This Week's Edo Period Corner

[RobertM]

Sorry, second pic:

[Nobody]

Wonder if anyone could help with the translation of this scroll. is anyone able to tell the significance of the hat?

I am unsure but I suspect that the hat might be drawn only as a symbol of the ceremony.

 

? 祀天疆 – (I am unsure about this part.)

昭和三戊辰秋為記念 – At the autumn of Showa 3rd year (1928), to commemorate

今上即位大典謹寫之 – the enthronement ceremony of the present Emperor, I respectfully drew this.

[RobertM]

Thank you for your assistance. :D

[Bugyotsuji]

What set it off was my expressing a desire for this crossed blades Mon. There must be a story behind it, which is yet to come out. Anyone recognize it? Any pointers? I cannot find an example of it in the Mon reference book that normally covers most Mon. I suspect it is a Christian Mon, and my imagination says it must be called "Ken-Juji Mon". The Lord of Tsuyama Castle, Matsudaira, used a Ken-Dai 剣大Mon, which was adapted of necessity from an original Christian cross used by the previous Lord Mori, and on some of the old 'Do' breastplates you can make out where the bottom of the cross å has been painted over and forked to create the character Dai 大 . The cross underneath, however, on the Do is not made of blades, but done in brushwork. That is the edge of my knowledge. Perhaps there was an intermediate step from brushwork cross to crossed blades, (this being an extant example) from thence to the famous Ken-Dai?

 

See pic of said cross Mon on p8 of this thread about halfway down the page:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2554&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=105

 

Well, Bugs, I came across a giant hint today concerning this cross Mon. (Talking to myself!) I bought a set of sleeves, which would have originally been worn under Kote, belonging to the Second Hachisuka Lord of Awa, who was given Awaji Island in 1615 by Tokugawa Ieyasu for his valiant fighting at the seiges of Osaka Castle. Hidden inside each sleeve was this very cross Mon, indicating, according to the writing on the box that they came in, that he was a Christian! Nowhere have I come across any other evidence so far that the Hachisuka used this Mon.

 

I have been calling it 'Ken Juji', although I can find no record of such a name, (except for a Japanese fantasy game advertised on the internet about the Crusades and an upturned Western-style sword as a cross). This Hachizuka hidden cross, if that is what it is, is a lovely example to me of the the church militant, Japanese-style. A cross made out of crossed blades. (Almost a Shuriken, even.) But within a few short years it was to become a deadly secret.

[Bugyotsuji]

Two other recent additions are:

 

1. a folding iron half helmet of the kind favoured by the Shinsen-Gumi in the Bakumatsu period, which I have been assured by my collector friends is, of its type, quite a find. I have had the wife run up an Eboshi and I am now in the process of sewing them together. It has little folding iron sun visors left and right over the eyes, and swivelling iron ear covers with hooks at the bottom to secure a jaw shinobi-no-o. The Eboshi will tie at the back like a Hachi-maki.

 

2. A shikomi tanto containing a yari no ho, from the end of the Edo Period.

 

And we went to Hiroshima today to take the Shodan Shiken. They allowed me to move up a level.

[Bugyotsuji]

No 1 above, the chochin half kabuto... hmmm. It is completely restored (thanks to the missus for making the E-boshi) and wearable now, but what is in dispute is the use of the Fuki-kaeshi. When I swivelled them down to below my ears and tied a shinobi-no-o to them, a very knowledgable Japanese collector friend laughed. No, no, no, he said, those are fukikaeshi and should not be swivelled down. Again I demonstrated what I thought to be a very reasonable use for these 'fukikaeshi' look-alikes, and he hesitated, sucked his teeth and then added that it might after all be possible, as to his knowledge there is no detailed illustrated record out there. I am now thinking that they served as fukikaeshi decoration in the folded-up position, but in real battle they could have served to hold the kabuto on more firmly and stop it flying off under violent head movement.

[IanB]

Piers, Your new helmet sounds like one in the Royal Armouries. It was really a hitae ate of, if I remember correctly, three main plates from the brow to the top of the head, each of which was divided vertically by a hinge. The front plate had two little hinged flaps that formed a divided mabezashi and the tiny fukigayeshi, again hinged, were attached to iron strips that pivoted on the same rivet that held the three main plates together. All the metalwork was russet. What is nice about the RA one is that it still has a kind of hood, of kikko, attached. This was in three parts, of pale green hemp with white thread sewing to outline the plates inside. There was a triangular panel centred on the top plate that reached down to the nape of the neck with two side pieces that hung down onto the shoulders and buttoned in front over the face leaving only the eyes exposed. The three kikko panels were laced together like the inside of a kote with thin silk cord. Where the kikko joined the plates, over the head from ear to ear, was attached a long fringe of yak hair that covered most of the kikko. A very nice item of a type I have never seen before, but sounding exactly like yours. I have a more simple one of three pivoting plates with rather large ear flaps like a Roman helmet. There is no hood, just a hemp tie that holds it on the head. I also have an odd mail hood, of the usual type that drapes over the shoulders and fastens over the face, but which has a vertical leather peak with a gilded kamon and a section of deer antler on each temple. Attached to the rear end of the antler bits is a stout hemp cord covered in lacquered leather that pulls down into the nape of the neck when wearing it - which seems to hold it on.

Ian Bottomley

[Bugyotsuji]

Ian, it would be very interesting to compare pictures. Your description is intriguing. Mine sounds similar in some respects. Is there a photo of the one in the Royal Armouries on the net anywhere? Can you take some shots of yourn? I will post mine. There was actually one more available with some sort of hanging padded iron ear flaps but it looked as though it would give me asthma so I left it. Maybe I can still get it from the dealer... but it will need some patient restoring.

 

Smoke & mirrors...

[Bugyotsuji]

And here with the fukikaeshi swung down into ear protection plus extra strapping position?

[Jean]

You know you are cute Piers :lol:

[Bugyotsuji]

You know you are cute Piers :lol:

 

Sometimes you say the right thing, Jean!!!

[IanB]

Piers, I think this B/W image is the only time the object has been published. It has certainly not been exhibited whilst it has been in Leeds. I had remembered the hood somewhat wrongly - it left more of the face exposed. Also, the arms carrying the hinged fukigayeshi cannot swing down because of the hair and hood.

Ian

[Bugyotsuji]

Fantastic, Ian, thank you so much for that. Sets of holes in the iron plates for which no obvious purpose springs to mind had me puzzled; it could just be that such an ensemble as you describe was there originally. Or perhaps it has been adapted...

[Bugyotsuji]

Having looked for some time at the tanto I mentioned a few posts ago, and having turned it around in my hands, it becomes apparent that it does have several redeeming features.

 

First of all, the Koshirae was obviously created specially for this spear; it is not a case of a koshirae being adapted to carry a spear tip. The Tsuba and Seppa with square holes were fashioned specifically for the spear Nakago. The Saya is well executed with black Nuri and the Shitodome in the Kurikata is lined in silver. The Tsuka is covered in good Samehada with large knobbles. The Menuki/Mekugi are metal reverse-screw types with Tachibana Mon on them. The tanto koshirae was not done recently, and the general opinion is that the work is Edo.

 

The Nakago is short for a spear, so for whatever reason it has been Suriage, but it was respectfully and proportionately done. There are marks which may once have been a Mei, but they are unreadable now. The sankaku blade was badly rusted, but gentle attention by me from limited experience with rusted spears and arrowheads has reduced the damage and enhanced the appearance. (Not recommending anyone else tries this!) There is a small nick in one edge. The blade has Yaki-ire, and in an ideal world I would and may send it to the Togishi as it would surely end up looking brilliant. Someone treasured this spear enough to give it an extended life in proper and fitting Koshirae furnishings! I hope my period of stewardship will be of remedial benefit.

 

PS In case anyone is worried, it does not need a Torokusho in J, as the 'blade' is under 15cm.

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Maybe too late and quiet different but...

 

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

No, no, no, not too late and very interesting. Thank you for posting. You can see how the Fukikaeshi is still very important in the design even when no function is immediately apparent. Rumored/rumoured to be reverse ears for catching sounds coming from behind. Whereas Ian's and mine remind me of Roman helmets, the second one there has Arabic associations for me. (And I love the horse armor/armour) Good finds!

 

Now I have heard so many names for these Kabuto. Tatami, chochin, keitai, hitae, and there must be more.

[IanB]

Piers, No, fukigayeshi have nothing to do with ears. They originated as prolongations of the upper rows of the shikoro of late Heian helmets and were face-protectors. They were massive and stuck out at right angles on either side of the face. By turning the head slightly, they would stop an arrow hitting the face. Thereafter they became slightly smaller and, by the Muromachi, were bent right back and lay almost flat on the shikoro. With the introduction of plate shikoro they had no use at all except to display the kamon. There are plenty of helmets where there are no fukigayeshi or they are reduced to vestigal tabs.

Ian

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

the second one there has Arabic associations for me.

 

May be you're thinking to continental items, but I'm quiet sure there is no arabic influence in the Japanese

samples. Seems arabs stopped to have direct contacts with Far East at the end of the Tang Dinasty, so

far before these suites were even just engineered even if I'm not sure about the period in which these items

made their first appearance. Firefighters protections are also very similar.

 

Fully agree with Ian's excellent explanation about Fukigaeshi evolution.

 

About the horse's armor, if we ever arrange to visit Stibbert Museum together, I'm sure Mr. Franci or Mr. Civita will

show you some more not available to public...

[Bugyotsuji]

Thanks for the background on the Fukigaeshi Ian. I will try and track down the source of the idea that Fukigaeshi might also have served to catch reverse sounds. Perhaps mistaken, as you say, but there is a body of belief in this, even if apocryphal.

 

Carlo, yes, I am not suggesting that there is an influence, just an association in my mind. Perhaps Turkish-Mongolian might have been a better expression. And yes, the fireman connection is plain to see. This trip to the Stibbert sounds good!

[IanB]

Piers, Carlo, The terminology of these 'helmets' is a bit confusing. They are not chochin kabuto. These are the ones made up from a series of separate rings laced together that collapse into each other - hence like a lantern. I suppose 'tatami kabuto' is just about acceptable, because they do fold, but I would normally describe them as hitai ate since they are a development of the old happuri. Tatami kabuto is more of a generic term rather than describing a specific style. As for the Indian / Islamic influence, it did occur. I have a helmet, probably made by the Haruta, that was fitted with a nasal bar like an Indo / Persian helmet. The nasal itself has been removed but the attachment fittings have left their mark. It may have been inspired by a 'Dutch Pot' in the 17th century but I think the bowl is earlier and dates from the Momoyama. I see no problem in a helmet having come from Goa with the Portuguese, Dutch or even the English. Obviously some armourer thought he would give the idea a try. Since it was subsequently removed it cannot have been considered a success.

Ian Bottomley

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Yes, it's now clear to me what Piers meant.

Guess my term "continental" was too vague.

Indeed Moghul affected quiet a large area even outside of their control, at their time.

Once I was very interested in find out if Teppo were produced in Goa to be sold in Japan,

but so far no hard evidences available. So is more thank likely that good quality items arrived

from Moghul to Japan via Portugueses/Dutch or or in some other way.

[IanB]

Carlo, I have spent a lot of time on researching early hand guns in Japan. The Portuguese captured Goa in 1510 where there was already a considerable arsenal making guns. Within a few years, they were making snapping matchlocks, under German overseers, that the Portuguese thought were so good they sent a Goan gunmaker to the Portuguese King. I have already mentioned the two guns in the Tokugawa Art Museum, Nagoya which are almost certainly of Indian manufacture. One has a crucifix on the barrel and the other a Madonna and child in koftgari. These are very early pieces and have locks that differ hardly at all from Japanese locks - one with an internal spring and one with an external one. Since the Portuguese did not copy Japanese guns, it follows that these guns, or others like them, must have been the models the Japanese copied. The only significant changes they made to these models was to simplify the lockplate shape, fasten the external spring to it rather than have it on a separate plate and to replace screws by tapered pins. Other changes are cosmetic, such as simplifying the ornately shaped sights and triggers that on the originals show very obvious Indian influences. Since these Indian inspired details do not occur on any other Japanese guns that I know of, I think we can be certain that the Portuguese did not import many, if any, Goan made weapons to Japan. Interestingly, the situation is the same in China. There are Chinese illustrations that show guns with the same Indian shaped lockplates, but again, I do not know of any Chinese made guns with these features.

Ian Bottomley

[Bugyotsuji]

Very interesting, Ian. I'd love to see those two Tokugawa guns...

 

There is a style of Japanese handgun called Namban-zutsu, which does carry many of the Indian designs, but done more perfectly by Japanese artisans. Somehow reminiscent of the fancy work in Namban Tsuba.

[IanB]

Piers, Both guns are well illustrated in Nagoya's catalogue 'Military Accessories of a Daimyo House - Treasures from the Tokugawa Art Museum No.10' pages 66,67.

Is the gun you refer to as namban zutsu the same as 'Tanegashima zutsu'? I tried for years to buy one for the Royal Armouries, but failed, because they are the only Japanese guns that retained the Portuguese / Goan screw through the stock to hold the lock in. They also retain a more European style of stock shape.

Ian

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Thanks, Ian, this is the evidence an old friend of mine (now passed away) was right. We've found evidence of the arsenal

you mentioned but stopped to the function of maintenance of cannons for the fleet/fortifications in that area instead of sending them back to Portugal. I've evidently missed your sources on matchlocks , even if I was quiet sure of their production. I know at least one handgun arrived in Japan before Tanegashima shipwrek but its importance as a weapon was understimated by the Daimyo it was offered to. I wonder if it could have been one from Goa.

Out of curiosity (and possibly off-topic) have you ever found an estimate production for those matchlocks and

possibly how many were sold to Japan ? Even supposed figures might help as well as any title or source about the

production of handguns in Goa. I missed them for too much time.

 

EDIT :

Googled for that catalogue but no luck. Ian, is any way to get pics and captions or better a copy of it ?

 

I love this thread.

[Bugyotsuji]

Here are a couple of pics of Namban-Ryu matchlock pistols from Sawada Taira's book, Nihon no Furu/Ko-Ju p.101

 

"Namban-Ryu Tan-zutsu. Mei, Enamiya Kansaemon. Total length, 44 cm, bore 1.5 cm."

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

God bless you Piers.

[Jean]

bore 1.5 cm."

must be a canon, where is the good ol'one '45

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

must be a canon,

 

close... :lol:

 

It's supposed that Japan had the worldwide higer ratio of guns per capita at that time.

I wonder : after unification, when the Shogunate prohibited guns (Japan is the only nation I'm aware of to go back to swords trashing firearms) where all those guns went ? Is it possible they used the barrels for swords ? This question could apply also to low level armor for Ashigaru, made in the thousand as well, but I think this metal could have been of lesser

quality so less desirable by a swordsmith's point of view. And again how much both Teppo and Ashigaru's armor counted

in the increasingly demand of foreign steel before unification ?

Maybe they didn't need Nanbantetsu for swords but for other weapons instead ?

[IanB]

Carlo, What information I have about the Goa arsenal and its production came from Daehnhardt R.;The Bewitched gun,Texto Editora,Portugal,1994. It is written in both Portuguese and English so it is no problem to read. I would imagine that the production of 'guns' in the Goa arsenal would be mainly cannon rather than handguns since the Portuguese would be concentrating on equipping their ships. They did however make handguns and it was these that were sent to Portugal to the king since the Viceroy mentions 'screwed breechplugs'. Having X-rayed a few Indian matchlocks it comes as a bit of a shock to find that the breechplugs of some barrels were little more than a lump of iron bashed into the end They may have been hammer welded in place, but not obviously so.

 

Piers, So the namban zutsu is not the Tanegashima style of gun I was thinking of. I have never seen one of the type illustrated in the flesh although I have seen pictures of them. I wonder what the 'namban' feature really is. As far as I can see there is nothing special about it, other than the straight stock and the odd serpentine shape. The shape looks as if it would have been difficult to hold, although you get the same straight stocks on a lot of early European wheelock pistols. Some illustrations show cavalry holding these pistols in left hand, with the fingers around the butt, and the thumb through the trigger guard. In the photo of the namban pistol there is a strange hook behind the foresight. What can that have been for?

Ian