Baka Gaijin

Hi Nick., It's a fascinating subject area, the seed syllables were often used as a kind of feudal talismanic shorthand for the mantra or invocation to the deity or deities. For example, sometimes Kaga habaki have four parallel lines on one side and five on the other representing the Kuji no In. There is a thread on NMB which covers this.

High Nick., I wonder if the one on the right has anything to do with Fudo no Myoo? Could it be a reference to another deity or a talismanic shorthand? Markus Sesko showed a Koshirae recently that was covered with talismanic symbols. http://markussesko.com/2013/04/02/kuji-kiri-a-very-special-koshirae/

Hi Nick., Here's one that fits: のうまく　さんまんだ　ばざらだん　せんだ　まかろしゃだ　そわたや　うん　たらた　かんまん (Nômaku sanmanda bazaradan senda makaroshada sowataya un tarata kanman.)

Hi Nick., I believe the seed syllables would be Kan Man in a Japanese reading. You might find more information regarding the second item by contacting one of the Shingon groups such as Shingon.org

Good morning all., I think the plant at Muroran started off as a joint venture with Hokkaido Coal and U.K. company Armstrong Whitworth (later Vickers/Maxim Ltd) c.1907? See note 17: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=sGpaCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=armstrong+vickers+in+Japan&source=bl&ots=LQEVgS6bq0&sig=vRbL3gR1MMXauYfz_MGCGBn7X7I&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZsqeqmvTLAhXJWxoKHXFwDMAQ6AEILTAC#v=onepage&q=armstrong%20vickers%20in%20japan&f=false

Hi Guys, I think the term is for the grinding wheel and the boat shaped receptacle is Yagen . They are still used for grinding folk medicines in some parts of Japan. Pip Pip

Hi Howard., I am not a member of the forum, I just use the reference sections which are open access. Could it be that they are processing your application?

Here's the kanji for "Oishi", "of" and "Yari" to get you started off 大石 之 槍.

Good morning chaps., You might find these links interesting: http://925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24259&start=120 Scroll down about half way... And here's the original: http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/studio1911b/0292 PIp Pip

Good morning chaps., Guido's pointing in the right direction. This is more suited to John S's area of expertise, so with his permission: Similar motifs are found on Chinese Porcelain: The Axe represents justice, authority. Emblem of Lu Pan, God of Carpenters, also the symbol of go-betweens. (One of the classic 12 ornaments). The Gourd originally represented mystery, necromancy, longevity, science, medicine, science of magic. A charm to ward off evil influence. Emblem of - Li Tieguai - of "The Eight Immortals". I have seen menuki with the Axe and Hyotan combined on Ted Tenold's site, but I don't know what the significance is. Pip Pip

The first image is a scene from the Kabuki play entitled Kosode Soga Azami no Ironui, often known as Izayoi Seishin. The courtesan Izayoi falls madly in love with the priest Seishin, with disastrous results including attempted suicide, murder, hara-kiri, theft and numerous plot twists.

Hi Patrick., This years Dai Token Ichi is set for 18/19/20 November 2016 Cheers

Hi Bruce., I don't think the kana on the top edge of the nakago are four strokes: 六 They look more like three strokes: 大 That could be read as "Grade 1" Discuss......

Hi Mat., I don't think it is a shimenawa, I think it has more to do with Buddhism than Shinto This Blog may be of use, scroll down to the Harness, Ribbon section: https://fudogblog.wordpress.com/category/historical-slant-postings/

Hi Mat., I wonder the purpose and position of the rope or binding under the raised left paw, does it continue into the mouth of the main figure? To me it does suggest part of something else, but parted some time ago. Cheers

Hi John., Senmaidoshi? I googled 千枚通し and got images of what looks like an awl. Cheers

Similar process to Shagreen. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shagreen

The Socks and the Watch Thomas!! The Socks and the Watch.......!! Nice armour though

Morning Chaps., I reckon a lot can be learned about this by the quality and dimensions of the en suite Habaki. I'm not sure about the "lacquer", it does not look right for what I guess would have been a clear coating such as Benigara. It looks a tad recent, but it may be the quality of the images.

Hi Mick., No such luck, I regret that my comment regarding surrender labels on Kaigunto was general, not specific. Though you have spiked my interest and I'm going to do some digging regarding Captain Chiyoji Tsuneki. 常木千代治 He does not show up on the Nishida database with that spelling or the likely variants. However he does show in the Etajima class 44 which graduated on November 22nd 1916 http://www.niehorster.org/014_japan/Etajima_Classes/etajima_044.html It states that he was from Hyogo, but his subsequent details are blank. However, I've tracked him down with a mention on the Sasebo Naval Cemetery Memorial website http://burari2161.fc2web.com/sasebokaigunboti.htm Scroll down to the 12th image (Looks like a gold topped Burmese Stupa) I think it's for the Burma Naval Veterans He gets a mention here: 第１７警備隊（メルギー） 　　　司令　海軍大佐　常木千代治　以下　１０８２名 And here: http://www.jacar.go.jp/glossary/term/0100-0040-0170-0020-0010-0010-0010-0010-0030.html Right click Translate to English on both sites will make some semblance of sense: I remember the Phillips sale of the Prince of Wales' Sword. If I recall, word around the campfire back then, it was gifted by HRH pre WW2, thence by descent through the family, finally turning up at Phillips.

Hi Mick., You may find Nishida san's site on the IJN of interest: http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/index.htm It's an extraordinary database, constantly being added to and is a sure way of tracing both Officers, their Ships and subsequent careers Particularly useful if you have the rarest of the rare, a Kaigunto with a surrender label. In fact here's what he has on H.I.M.S. Katori (and Kashima): http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0116.htm

Good morning all., Following on from a recent thread which mentioned the Battleship H.I.M.S. Katori, which was built in Barrow in Furness, U.K.: Here's the Updated information, with thanks to NMB members and Yushukan Museum at Yasukuni Jinja|: Z Lieutenant Commander Kozo Sato I.doc Here's the link to my original thread from 2012: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/10581-hims-katori-officer-list/ Here's the Wikipedia page devoted to HIMS Katori: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Katori

Good morning Davis, The Katori was indeed built in the United Kingdom, somewhere in my archive, I have a Ship Builders' Menu Card signed in both Kanji and Romaji by the Japanese Naval Officers on the occasion of the formal handover after Sea Trials. I did some research with the help of the Yushukan at Yasukuni Jinja and discovered that many of them went on to reach various grades of Admiral status in the run up to WW2. If I can find it, I'll post some images as a separate thread as it is quite an interesting piece of Military ephemera.

Chaps, I see no reason for a sarcasm smiley, clearly this is was and will be a General's Military Sword.........

Hi John, It's a great book. We've downloaded it and some members who also show up here have enhanced some of the images plus a few more titles from the same period over on The Samurai Armour Forum. BTW The National Diet Library site has recently put quite a few rare titles available online: It works using Kanji or Romaji. Cheers