Looking for japanese word of war command signal item

[Last-Samurai]

Does somebody know the Japanese word of this?????

 

Will try to search the internet of items like this, but without a Japanese word for it.....

 

I am not sure if that item shown on the pics is Japanese and also old?,a true war item or replic?,it is about 20 inch long, perhaps somebody could help me?

 

Greetings

[John A Stuart]

Hi, I believe that is a 'gunbeiuchiwa'. John

 

PS 'Gunbei', for short.

[myochin]

I believe it is called a GUNBAI UCHIWA.

 

Paul.

 

Edit: I see that great minds have the same answer at the same time

[Bugyotsuji]

Gunbai (sounds like Goom-bye as in Eng. good-bye) is how it is properly pronounced, but in old forms or regional pronunciation you often find the 'a' sound changed to 'e'.

 

For example, when you say "there isn't/aren't any!", Hyou-jungo (standard pron) would be 'Nai!" (E. nigh) but many people, especially from the countryside might relax and say "Nei, na!" (E. nay)

 

PS It looks old to me, Edo at least, but I don't trust photographs. In Japan you can find smallish ones, but the bigger ones tend to be more valuable.

[IanB]

Hi,

Definitely a gunbai with what look like a variation of the Oda family kamon. The central invocation is 'Hachiman Dai Bosatsu' with the first character 'hachi' done as two pigeons facing each other - the pigeon being his attribute. You see a lot of helmet crests exactly like this - some real but sadly a lot are fakes cast in brass.

 

Some of these signalling devices are iron so they could be used to deflect arrows or spears but you must have needed quick reflexes and practicing must have been on the tricky side. Others are delicate objects - I've even seen one in silk guaze. They are of course still used by the umpires in sumo.

Ian

[Last-Samurai]

Maybe it is a stupid question, but could it be that this metal item is radioactive????

I bought it from a man, who had bought it in hiroshima maybe twenty years ago.

 

 

 

Sorry for my bad english!

 

Greetings

Last-Samurai

[raaay]

Hi last samurai

 

 

don't no how to link previous posts ! but if you check under raaay

 

you will find six different war fans on my daisho mounts

 

regards

ray

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Maybe it is a stupid question, but could it be that this metal item is radioactive????

I bought it from a man, who had bought it in hiroshima maybe twenty years ago.

 

I've a laquered sake cup commemorative of the 2600° year of foundation of the Empire (1940 a.D.) issued by the

municipality of Hiroshima and it isn't radioactive (well, it doesn't shine in the dark). :lol:

 

The A-bomb Dome itself is quiet safe after >60 years :

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:A-Bo ... ose-up.jpg

[Last-Samurai]

Thanx Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini!

 

Hope this is defintely!!)

 

Greetings to Italy!

 

 

I am also interested of other opinions referring the question how old the gunbai is?

 

Maybe the members need better pics??

Let me know

 

Greetings

Last-Samurai

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Greetings to Italy!

 

The same from me to Germany.

 

Sadly I can't help you on the age of this item.

 

The Ian B. that replied to you is the well-known Ian Bottomley, quiet an authority in the field

of the different battle items and Samurai weaponry. Guess a PM to him... ?

 

Remember that to judge an item from pitcures can be like gambling.

 

Best.