Nyonin Kinsei (女人禁制) is a general term for a type of society custom against women that is found in Japan.[1][2][3][4]
In particular, it refers to customs that prohibit women from entering sacred places (shrines, temples, sacred sites, ritual sites, etc.).[5][6] In this sense, the isolated area (boundary) is called women's boundary.[7][8] Use is synonymous with women's prohibition.[9][7]
It also refers to social customs that prohibit mere women from entering, participating in, or participating in any other way, arising from reasons different from the main meaning of women's prohibition (as seen in Kabuki).
On the contrary, "forbidding men from entering" is called men's prohibition (e.g., praying and performing rituals in Utaki in Okinawa (Ryukyu Kingdom)).
On March 27, Meiji 5 (May 4, 1872), the Meiji government announced that Edo shogunate and temples and shrines would no longer be able The Tokugawa shogunate and its temples and shrines, in an effort to compete with the Western powers, adopted the Confucianism precept of "no women allowed" (one of the Five precepts) and the Confucianism precept of "no man and woman shall sit on the same seat at the age of seven" (an internal rule of the Book of Rites). (The Book of Rites, internal rules), was banned as one of the Discriminations ("perverse customs") that were out of the question for a modern nation trying to compete with the Western powers.[10]
However, the origin of the Japan Sumo Association (Grand Sumo) is different from these. The origin of the Grand Sumo Tournament is the Kanjin Grand Sumo Tournament, which was held to raise money for the construction and repair of temples and shrines since the Edo period. Later, in 1872, the ban on women entering and leaving the precincts of shrines and temples was lifted by the Grand Council of State Proclamation No. 98, Shrine and Buddhist Temples Closed to Women, but Open to Climbing and Pilgrimage, allowing female spectators to watch the Grand Sumo Tournament. The Japan Sumo Association still prohibits women from entering the ring except for the spectator seats, but this has not led to any opposition by female fans, as they are not directly disadvantaged as long as they are regular spectators. There have been incidents of discrimination against women.[11] Some journalists, politicians, writers, and others have called for women to be treated equally with men and not to be treated as unclean for the vague reason of "Tradition" on the basis of Article 14, Paragraph 1 of the Japanese Constitution, which prohibits discrimination.[12][13]
After graduating from Doshisha University, Konnichiwa joined the sumo club of Aisin Seiki, and in September 2021, a reporter from Number Web interviewed him and asked him questions about "Sumo wrestlers fighting against the ban on women in sumo. In September 2021, a reporter from Number Web interviewed and asked questions about sumo, saying, "There are many types and aspects of sumo, including grand sumo, Mongolian wrestling, amateur sumo as a sport, and votive sumo. Among them, I think that the prohibition of women is an idea that exists only in sumo. That's why we've been talking about how we'd like to be in the Olympic ring first, rather than in the sumo ring.[14] When interviewed by the Asahi Shimbun in the same month, he said, "I don't mind the ban on women in sumo because I think my amateur sumo and grand sumo are different. (I simply hope that sumo will develop as a modern sport.[15]
On March 27, 1872 (1872, May 4), the Grand Council of State issued Proclamation No. 98 of the 5th year of Meiji (1872May 04), which proclaimed, "Shrines and Buddhist temples shall be closed to women, and pilgrimages to mountain climbing shall be permitted. In spite of the Shugendo Abolition Decree of September 15, 1872 (October 27, 1872), the shugendo practitioners of Mount Ōmine (Ōmine) in southern Nara Prefecture were not allowed to return to the main religion of Tendai Shingon Buddhism. (Omine) in southern Nara Prefecture, the shugendo practitioners and their collaborators continued to maintain the "no women allowed" policy on the grounds that it was a sacred site for shugendo. In response to this, there has been a movement to lift the ban on women entering the mountain, and in the past there have been women who have climbed the mountain secretly or in spite of opposition.[10]
Just after the end of the Pacific War, the wife of a high-ranking official of the Allied Forces that occupied Japan once visited the village of Dorogawa, which is located at the trailhead, to request the lifting of the women's ward. At that time, a local elder countered, "Don't let the women of your country Abbeys be released to men," and the ban was maintained.[16]
The opposite of no women allowed is no men allowed (danshi kinsei).
As an example of religion and faith, praying and performing rituals at Utaki in Okinawa has been the exclusive business of female priests called Noro (priestess) since ancient times, and is basically forbidden to men.
However, in modern times, there are many cases where it is not forbidden to enter the temple except during the priest's worship, but this is a measure for tourism (such as Saiba Utaki). The core sanctuary of the Utaki, which is controlled by the priests, is enclosed and is forbidden for men.
In addition, even if there is no enclosure, Utaki must not be entered by men or women without permission for religious reasons. In many cases, Utaki is privately owned and it is a sacred place unique to the village. Therefore, it is qualitatively different from shrines in mainland Japan where the public is basically allowed to enter as long as they observe the etiquette.
Hinukans, which are common in Okinawan households, are also generally forbidden to be worshipped by men, and are forbidden to men.
This prohibition on men is said to have originated from the fact that in matrilineality societies, women presided over rituals and sometimes reigned as queens (such as Himiko, Onarigami, and the Himeiko system).
The palace of a king, for example, the Ooku of the Edo Shogunate, or the Ouchiwara of Shuri Castle and Nakijin Castle in Ryukyu were also forbidden to men.
The prohibition of non-royal men in the imperial palace is widespread throughout the world. In Chinese dynasties, eunuchs were strictly enforced, and their duties ranged from clerical work, miscellaneous duties, and serving in the court, including the inner palace, to security, intelligence activities, education of the royal family, and management of firearms.