Edo Period Corner Part II

[Bugyotsuji]

Hint. Do you need a hint? OK, it was on sale in a cake shop.

[Bugyotsuji]

I did not want to say this, but...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

consider the season, with 大型連休 Golden Week approaching.

 

[John A Stuart]

It must be in reference to May 5, Tango no Sekku then. The Koi, Kintaro and Kabuto are significant symbols. John

[Bugyotsuji]

Well done John.

 

The cake shop is selling themed candles to go on cakes to be ordered for Children's (=Boys') Day on 5 May. Another candle was the figure of MomoTaro, a local legend around here. My friend has a grandson, so I bought one to hand to the mother for her son.

 

PS The hint was in the photo caption, KB55, = Kabuto for 5/5...

[kusunokimasahige]

Found a nice Teppo overview site :

 

http://www.japaneseweapons.net/hinawajy ... nglish.htm

 

 

KM

[Brian]

Of course. Known as just about the only site devoted to these. And the author of the books on the subject too.

 

Brian

[kusunokimasahige]

That might be so, but every Samurai who would have ground up his black powder with the item shown on this page would not have lived long......

 

http://www.japaneseweapons.net/hinawajy ... nglish.htm

 

 

 

KM

[runagmc]

Firstly, I know zero about black powder, but what if it was wet when ground up?

[John A Stuart]

You do not grind the components together, they are mixed afterwards. One of the problems was seperation of these components during transport due to differing specific gravities tending to seperate the mix into layers of less then ideal proportions. A process called corning was developed to keep the components in permanent ideal ratios. This was wetting and susequent drying to produce kernels of powder. The size or fineness of these kernels also determines the rate of burn and other characteristics. John

[runagmc]

Thanks for clarifying, John...

[Bugyotsuji]

Mr Sugawa wrote at least three books on Hinawa-Ju, two of them in Japanese, the first of which was also roughly translated into English.

 

Here is something different.

28 cm high and 34 cm across, larger than it looks in the shots. Any guesses?

[watsonmil]

Dear Piers,

A Japanese Bon Bon Bowl !

... anonymouse Ron

[Bugyotsuji]

Thanks for venturing first Ron.

Nice try. I was told it was for rice, but that was wrong.

[Justin Grant]

Chamber Pot

[Baka Gaijin]

Good evening Piers,

 

Would a "winning smile" have something to do with it?

 

 

お歯黒

 

 

 

Cheers

[John A Stuart]

It's pretty large, but, I see no special characteristic that makes it for a specific pupose only. If for teeth blackening, it would be huge. Anyhow, I wouldn't have thought about that. A chamber pot, I don't see it, too precious of a bowl, even the Emperor mightn't use a bowl like that. It has a lid, is large, fine quality, I still suspect food service. You say not rice, so, noodles or any other bulk stuff?? John

[Justin Grant]

I don't know John, hubris is the key to crapping well. I have seen some ornate chamber pots that are very ornate.

 

[John A Stuart]

Before we got power in'62 at our place in N. Ontario, thunder mugs were rigeur d'jour. Porcelain and well ornamental, matching the wash basins and pictures. I never liked the trek in the morning in the cold to MT them in the outhouse. They were well constructed, thick and needed no cabinet for sitting upon when that function was required, rarely. I suppose the lacquer bowl could fit in the benjo cabinet. John

[Justin Grant]

John, you romantic, you make N. Ontario sound so lovely, especially in '62... :D

 

Piers, I still vote for crapper, and if so, please keep your rice out of it... That's may taint the flavor.

[kusunokimasahige]

Just saw this beauty on Aoi

 

 

http://www.aoijapan.com/hinawa-ju-matsu ... ayasu-saku

[Bugyotsuji]

Is it brand new, or has someone has polished all the age-patina off it!?! Henk-Jan, no longer can you deny it, it is time for you to join the Hinawa-Ju Club. :lol:

Just had another peek and it looks old, but someone has polished the brasswork all over and varnished the stock. Quite a small caliber/bore at 3 Monme, but an unusually lovely decorative piece.

 

 

Malcolm takes the bonbon today.

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95% ... c-1815.jpg

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohaguro

 

Morning ablutions and (o)haguro

https://www.google.com/search?q=Japanes ... 5#imgdii=_

 

Mimidarai

"The large round container, half of which is visible on the right-hand side of the composition above, is called a mimidarai, and sitting on top of that container is a thin tray, or watashigane. On top of the tray is the kanewan, the bowl in which the dye is mixed. On the ground to the left of the mimidarai, the brush which has been used to apply the dye to the young woman's teeth is resting atop a porcelain bowl, and to the left of the bowl is a small box of fushi powder."

http://www.ginacolliasuzuki.com/author/ ... miles.html

 

Notice the right split in the standing Aoi Mon.

[John A Stuart]

John

[watsonmil]

Dear Piers,

A little akin to kissing death ( girls with black teeth ). The Japanese did/do have some strange customs ( in the eyes of a Westerner ) ! I think it would now make a fine Bon Bon container rather than some of the other uses suggested. It is very beautiful .

 

... anonymouse Ron

[Bugyotsuji]

If you want to mix up some for your wife/girlfriend, Ron:

http://scent-lab.blogspot.jp/2009/05/bl ... aguro.html

 

Many thanks for the kind comments. Now I almost wish I hadn't given away the black rectangular box set I once had with the brass tray, all the square lacquer and brass bowls, utensils, feather brushes etc, still inside it.

 

The person who owned this tarai, 'mimidarai' used to keep Katana-bukuro inside. Enough bonbons for a huge party...

There was a scrap of paper there too, saying 本多家, but I am not convinced.

[watsonmil]

Dear Piers,

The quality appears to be suitable for a 本多家 or a girlfriend/boyfriend. More unusual Japanese customs of the Samurai era .

 

... anonymouse Ron

[Bugyotsuji]

Having said that, the thing has no mimi (handles) per se. In the pics available, they all do seem to have mimi, possibly making the carrying of water more easy. It does have an external rim, though, to aid grip? So 耳無し耳盥 Mimi-nashi mimi-darai? :D

 

There is a Mingei Museum not far from here that has a set of Ohaguro utensils on display. They have the Mon of the Lord of this area. The largest bowl is similar, but whether it has mimi or not, I will have to go and check.

 

Will I have to eat humble or even crow pie? Watch this space! :lol:

 

Incidentally, in the ginacolliasuzuki link above the story of Ohaguro ends with the Meiji Empress getting the populace to give up the habit by appearing herself in public with white teeth.

 

Apparently this did not actually work as the practice was deeply ingrained. What the article does not mention is that she then ordered that women in prison should have their teeth blackened, so that it became effectively a stigma. From then on, it worked like magic, they say.

[Bugyotsuji]

Hoping the pic orients itself the way I saved it. No hints to start with.

[Bugyotsuji]

Well, OK, one hint...

[John A Stuart]

Reminds me of a levelometer showing centreline or list. We did have similar match strikers that hung on our wall to light the lamps before power. John

[Baka Gaijin]

Morning Piers,

 

Here's an opening thought......

 

 

I think they are Door pulls, known as Hikite

 

 

Cheers