What's with feudal Japanese guys and the "bald look"?

[Felon]

Having seen my share of feudal Japan recreated in movies and TV, I've often wondered why Japanese men apparently shaved their pates bald. I can't think of any practical value, which leaves aesthetic reasons. Can't think of too many cultures where alopecia was regarded as fashionable.

Anyone out there have any insights on this?

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Normans did it too. At least in their conquerin period, I don't know how wide spread it was in other cultures of the period.

In a lot of cultures it indicates military status since you take off the front hair and shorten the back to make putting on and using a helmet easier, keeps it from getting slicked down and gettin your eyes or dripping sweat onto 'em. Among other things.

The specific haircut for samurai also has a lot to do with preparing yourself to have your head lopped off.

 

[Umbran]

In a lot of cultures it indicates military status since you take off the front hair and shorten the back to make putting on and using a helmet easier, keeps it from getting slicked down and gettin your eyes or dripping sweat onto 'em. Among other things.

People always say things like that, but I'm guessing that it is mostly rationalization. Because at various times, military men have had everything from shaved heads to long hair braided or tied back. And nobody's ever made a solid connection between the military hairstyle and unit performance.

I think the choice of hairstyle is pretty arbitrary. The important thing is not the specifics of the hairstyle, so long as there is a particular style chosen for the military. The point is the same as having soldiers all dress alike - to make them uniform. If they all have that similarity, they feel more tightly bonded into a group, and work together as a unit. Hairstyle isn't about the mechanics of war, it's about the psychology.

 

[Felon]

In a lot of cultures it indicates military status since you take off the front hair and shorten the back to make putting on and using a helmet easier, keeps it from getting slicked down and gettin your eyes or dripping sweat onto 'em. Among other things.

Hmm. That wouldn't explain them accentuating their pseudo-baldness with the stupid little ponytail that's flipped-up and tied in place like some kind of ponytail-combover.

I think the choice of hairstyle is pretty arbitrary. The important thing is not the specifics of the hairstyle, so long as there is a particular style chosen for the military. The point is the same as having soldiers all dress alike - to make them uniform. If they all have that similarity, they feel more tightly bonded into a group, and work together as a unit. Hairstyle isn't about the mechanics of war, it's about the psychology.

Well, that's all good and well, but I don't think it was just a military haircut, though my fiction may be lying to me.

 

[Dirigible]

And nobody's ever made a solid connection between the military hairstyle and unit performance.

"The side with the shortest haircuts always wins. English Civil War... cavaliers versus the roundheads. Result? One nil to the pudding basins! Vietnam... crew cuts both sides. Result? No score draw!"

~Arnold J. Rimmer.

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

"...Vietnam... crew cuts both sides. Result? No score draw!"

~Arnold J. Rimmer.

Umm, I think the little guys in pyjamas won that pretty decisively.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Depends on how you look at it, but I think it's too recent to count as non-political

 

[Hand of Evil]

Oh, I thought it was because of head hunting, Samurai would take the head of fallen foe and it was important to look good and hair only got in the way.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Oh, I thought it was because of head hunting, Samurai would take the head of fallen foe and it was important to look good and hair only got in the way.

I think you're close! They went bald so that Samurai who took their heads couldn't grip them by the hair! So if they didn't have basketball-palming skills, the Samurai would look like idiots and keep dropping the heads!

 

[Felon]

...Except that they had the aforementioned ponytail-combovers to act as servicable handles.