Baka Gaijin

Hi Guys, you may find these amusing: The prolific woodblock artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi even made a series of Otsu images: Hodomoyoshi toki ni otsu-e 程芳流行大津絵 (Kuniyoshi's Fashionable Otsu Pictures) https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1600&bih=799&q=Hodomoyoshi+toki+ni+otsu-e+%E7%A8%8B%E8%8A%B3%E6%B5%81%E8%A1%8C%E5%A4%A7%E6%B4%A5%E7%B5%B5+%28Kuniyoshi%27s+Fashionable+Otsu+Pictures%29&oq=Hodomoyoshi+toki+ni+otsu-e+%E7%A8%8B%E8%8A%B3%E6%B5%81%E8%A1%8C%E5%A4%A7%E6%B4%A5%E7%B5%B5+%28Kuniyoshi%27s+Fashionable+Otsu+Pictures%29&gs_l=img.3...16722.16722.0.17303.1.1.0.0.0.0.99.99.1.1.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.0.0.lKUK8sPfOIM Oh and by the way, the poet Basho is buried in Otsu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsuo_Bash%C5%8D#/media/File:MatsuoBasho-Haka-M1932.jpg BTW: Cheers Steve, you provide much inspiration with your on the ground insights and are, in my opinion, a credit to the NMB ethos.

Brilliant Steve!! Could we looking at an object which was made for export with design elements added to suit the commissioning client? In the same way that Armours were put together for export using pieces from different eras which cancelled out each others original purpose? In the U.K., Dr Christopher Dresser (Representing The South Kensington Museum and other interests....) was in Japan for 4 months in 1876/77 and later (1879 - 1882) set up a store (Dresser & Holme) importing a wide range of Japanese Goods to London.

Hi Howard., Just a thought, perhaps Nembutsu is not the Oni's name. Nembutsu is also one of the names of the Amida Buddha in relation to Pure Land Buddhism.. The Mantra is Namu Amida Butsu, which when chanted becomes Nembutsu So Oni no Nembutsu could be construed as "Pure Land Demon" i.e. despite his nature, he follows Amida Buddha? But then wouldn't that be Nembutsu no Oni? There is also the old story of the two Buddhist monks and the girl. The girl asks the monks to help her cross a stream. The younger pious monk refuses saying he cannot be associated with women. The older monk cheerfully takes the girl upon his back, wades through the stream and sets her down on the other side where she goes off on her journey. Hours later the pious monk stops and says that he is really bothered by the older monks behaviour. The older monk smiles and says "I set the girl down at the other side of the stream....You have carried her all this way!".

Hi Dave, just Blue - Skying here: Laser cutter into brass shim or CNC maybe? Printed circuit board machinery Maybe try a Picture Framing workshop, some of the larger operations have quite sophisticated laser mount cutters that have a two metre plus bed. Cheers Matey

Well done Dave., Are you sure you haven't got a wallet inscribed like Samuel Jackson's in Pulp Fiction?? Maybe a production run of Sageo or extra wide Obi (For the more rotund Gentleman) bearing that immortal message woven into it would help recoup some of your costs... (For the connoisseur Dark Web, Hall of Fame, Sokey Dokey, Ni Ju Dan, Mc Dojo market obviously.........). Seriously Dave, absolutely amazing effort and tenacity to bring this dream of yours into reality. がんばってください Pip Pip Cheerio

I shared a Lift ( a conveyance which you Colonials refer to as an Elevator) ride with Yoshihara Sensei at DTI once, a very brief and wonderful conversation ensued, for me at least. I read him as a very decent chap. If he says he will share it with NMB, then it will be so. He is "Old School".........................................................................................................................................(If you know what that means). Pip Pip Cheerio.

Hi Cerjak., The kamon on the Fukigaeshi looks like Kikou ni Tachibana. Cheers

Hi Randy., Could this also be classified as Yotsuhan-bon? Cheers

Piers., Thank you for http://www1.plala.or.jp/eiji/BONJI.htm Excellent I reckon we need someone like Morita san to have a look. M

Hi Guys, If you have not already discovered this, here's some lists of the various Myo-o and Bosatsu, many with Hiragana invocations: You will need to dig about a bit, but they are there. http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/myo-o.shtml http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/bodhisattva.shtml Here's a very useful search engine, which, despite its architectural theme, is quite good for cross referencing deities: http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/ And this one is really useful: http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/ Pip Pip Cheerio!!

Your words Jan are received with the greatest respect. Regarding the "other place"...... Pip Pip Cheerio

Hi guys, I would forget the so waka element and look for the seed syllables or alternate names, don't forget Fudo shows as Acala and so forth. Don't just include the so called War Gods, check out all deity options. And Jan, please pass on my kind regards to another esteemed Viking Blunderbuss Collector of whom you are well acquainted: and another Odin!!! Pip Pip Cheerio

Hi Jan., How's the Red Armour Collection coming on?? Just a random thought, but if it's in Bonji characters, chances are its an invocation or series of invocations to whatever deity or deities the maker or user held allegiance. The Siddham scripts which we know as Bonji are phonetic like Hiragana, so if I set you out two invocations in Hiragana, the esteemed Piers can likely take it further. ('Cos he's a sly old fox and well versed in looking sideways to find the real answer.... ) Watch out for seed syllables, which are points when only the beginning or ending of the invocation is used, like the Bonji "Kan - Man" carved on the famous Koryu Kagemitsu, an invocation to FUDŌ MYŌ-Ō, using the last two syllables of the invocation. http://www.emuseum.jp/detail/100178/000/000?mode=detail&d_lang=en&s_lang=en&class=6&title=&c_e=&region=&era=&century=&cptype=&owner=&pos=9&num=3 Here we go: FUDŌ MYŌ-Ō なーまくさーまんだーば さらなんせんだ まーかろしゃーな そわたやうんたらた かんまん BISHAMON TEN おん　べいしらまなや　そわか Oh, Jan, before the Grammar Police get on to you, it's not "Me and Piers", it's "Piers and I" (If you want to sound like a true Englishman). Moi, as a true Welshman do not................. Pip Pip Cheerio!!!

Hi Chris: I think he is an "Oni Ni Kanabo" (Demon with Club) 鬼に金棒 I think he falls into the category of Yōkai or Folklore Monster.

Putting my Jewellers hat on for a brief moment, difficult to make out from the images. The pale blue stone has the luminescence of Chrysoprase, which is a form of Chalcedony. The clearer stone could be White Sapphire or Rose Quartz. Pip Pip

Hi Erez., As a project it is a noble endeavour and you would learn a tremendous amount along the way. The cost involved will be "interesting" to say the least. Maybe save up and buy a complete gun?

Is the Yodare gake Kaga?

Hi guys., Was the pointy bit intended to have a more Martial purpose? (You can tell I know all the technical terms for these things...) Much in the same way as the so called Higo Ate-Gashira was intended as a means of attitude readjustment without having to actually draw a full blade? Pip Pip

Hi Grev and Ken., Since 1995, The Art Newspaper has published a yearly analysis of the rise and fall of Art objects (including Fine Wines) sold world wide. http://theartnewspaper.com/ It will take a bit of digging and perhaps an email, but they have the info.

I wonder if this is this connected to: http://www.samurai-store.com/ Much of the armour on display looks to be modern, though in the Gallery section, is that Paul Martin in the suit? http://www.samuraimuseum.jp/en/photopage/index.html At 1800 yen its an expensive museum. It seems geared at tourists who want to dress up (For an extra fee of 500 yen). The National at Ueno is only 620 yen and you can see national treasure swords and armour on display there. http://www.tnm.jp/?lang=en

James P (Jamesicus) wrote: "I do not want to bore everyone with old stories" I would say on the strength of the recollections you have contributed thus far........KEEP IT COMING!! You were in Japan during a very interesting period. Information, names, addresses, even partial, can be very helpful in tracking things down.

Hi Grant., Kotobuki appears on a variety of items, originally it was deeply Talismanic, sadly now relegated to the role akin to a Smiley in popular culture I have seen it variously on Tsuba, as a Maedate on a Kabuto, on an Agano Yaki Teabowl and it is also a popular subject for Kakejiku hanging scrolls with the character written in a variety of styles from formal to vigorous. Pip Pip

There was a chap during the mid to late 1970's who came up with a variety of textured finishes to simulate the ones shown above. He used textured ceiling plaster for Yari Saya and sieved powdered housebrick for Ishime finished Saya. They were very convincing at first glance, but much heavier than the real thing when you handled them. As I recall, he dealt in Japanese Swords and other Militaria in London's Portobello Road. His technique is done by laying a coat of the "plaster" over the primed base material and then using a thick brush or even a scrumpled rag to pull the texture up into peaks, most plasterers now how this effect is achieved with modern materials. He then painted with what was available and added a dusting of "Rottenstone" to give the aged effect. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotten_stone

Rumour has it, the magic machine could be persuaded to create rather wonderful Sageo....Allegedly Pip Pip Cheerio

Hi Axel You have to contact them with a request for prices. Alternatively there is also Nippon Kodo: http://www.nipponkodostore.com/ Cheers