Just to clarify regarding the kanji: Kanji, that is, the complicated looking characters that you are learning in Japanese class, originally were more or less imported from China. So if you're analysing the original meanings you'd need to ascribe them to Chinese culture, not Japanese. No that they were significantly different in the way they treated women though.

Also, here is some more interesting information:

夫婦 fuufu is the word for 'married couple.' It is comprised of two kanji. The first is 夫 otto, which means husband. Otto has this kanji 大 as its element. It is a person with his arms and legs outstretched. Can you see the picture? The line above his arms is meant to represent a crown. So, the kanji or symbolic character for husband in Japanese is a guy with his crown on his head. Lets compare this to the other half of the word for 'married couple.' It is 妻 tsuma. The bottom half of this kanji is 女 onna which means women. Above her in the picture is a modified version of 手 te which means hand. It is modified because in her hand she is holding a broom. So, the kanji which symbolises wife is a picture of a women holding a broom. A 'king' and a 'women with a broom'? Great equality. ^_~

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