How did the spread of Confucianism affect Japanese women?

The spread of Confucianism in Japan, particularly during the Edo period, reinforced traditional gender roles that emphasized women's subservience and domesticity. It promoted the idea of women as caretakers of the family, prioritizing their roles as wives and mothers while limiting their participation in public life and education. As a result, women's social status was often diminished, and their opportunities for personal and intellectual development were constrained within the confines of the household. However, some women navigated these restrictions, contributing to cultural and literary fields within the context of their prescribed roles.