Yukinoshita Yoroi Identification

[Yamazakura Fr]

Hello

Can anyone identify this Yukinoshita armor especially the signature found inside on a plate without lacquer

I think Shoshu province ?

Thank you

Regards

[uwe]

Hi Bernard,

 

not a mei in the usual sense. As far as I can see (left to right):

 

"Kasuga Dai Myôjin", "Amaterasu Oomikami Kyuu", "Hachiman Dai Bosatsu"

 

Hope that helps

[Yamazakura Fr]

Thank you, but what does it mean ?

[Shogun8]

Hi Bernard,

 

I think those are invocations to a deity (right Uwe?).

 

John

 

P.S. Check your PMs

[Yamazakura Fr]

Thank you

After some research I found this in wikipedia

"Hachiman

In Japanese beliefs, Hachiman (八幡神 Hachiman-jin/Yahata no kami) is the syncretic divinity of archery and war, incorporating elements from both Shinto and Buddhism.Although often called the god of war, he is more correctly defined as the tutelary god of warriors. He is also the divine protector of Japan, the Japanese people and the Imperial House, the Minamoto clan ("Genji") and most samurai worshipped him. The name means "God of Eight Banners", referring to the eight heavenly banners that signaled the birth of the divine Emperor Ōjin. His symbolic animal and messenger is the dove.

Daibosatsu (大菩薩 'great bodhisattva' )

 

Kasuga Grand Shrine (春日大社 Kasuga-taisha) is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nara, in Nara Prefecture, Japan.[1] Established in 768 CE and rebuilt several times over the centuries, it is the shrine of the Fujiwara family. The interior is famous for its many bronze lanterns, as well as the many stone lanterns that lead up the shrine.

Myōjin (明神 'shining deity', 'illuminating deity', or 'apparent deity' or Daimyōjin (大明神 'great shining/apparent deity') was a title historically applied to Japanese (Shinto) deities (kami) and, by metonymy, their shrines.

The term is thought to have been derived from myōjin (名神 'notable deity'), a title once granted by the imperial court to kami deemed to have particularly impressive power and virtue and/or have eminent, well-established shrines and cults. This term is first attested in the Shoku Nihongi, where offerings from the kingdom of Bohai (Balhae) are stated to have been offered to "the eminent shrines (名神社 myōjin-sha) in each province" in the year 730 (Tenpyō 2)

Amaterasu-ōmikami (天照大神／天照大御神／天照皇大神), is a deity of the Japanese myth cycle and also a major deity of the Shinto religion. She is seen as the goddess of the sun and the universe. The name Amaterasu is derived from Amateru and means "shining in heaven". The meaning of her whole name, Amaterasu-ōmikami, is "the great august kami (deity) who shines in the heaven". According to the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in , the Emperors of Japan are considered to be direct descendants of Amaterasu.

 

Another interesting thing: we find these same three invocations on an old war banner (the one with the two crossed feathers, the second from the right)

What do you think ?

It's possible to date this yoroi ?

Regards

[uwe]

Yes John,

 

"Kasuga Dai Myôjin" (春日大明神): A famous Shinto deity that amongst many things is prayed to for good health. There are several shrines devoted to this deity. The most famous one in Nara. But also at Sado Island of the old domain of Echigo.
 

"Amaterasu Oomikami Kyuu" (天照皇大神宮): "Tensho Kotai Jingu". A shrine in Kyushu where people used to pray for peaceful resolution of conflict and the avoidance of war.

 

"Hachiman Dai Bosatsu" (八幡大菩薩): The God of war and also protector of warriors.

 

Thats all I know about. 

[uwe]

[IanB]

Bernard,  Not strictly a yukinoshita dou but an Oshu dou. The true yukinoshita dou has the muneita riveted to a single large front plate - in fact there is no lacing on a true yukinoshita dou, hinges being used throughout. Real yukinoshita dou were a product of the Ashina clan of Aizu province. In the 1580's Date Masamune attacked Aizu and encountered the dou, rounding up all he could get his hands on and used them for himself and his retainers. The makers of these armours, people like Yukinoshita Masaie and Hisaie amongst others, never left Aizu and continued to make them there long after Date Masamune moved to Sendai. Neither the Ashina nor the Date used the term Yukinoshita, calling them hodoki dou. In Sendai Masamune decided to make similar dou, employing Kaga no Daijo Munesada  to produce them for the Date clan. It was these dou, made in Sendai (Oshu) that have the muneita laced on to the front plate, which was often made of three pieced riveted together like the backplate. For donkey's years it was believed that Date Masamune lured Hisie and Masaie to Sendai to make these dou which were a Sendai invention so to speak. The reality has turned out to be  far more complex  and shows how easy it is to jump to conclusions based on assumptions.

Ian Bottomley

[DaveT]

Here are few examples of Yukinoshita I have.

They support what Ian has written.

[b.hennick]

+1

[Peter Bleed]

What a great thread. Thanks

Peter

[Yamazakura Fr]

Very thanks for your answer

To complete this post some pictures of the Dö
you can see

the watagamie with a hinge on the back, a gyoyo on the front (with a 9 star mon) and a kohire on the outer edge.
Kanagu mawari with fukurin.
The breast plate carries 3 kanamono.
In the back a ring agemaki no kan.
All eyelets are za kanamono.
The 8 kusazuri with yurigi ito.
All the interior is covered with a thin black lacquered leather except the part with the 3 invocations

Weight without kusazuri 6,5 kg

One question can anyone say me what is the great laced loop with half brass ring in the back of the right side ( it's bigger than the other kusazuri suspensions loops) see the last pic red arrow

What do you think about the Gosoku  signed Yukinoshita of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (with muneita laced on to the front plate)

 

Regards

[DaveT]

My view its Edo period.