspired by Japanese culture.

In this drawing, a samurai has the objective of defeating a mage, only he is transferred to the future. To characterize the samurai character well, the creator was concerned with portraying the Chonmage but a little differently. The character does not have the front of his head shaved and his bun is on top of his head.

The samurai coke or topknot

The fact that the Chonmage has fallen out of favor doesn't mean it can't have its variations today. You may have heard of the samurai bun which is also known as topknot. This hairstyle is likely to be the modernization of Chonmage.

This hairstyle does not have a pattern, but basically the top part of the hair is made into a bun while the bottom part is left loose or it is made shorter with a close cut. Or simply long hair tied up in a more casual bun.

“And would you have the courage to adopt a style adapted from Chonmage?”