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.
These small land owners, who, in return for protection, give military service or food, are called vassals. The more vassals a daimyo had, the more power and wealth he had. They were feudal lords, meaning that their offspring would be heirs of their grand wealth and power. By the end of the feudal era in Japan, there were around 260 daimyo left. Every one of them owned a large stretch of land, and a whole army of samurai. The shogun was the most powerful daimyo, and was a military leader.