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Posted

Hi all,

 

I don't know much about arrow cases, or even what their Japanese nomenclature is, so I am hoping that some who knows about these things will be able to educate me.. Is this a Yazutsu, or is that a modern term?

 

I am hoping it is late Edo, but suspect it might be a more recent copy... I don't know anything about these things, but thought it might look good in the back of sword room one day...!! I bought it (out of Japan) about 5 years ago... It has been under the bed forgotten, until last week... The case is 97cm tall and very light...

 

I am really curious about the ‘Fusahimo’ looking thing at the back.. What is its purpose? It looks very new to me, so perhaps a later addition?

 

I could find no information about that Mon either. There is no reference to that particular Mon in my book ‘MON - The Japanese Family Crest’ by Hawley and Chappelear. It is similar, but not the same as the 'White Chrysanthemum' Mon painted on the funnel of the Battleship Yamato in 1945. Is this a Meiji or Showa period Mon? Can anyone identify it for me?

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Barrie B.

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Posted

The various himo are used to secure the covers/carry, etc.

 

The mon is a kikusui as used at the Minatogawa Jinja after Kusunoki Masashige.

 

This looks quite new. I would call it a reproduction rather than a fake.

Posted

Barrie, There should be a leather band around the 'waist' of the yazutsu that has a metal ring on it and at the side a leather strap that ends in a loop. A heavy cord goes through this loop, around the waist and ties to the ring so that the quiver is positioned on the right waist. The lid hangs from loops of cord that fasten together with a toggle (kohaze), and is kept closed by a leather strap ending in a metal ring. This is fixed to the side of the yazutsu, then goes over the lid and the ring hooks over a stud on the other side. The tie at the upper back mystified me for years until I saw how it was used in a painting at Nikko Toshogu. It would normally be just a short length of cord that goes through the two eyelets and is tied in a knot. I always thought it was for hanging the quiver up, but no - a thin cord was tied to the loop that went over the left shoulder and tied either to the obi or to the armour. Its purpose was to hold the upper end of the quiver at the correct angle so that the lid was just in front of the right hip.

Ian Bottomley

Posted

Thanks Chris and Ian,

 

Mine does have a metal ring 3/4 inch or so in Dia (on a swivel with a 'typical fancy metal Japanese style washer' under it) in the middle of the Yazatsu - just out of the first and second picture unfortunately.. I should have taken an 'overall' photo, but in my haste, I didn't sorry.. There is no strap though... Perhaps the cord around the waist just 'fixed' to this.

 

The strap holding the cover though is exactly as you describe it; a leather strap ending in a metal ring. This is fixed to the side of the Yazatsu, and then goes over the lid and the ring hooks over a stud on the other side. These two rings and studs are exactly the same as the one for fixing the waist - with a sort of cross hatching or Knurling on top of the stud... All matching.

 

Very many thanks to both of you..

 

Barrie.

Posted

Barrie,

 

as far as I know there are three main types of quivers which were used by the SAMURAI:

 

SHIKO, EBIRA, and UTSUBO. Yours is an UTSUBO. The general term for an arrow transport container as used in KYUDO is YAZUTSU.

 

Just in case you are not aware of: In an UTSUBO the feathers are up (for protection) and the YANONE are held by the little grid at the bottom of the UTSUBO.

Posted

:clap: Thank you...! I looked on the internet for a little while, but could not find a name for this type, so incorrectly made the assumption that Yazatsu was what it was called... This is what I was after. Additionally, I assumed the quivers were’ up' and the Yanone went into the grill... but thank you for confirming it.

 

Barrie.

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