Temples and other religious institutions were motivated to deploy units of warrior-monks to defend land acquired during the re-distributions and lapses in administration practices on provincial estates that occurred in the 10th and 11th centuries. Young warriors employed by private estates as militiamen confused matters by shaving their heads and were often mistaken for sohei in practice and in historical accounts. In some cases, the warrior-monks (including those private soldiers who appeared to be monks, but often were not) became so powerful that they posed a threat to the imperial court and the shogunate. Warrior monks serving Enryakuji, Kofukuji, and Miidera, all temples located near Kyoto or the old capital, Nara, were particularly notorious.

With the burning of Enryakuji by Oda Nobunaga in 1571, the power of the sohei diminished significantly. Efforts mounted by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the weapons prohibitions instituted in the late Momoyama and early Edo periods finalized the suppression of these warriors. (see https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2018/08/03/sohei-warrior-monks/)

Warrior Monks (3)

Warrior Monks (4)

Warrior Monks (5)

That is all for the Sohei warrior monks, although the Masked men listed below could be included amongst their number.

Hopefully we will see them all in action soon.

Still to come on this project is:

Terrain.

• Gaming board;
• Samurai house, stable and walls;
• Small fishing dock;
• 2 small fishing boats;
• 1 resin peasant house;
• 1 Small cemetery;
• scatter terrain.

Miniatures.

• Daimyo and Retinue;
• Samurai Cavalry;
• Foot Samurai;
• Pauper Soldiers;
• Masked men.