Bald samurai in Shogun

[SteffenRemvik]

I was watching the beginning of the Shogun TV-drama yesterday. When Anjin and his crew is trapped in the pit, one of the samurais fall in and later takes his own life. This samurai is bald, remember him?
I was wondering if anyone knew why he is bald and if that was something that was common among real life samurai. Does it mean anything?
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[Talos]

Only thing I can think of off the top of my head (no pun intended) is it could be something related to Buddhist vows.

Or male-pattern baldness sucks.

I should go back and watch that, it's been years.

[ltdomer98]

Buddhist priests shave their heads when they take their vows, as Talos said. I don't think there is anything to read into it from the movie depiction. Having been an extra in a Japanese drama, I bet he didn't want to/couldn't wear the chonmage wig (the samurai/commoner hair style wig), and since a shaved head wouldn't have been out of character, went with it.

It wouldn't have been uncommon/unusual for a samurai to have taken religious vows and shave his head, yet still perform his duties.
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[wicked iemon]

Like that Tea Priest that had it in for Kimura Shigenari than became his devoted follower .
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