A modern scientific study which analyzed 70 remains from a samurai cemetary showed that many samurai children had higher amounts of lead than the women, who in turn had higher amounts than the men. Sadly the young were the worst affected: those under 3 had the highest levels among children. The lead levels were high enough to be causing intellectual and developmental difficulties. In the worst cases, the lead levels were 150 times that which causes problems in modern children.
The study traced the lead poisoning to the lead-based white makeup popular among the children’s mothers. Since such makeup was only worn by kabuki actors, geisha, and samurai women, it is likely poorer children were spared.
