In medieval times, aristocratic women could become 'ama' called Sage Ama by having her hair cut around shoulders (of course they couldn't become ama formally because they could not be given the precepts of Buddhism).
中世には貴族出身者はさげ尼と称して、髪を肩の辺りで削いで「尼」となることができた（勿論、授戒が受けられないために正式な尼にはなれない）。