Interesting Hitai ate

[Gilles]

Dear all,

 

I have a growing interest in HITAI-ATE which were produced and worn mainly in the bakumatsu era for actual fighting (that is of course my personal point of view). I just bought one at KINOKUNIYA in Japan which has kanji carved on the front.

 

The google translation on the catalog gave me this :

This is a practical front that has the Sansha Shrine and "Hachiman Daigo, Amateru Daijingu, Hachimandai" engraved on the central iron plate and the left and right hinged iron plates.

 

- I understand that the SANSHA jinja is mentionned, but which one is it ? In which province ?

- "Hachiman Daigo, Amateru Daijingu, Hachimandai" it seems to be an incantation ? AMATERU, is it AMATERASU ????

- Is that really from the end of the EDO era ?

 

Can you give me a full translation and some explanation on those kanji, I will appreciate a lot.

[uwe]

Hi Gilles,

 

you were faster than me for the Hachigane!

 

Well, I think we have:

 

"八幡大神宮" (Hachiman dai jinguu - great god of war shrine)

 

"天照皇大神宮" (Ten teru ōgami - Amaterasu Oomikami sun goddess), (Tenshō Kōtaijingū)

 

"春日大明神" (Kasuga daimyōjin - Kasuga great gracious god)

[Gilles]

Dear Uwe,

 

Yes, I was quick on that one    .

 

Thank you very much for the translation.

 

Those are incantations for protection right ?

[uwe]

Yep!

Something like that 

 

PS: Congrats Gilles, well done!