Mark Green Posted April 10, 2009 Report Posted April 10, 2009 Sweet! I love the 'Mothra' mon. What is is realy? Mark
Nobody Posted April 11, 2009 Report Posted April 11, 2009 Sweet! I love the 'Mothra' mon. What is is realy? Ref. http://militaria.co.za/nihontomessagebo ... sc&start=0
Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Posted April 11, 2009 Report Posted April 11, 2009 Piers, this year is the 150° anniversary of the battle of Magenta (June 4th 1859) and we'll have Sarcozy and Carla bruni as hosts so guess the re-enactment should be even bigger then usual. If you like historical re-enactments I can pick up a "souvenir" for you (hardly something that belongs to Carla, sorry... :lol: ).
kusunokimasahige Posted April 11, 2009 Report Posted April 11, 2009 That would be a great idea Carlo, try if you go there to take some photographs indeed!! And now i am off watching a few more crucifixion films, irritating myself on the totally wrong and distorted way they portray us Romans...... ( LOL) Fot those who believe, happy Easter/Passover, for the Germanic pagans among us, happy Ostara, for the Jewish among us happy Pesach, and well i dont think in Bhuddism, Shinto or Roman pagan beliefs we have a word for the coming days... We just enjoy them... KM
John A Stuart Posted April 11, 2009 Report Posted April 11, 2009 I echo the sentiments. BTW Henk-Jan, at this time the Roman festival was Megalenses Ludi. John
kusunokimasahige Posted April 11, 2009 Report Posted April 11, 2009 Ah thank you John!! i knew there was one, just forgot it! they had so many festivities in the Roman Empire it dazzles from time to time!! KM
Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Posted April 14, 2009 Report Posted April 14, 2009 Piers, it's far ogg-topic for this forum... I'll venentually take postla stamps to be sent to you
Jean Posted April 14, 2009 Report Posted April 14, 2009 Carlo, As "key note" , "G" is not far from "F" on the keyboard
kusunokimasahige Posted April 14, 2009 Report Posted April 14, 2009 gor yhe wecord, tou sre zbsolutely tight! :lol: KM
Bugyotsuji Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Posted April 20, 2009 Some of our members carry a Hora-gai (Triton's Conch), which was blown in battle to signal charges and retreats. (Yama-bushi famously carry/ied them too.) Before a matchlock demonstration our 'Kai-tai' step usually forward for a special blast, but I have been resisting carrying one for two reasons. We carry so much clobber already that it would drive me insane to have to look after a large spiral shell on top without breaking it; more importantly, I have never until recently been able to get a good note out of one. On Sunday I secretly brought one along just to see if there would be an opportunity, having practiced a bit at home, and without telling anyone in advance I decided to give it a go. Our lot are Pics 11-18 below, from someone's 'Ryoma' blog. You can see me in pics 11 and 15 blowing the Triton, recognizable by the Tora-no-o Maedate. Not too sure as to the comment about why there is a foreigner blowing a Horagai... grrrrr.... :lol: http://ryoma00.at.webry.info/200904/article_21.html
Bugyotsuji Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Posted April 20, 2009 At Ako Castle Fair last week I found these two little fellows, A and Um. Brass. The seller knew nothing about them, but suggested they might have been part of a set of candle holders. You will notice that they have squared hollows and Ichi-moji and a Ni Moji on their bellies, supporting the idea that they were probably created as a pair. Nothing missing or broken, despite tempting ears and fancy tails.
Mark Green Posted April 20, 2009 Report Posted April 20, 2009 They would be some very bulky menuki :lol: Do they sell a good replica matchlock in Japan? A friend of mine has one of the old Dixi models, It seems to work ok. I have another SCA friend that made 3 European style 1300's hand cannons. They are a blast to shoot. Mark G
Bugyotsuji Posted April 21, 2009 Author Report Posted April 21, 2009 Mark, The replicas here are not generally able to shoot anything and people avoid them if they can, unless they want a wall decoration. It is much simpler to find a real one if you want to fire one. They were so solidly made that they go on and on, with perhaps an occasional bit of repair. If you want to fire one abroad, you may be able to find replicas made in the States, for example, but again I would look at several genuine old ones and choose one that is in good condition. Gunpowder is strictly controlled in Japan, so you would have to join a club and get special permission from the police, or join one of the reinactment groups, none of which are easy things to do here. If you managed to buy gunpowder somehow and set it off in the hills, someone would surely report you, and it is a very serious offence if you are caught. No fun, agreed. Thus there is no market within Japan for good solid reliable replicas, and even if you made one you could not register it legally anyway. PS I like your hand cannon experience! (I have a Chinese three-barrelled pole arm, possibly from the 1500s)
Bugyotsuji Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Posted April 23, 2009 This week's item is a large drum with a Mitsu-domoe Mon on the two diaphragms. This Saturday I am planning to sit down and do a bit of restoration work on it. At first I was thinking it might be either the Mon of Mizu-no-Ya of Takahashi, or of Shimizu Muneharu who was forced to do Seppuku in a boat on the Mizu-zeme lake in front of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. But it was on sale in Ako, so the tempting thought is that it belonged to the Lords of Ako Castle before the 47 Samurai's revenge attack in Edo... :|
IanB Posted April 23, 2009 Report Posted April 23, 2009 Piers, I think a lot have the mitsu tomoe on at least one skin. I have one, about 20" diameter with the whole body done gold swirly lacquer. I found it in a junk shop and had been used as a small coffee table judging by the ring stains. It has something inside that rattles about when you move it. Also found as a coffee table, this time with legs screwed on, is a large lid for a wash basin. It is about 3' diameter with Tokugawa kamon and karakusa in gold. Inside is a massive Tokugawa kamon in gold foil, some of which is now missing. Its in a bad state, but for £1 you can't grumble too much. Ian Bottomley
sencho Posted April 23, 2009 Report Posted April 23, 2009 Peirs, The Mitsu-domoe mon seems to be commonly found on wa-daiko... my missus is a professional taiko banger (and fue blower!) and she told me the history of why they use it so often on the skin..... As usual I was not paying any attention, preferring to watch the Formula One race, but if she talks to me again, I will ask her..... :lol: Cheers!
Bugyotsuji Posted April 24, 2009 Author Report Posted April 24, 2009 Ian, I would love to see a picture of what you are describing. Not 1 GBP today, surely... I saw a Hibachi in iron not too long ago with the Tokugawa Mon that was described as having been 'fashioned out of the iron plates from the main gates of (now non-existant) Edo Castle'. Sencho, yes, please ask her. Representations of Raiden the god of thunder show his taiko drums with these Mon on them, as I now recall. I also have an ivory Netsuke taiko with Mitsu-domoe on either end. Hmmm... maybe not so exclusive after all!!! :lol: PS Good luck in Bahrain
sencho Posted April 24, 2009 Report Posted April 24, 2009 Talking of Bahrain do you know what channel it is on in Japan...? I am in Sakai now... Back to Wadaiko, I think the Thunder god was who she referred to.... Raijin.... or Raiden.... Kaminari-don... he always has mitsidomoe on his drums, as you say..... She is in Florida, so not sure when I will ask her... Cheers
Bugyotsuji Posted April 24, 2009 Author Report Posted April 24, 2009 (sshhh... :lol: It's on Fuji Terebi (Fuji TV) but their local station to you will be set on a different channel number I expect. 1:35 am for quali, and 11:50 pm Sun the race. NRN)
IanB Posted April 24, 2009 Report Posted April 24, 2009 Piers, its getting dark here now so I will take some pics over the week-end. Ian
Bugyotsuji Posted April 25, 2009 Author Report Posted April 25, 2009 Piers, its getting dark here now so I will take some pics over the week-end.Ian Many thanks Ian. Did you buy those in the UK? It's pouring with rain here so the proposed touch-up with black 'Cashew' is not looking too feasible. Will take some pics anyway.
John A Stuart Posted April 25, 2009 Report Posted April 25, 2009 Hi Piers, I have been pondering those brass shishi, and with the sq. slots in the bottom, thought they might be some sort of finial on something like a 'Kamiya'. They do not have a patina that suggests outside application, so, indoors. John
Bugyotsuji Posted April 25, 2009 Author Report Posted April 25, 2009 Hi Piers, I have been pondering those brass shishi, and with the sq. slots in the bottom, thought they might be some sort of finial on something like a 'Kamiya'. They do not have a patina that suggests outside application, so, indoors. John John, thanks for the feedback. I have put that in the pot! When you say Kamiya, are you referring to some kind of Kamidana?
John A Stuart Posted April 25, 2009 Report Posted April 25, 2009 Yes, a floor model not the shelf kind, like the funerary shrines. Actually I don't think shishi would be on a Shinto shrine, but, perhaps a Buddhist reliquary or some such. I have seen some pretty fancy ones in the shops that sell shrines for funerals. The only difference is they seem all gilded and shiny. These may pre-date electroplated high gloss fittings. Not sure though. John
Nobody Posted April 25, 2009 Report Posted April 25, 2009 John, you might be right. There are some kind of Kamidana ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamidana ) which are equipped with Komainu (狛犬).
Bugyotsuji Posted April 25, 2009 Author Report Posted April 25, 2009 Yes, their mouths do seem to be open and shut (like the Shishi?) http://ise-miyachu.net/SHOP/266647/list.html
Nobody Posted April 25, 2009 Report Posted April 25, 2009 This article explains the connection between Komainu and Shishi. Ref. Komainu http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/k/komainu.htm
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