Kozuka with Compass

[Justin]

Never seen this before ...

 

[kaigunair]

neat. doesn't look like high quality work, but very functional. is there pic for the other side?

[growlingbear]

There's one at the Walters Art Museum:

 

 

http://art.thewalters.org/detail/26791/ ... d-compass/

 

James

[Gunome]

Hello,

 

I already saw a such thing on a saya

[Justin]

Added photo of the back (see above). It is just inset into the shakudo plate. Compass is handy for knowing which way to Edo I suppose ...

[Grey Doffin]

This is the rare Swiss Army Kotsuka.

Grey

[Brian]

Yes..has an accessory pouch with it, containing the kogatana...which feature a file, a saw blade and a screwdriver

 

Seriously though, do we have any idea when compasses were invented and/or introduced into Japan?

 

Brian

[Baka Gaijin]

Good afternoon all,

 

Wooly theory time:

 

A device which may have been a natural magnetic compass such as a Lodestone is mentioned as a tool for divination as early as the Chinese Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD).

 

Later, the compass was used in Song Dynasty China by the military for navigational orienteering by 1040-1044, and was used for maritime navigation by 1111 to 1117.

 

However, it was used for its South bearing, not its North bearing as we in the West were using by the early 1100's.

 

Will Adams' arrival on Japanese soil in April 1600 is certainly pivotal in the use of the Compass for navigation.

 

He was known by various titles including Anjin Sama (Lord Navigator) and slightly more prosaic "Needle Watcher".

 

Given the Japanese use and adaptation of all forms of Chinese Divination and Geomancy, it is in my mind, reasonable to suppose that a compass like device of some sort was used in Japan from earlier times than the early 17th Century, but this may have been held as a secret knowledge within something like a craft guild of Shamanistic Geomancers.

 

If you fancy an interesting read, and possibly the inspiration for part of James Clavell's "Shogun" check this out:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Needle-Watc ... 080481094X

 

Cheers

[Cypress Bayou]

As a compass collector for nearly 50 years and a Kodôgu collector for about half as long .....

the Kozuka & the saya compass is a revelation and of interest

 

problem is; when the ko-katana {blade} is in place, or in close proximity, the compass would have a serious error called; deviation

 

Iron {and in some cases pure nickel} causes magnetized iron compass needles to "deflect" and cause a deviation error ...

the result being the compass will not work properly, or point to magnetic North .....

and, each compass direction {bearing & heading} will have its own error ....

 

Of the handful of possible compasses errors ...most errors are correctable, but not deviation ....

 

the only way to correct deviation error, is to remove the iron from the proximity of the compass ...from 1 to 5 feet ....depending on the needle

 

 

- A Brief history of the Compass -

 

4 BC - China - birthplace of the *compass - not designed for navigation

{*Compass; as used in Geomancy, divination, Feng shui}

 

500 ~ 1173 AD - Middle ages - Geomancers Compass is thought to arrive the Mediterranean via

the "Silk Road", Persian Gulf, Arabian Peninsula or India

 

~ Alternate Route ~ 30 BC - 640 AD - Romans trading with India

 

1000 AD - Iron needle replaces Magnetite {lodestone; naturally occurring magnet}

One end of the iron needle is magnetized using magnetite - that end, will seek magnetic North

 

1100 AD - compass, as used in navigation Reaches Italy

 

1187 AD - earliest known reference of the magnetic *compass in Western Europe

{*compass; directional, as used in navigation - Land or Sea}

 

Between 500 AD, but before 1100, someone, someplace makes the connection between earths magnetic field, and North South needle alignment {compass as used in navigation} ....that "someplace" is thought to be either the Mediterranean or Middle East

 

1542 - the Compass {as used in navigation} returns to Japan, after Fernão Mendes Pinto {or} António de Mota - 2 of the first

Europeans to land on Japan by sea ...after this time, Japanese compasses resemble European counterparts

 

 

rashinban - 羅針盤 - Compass; tool for finding direction

 

- Modern Japanese compass points – Post 1868

 

North - 北

East - 東

South - 南

West - 西

 

 

PM me for a copy of earlier Japanese / Chinese Compass Points