Birds use their tail feathers for steering. Fish and sea mammals use their tail fins for steering and to propel them through the water. (Fish tails move side to side; the tails of sea mammals move up and down.) Grazing animals such as elephants, zebras and giraffes have long, thin tails with a tuft of hair on the end. These tails function like built-in fly swatters that enable the animals to protect themselves from biting insects.
The current position of women in Japanese society can be attributed to the vestiges of two old philosophies - Confucianism, and Samurai based feudalism. These influences are still strong, however in spite of these influences the public role of women has changed markedly since the beginning of World War II.
A monument was erected to honor Nakano Takeko â a female warrior â at the Hokai temple in Fukushima prefecture because she asked her sister to behead her rather than die dishonorably from a gunshot wound in captivity. Being a warrior in feudal Japan was more than just a job. It was a way of life.