Japanese Axe?

[GregN]

Hi all, I've always thought the for some reason the Japanese didn't use axes as weapons, preferring bows, pole arms, swords and eventually firearms. With this thought in my mind I bought this axe years ago, thinking it Chinese rather than Japanese. I mentioned my axe to a new friend from the Vancouver Japanese Sword Club and sent him these images. He immediately answered that my axe is actually Japanese! The signature says: "Right side number 134".

 

The blade is very well made, it make a nice "ping" sound when struck. The handle is red painted metal, sandwiched with oak slabs, then rivited together. The axe head is offset to maximise cutting ability. It would make a formidable weapon, or tool.

 

With this information in mind, what is the history of axes as weapons in a Japanese context? Is my axe a weapon or a tool?

 

Regards,

 

Greg

[Marius]

Interesting and nice item

 

In woodblock prints the Japanese axe (used as weapon) looks more like this:

http://www.michitrading.com/images/396_ ... an_axe.jpg

or this:

http://cdn2.brooklynmuseum.org/images/o ... LS_PS3.jpg

 

which corresponds to this instrument:

http://www.hidatool.com/image/cache/dat ... 50x650.jpg

[John A Stuart]

There is more written there than you quote; maybe 棍右第乙一臼卅罠 I am not sure of the last character. I am not an expert of Chinese weapons, but, this seems to be a Crescent Axe. Not the thing you see in Wushu, but, an axe made for use. The characteristic half moon crescent with hammer. That is if it isn't a tool axe of some sort. John

[ROKUJURO]

The general shape is known from India and Persia. This axe does not seem to be very old, so I ask if it could be a firefighter's tool from China or perhaps Japan?

[loiner1965]

The general shape is known from India and Persia. This axe does not seem to be very old, so I ask if it could be a firefighter's tool from China or perhaps Japan?

Agree....it looks like a shamshir axe Persian origin but no idea how the kanji got there

[Kurikata]

Interesting and nice item

 

In woodblock prints the Japanese axe (used as weapon) looks more like this:

http://www.michitrading.com/images/396_ ... an_axe.jpg

or this:

http://cdn2.brooklynmuseum.org/images/o ... LS_PS3.jpg

 

which corresponds to this instrument:

http://www.hidatool.com/image/cache/dat ... 50x650.jpg

 

In fact another example of a Japanese axe design on a Tsuba..... Looks similar to Marius' woodblock prints...

[estcrh]

The general shape is known from India and Persia. This axe does not seem to be very old, so I ask if it could be a firefighter's tool from China or perhaps Japan?

Agree....it looks like a shamshir axe Persian origin but no idea how the kanji got there

Actually a "shamshir" is a sword, a "tabar" would be the name you are looking for. This is not a Japanese style of axe no matter what is written on the blade, having a metal plate run down the handle is an Indo-Persian style, the head is an Ottoman/Syrian/Mamluk form. Hereis a link with many types of Indo-Persian axe.

http://www.pinterest.com/samuraiantique ... r-and-axe/

 

 

 

Here ia some typical Japanese axe (ono) shapes

[bluboxer]

Somewhat similar to the Swedish broad axe used for squaring timbers. They are commonly offset to protect the users knuckles.

I vote for a tool.

[GregN]

Hi all, thanks for the comments so far. I often wonder what an artifact would say if it could talk, how did a Persian axe find its way to Japan?

I note on Bruno's tsuba, the offset angle of the blade to the handle is well represented while the wood-block prints tend to show the angle at 45*. How accurate are the depictions of weapons in such prints?

 

Greg

[ROKUJURO]

Greg,

 

the normal angle is 90°, and as far as I know, axes are basically tools in Japan. However, there are exceptions.

[GregN]

90* Of course Jean!

 

I'm wondering if anyone has a weapon - Japanese axe in their collection to show us?

 

Greg

[Ken-Hawaii]

I have a number of Japanese axes, but as I'm now not sure of their exact purposes, I'd like to see one that is definitively a weapon.

 

Ken

[Lance]

Below is an image and a link pic from another site. Looks like a real example, but it doesn't mention what book it came from.

 

 

http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread. ... -Axe/page2

 

I used to have a small collection of old auction catalogs that I gave away, one had what was described as a late Edo/Meiji presentation/gift. From what I remember it was identical in shape, but much more elaborate: black lacquered handle with metal fittings and kanji in red lacquer on the blackened axe head in a wooden box.

 

I'm surprised at how rare these are, maybe they discarded because they weren't considered "true samurai" weapons or too utilitarian during the more peaceful Edo times?

 

 

Regards,

Lance

[Dave R]

I think the above picture is from GC Stone's "Glossary" where he describes them as being used by Yamabushi monks.

[estcrh]

Somewhat similar to the Swedish broad axe used for squaring timbers. They are commonly offset to protect the users knuckles.

I vote for a tool.

If you look at the handle of thie axe being discussed you will see a metal plate inserted between the two halves of the handle, this is done in Indo-Persian axes, I have only seen this in axes meant for battle, there is no use for this in a tool and I have never seen this in a Japanese axe. Below is a picture of a 18th to 19th century Indian tabar, you can see the same plate inserted in the handle.