Women are overseers of men
One day Lord Ishimaru Takanobu was instructing his sons on the management of the estate. “Suppose it is harvest time and you are missing workers due to illness. How would you maintain your efficiency with fewer laborers?”
The eldest son answered, “I would offer them a bonus for delivering the crop on time. But I would also install my strongest and most tireless overseer, and install lanterns to work into the night if necessary.”
Second-born Tetsuo considered the question, then asked: “Honorable father, which workers are ill?”
“Why does it matter, son?”
“Because if it is Hijiro, then I know that he often fakes illness due to his laziness.
Lord Ishimaru nodded. “Then let us say that Hijiro is working, and that all the sickened workers are truly ill.”
“Who is left in the fields, honorable father?”
“Why does it matter, son?”
“Because if Genpachi is not already working, I would ask him to help.”
“Then let us say Genpachi is working, and that all available men are in the fields.”
Tetsuo considered this. “What of the women, honorable father?”
“Why does it matter, son?”
“A woman may have as strong a back as a man. Is this not true?”
“This is true, but the women have their own duties.”
“I have also observed, father, that men work much harder when women are their overseers, and that many man work long into the night to avoid going home to their wives.”
Lord Ishimaru laughed. “These things are often true, my son.”
“Then I would do as my honorable brother suggests, only I would install the wives of the workers as their overseers, and I would hire musicians to hold the lanterns, and tell them to sing songs which celebrate the honor of hard labor.”
Lord Ishimaru Takanobu thanked the kami for his two sons.