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Anne McLean's avatar

Very interesting. I didn’t know about much of this, including the outcasts (I’ve now looked them up).

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Samurai History & Culture's avatar

Outcast society is an interesting, and still taboo topic here in Japan.

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Anne McLean's avatar

Because it’s embarrassing?

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Samurai History & Culture's avatar

Less embarrassing, it remains a social problem, there are still stigmas attached to one's lineage. Foe example, there are reports of companies looking into prospective employees histories to ensure an outcast descendant isn't hired.

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Anne McLean's avatar

Wow! For heaven’s sake, it sounded like mostly those people were doing jobs that someone had to do, weren’t they...yet they’re still despised for it, and their descendants too?

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Samurai History & Culture's avatar

Unfortunately yes. Same with marriage agencies, they will look into a couples past to ensure that a family isn't "tainted" by having a former outcast marry in.

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Anne McLean's avatar

Far out! What about attitudes to undertakers etc today?

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Samurai History & Culture's avatar

Not so bad for modern day undertakers, but the former leatherworkers, and other original outcast families still are stygmatised.

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