Samurai Archer description of armour & rain coat or camoflauge!

[FletchSan]

A request for information from our armour enthusiasts! I have been updating the descriptions of my photographs and would like more detail on the armour worn in this photograph.

 

Also - I'm interested in what appears to be a Mino "straw coat" - or could this be for some kind of camoflauge worn by this kyūdōka ? Maybe both

 

I have also attached a ukiyo-e print of a samurai wearing one.

 

thanks!

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

https://www.historyoffighting.com/the-blog/musashi-goro-sadayo

 

https://www.fujiarts.com/cgi-bin/item.pl?item=786409

 

The Mino was primarily to keep off the rain, but it would have had secondary beneficial functions over armour as you suggest, serving both as camouflage, and also to dampen the noise of clinking armour. I like the way he is using his Jingasa as a a shield against the enemy bowmen. 

(Your first Felice/Felix Beato(?) shot looks like one of those posed shots where the photographer has assembled whatever they could find in the old castle storehouse!)

[FletchSan]

Thanks Piers - love the print also. The photograph is 1870s though not sure of the photographer for this one, I don't believe it's a Beato.

 

I was thinking the same thing re: the armour as the mino may have just been another prop in the costume chest of one of the many Yokohama Studios at the time.

 

However, the print made me wonder whether it was actually more commonly worn by Samurai for purposes other than to keep off the rain

[Ganko]

Appears to be a Korean or Mongol bow, not a Yumi.

[Baka Gaijin]

Good Evening everyone,

 

The Getty Museum catalogues this as a hand coloured albumen silver print by Kusakabe Kimbei c.  1870 - 1890.

 

[Anthony de Vos]

Hi!

 

Could be a Japanese Hankyu bow, but it’s hard to see from the picture If it is asymetric.

 

AdV

[DoTanuki yokai]

Appears to be a Korean or Mongol bow, not a Yumi.

It dosnt look like a Korean or Mongol bow. And i think the recurve of the tip makes it more look like an arts object then an actuall bow i know. 

In Japanese history there was also other bows then the Yumi. The Yumi is the traditionall bow that established as kyudo tool and the other designs vanished ?. I think also the Ainu had sinew backed horn bows like most other asian culture and the Japanese had them too.

[FletchSan]

Thanks everyone!

 

Malcolm - I didn't know it was a kusakabe, can you send me the reference from the Getty catalogue?

[Laurent in France]

Hello all

[Laurent in France]

This bow on the first photo is I think a Kago hankyo also called a rimankyu or kago hankyu because kyu means arc)

It was create originally by Rimani Kayashi in Kii province à Daimyo who lived in early edo.

A Kago hankyu size is 60 cm about.

This bow is generally made in bones, baleen or bufalo and not in wood like the tall yumi (2,20m)

This shorter bow is used by samurai traveling in palanquin to protect, self-défense against robber or to not be killed.. It's why is shorter..

 

I join a photo of mine..

.

Laurent

[Bazza]

Laurent,

 

Very interesting, thanks.  I'm guessing it is not a re-curve bow like the bigger yumi??

 

BaZZa.

[Bugyotsuji]

Here's a link to a discussion of half bows etc. https://twitter.com/mudukashiina002/status/1253166866886877184

 

There were several types of small bows and at least two were used for indoors entertainment. Yo-kyu was one.

[Laurent in France]

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[Laurent in France]

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[Laurent in France]

I made studies about kyudo its a really interesting subject and art. Very detailed and complete art.

.

I add a photo of the kago hankyu with yumi you can watch the sizes..

Different sizes, shapes and different materials.

Interesting differences Don t you think ?

.

Laurent