Baka Gaijin

Good afternoon Jan These links will show you how the Ebira was used in armour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTLCKDRI ... re=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtCb_yHd ... ure=relmfu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8ge-vxt ... ure=relmfu From the Nippon Kobudo Shinkokai series on the classical Koryu Cheers

Good morning Marc, Is the theme "The tongue cut Sparrow"? Cheers

Evening all, You could also try searching Igetani Hitotsu Taka no Ha. Could the container be for Giriko (glove powder)? Cheers

Morning all, For a reasonably rounded resume of all things dragon try this: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/dragon.shtml Cheers

Good morning Peter, You say "they are 14.5 in x 6.5in". The closest traditional size to these dimensions is 15.6 x 10.7 ins approx, which is called oban. There is a rarer size of 15.6 x 6.7 ins approx, which is called otansaku ban. Either way they appear to have been trimmed as Chris suggested. The style of the toba and torii prints looks early to mid 20th Century (follower(s) of Hasui Kawase perhaps), the birds against the moon print is by a different hand and could be both a little older and perhaps a deal longer. Cheers

Morning all, I was led to believe that some of the lower end blades sold through Budogu-Ya (for export) are in fact made by chisel and knife makers who fulfill their quota in the slack season. Cheers

Morning Jean Can you get a sharper image please, I'm with Piers on this, the Leaf Kamon looks like either Hanakaku, Hanabishi or its varient Oni Hanabishi. (I found Baba I using something like a four pointed leaf without a Maru.) http://www.samurai-archives.com/crest1.html Try Kawari Manji for the Swastika, for a few varient forms go to the bottom of this page: http://www.tozandoshop.com/v/vspfiles/k ... cter1.html I agree with Edward F. , is the Swastika actually Kamon or a Buddhist symbol, maybe some kind of rebus? Cheers

Morning Justin, I agree with Chris, the feathery edge of what I assume are distant peaks looks a little "wet on wet" for woodblock baren blending, though it could be a lithograph which will give an approximation of more subtle tonal change. Can we see the whole image front and back please and a close up of the sheet edge. Cheers

Thanks Mike and Cyrus. Amazing quality. Cheers

Morning all Ford said: "It seem therefore improbable to me that this, already ailing, man produced all the paintings and calligraphies (and bear in mind no-one simply starts painting and produces fuly fledged art works from day one...not even a sword saint ) AND an impressive array of tsuba and other fittings in metal....all in less than 3 years." Consider this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharaku Cheers

Chris, that joke was Oar-ful......... Cheers

Good morning Keith, Please excuse the obliqueness of my post, my "quote" wasn't a quote, just me making an observation, hence the . I agree wholeheartedly with your comments regarding the purpose of katchu and particularly cheques in the post etc. However, some of the Ryuha including Jigen Ryu did adopt a one strike one kill approach to combat (at least in their Training ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigen-ry%C5%AB And here's a fun bit of spirited renshu extolling the nobility of failure: Cheers

Morning all Just an observation. If the swordsman relies upon defence or the thought of defence however slight, he will not attack fully..... Great thread BTW. Cheers

Hi Piers & Edzo, Here's the Kuniyoshi catalogue raisonnés: http://www.kuniyoshiproject.com/ A wonderful site constantly being added to. To date almost all the known prints from all series are here. Cheers

Morning all Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread Here is my half baked theory: Hatsuka is thus called for reasons bound up in the Lunar Solar calendar, and the partial adoption of the Gregorian calendar. The suffix か "ka" (or possibly うか "uka") was a counter for days in Pre Meijii Jidai Japanese. In the ancient numbering Hatachi はたち was used for the number 20. So if a tiny extrapolation is allowed, we produce Hatsuka. I am told that few modern Japanese speakers know the full ancient number system, such as use of the word あまり "amari" (remainder) to combine numbers. Thus 11 is read as とおあまりひとつ tôamarihitotsu and 111 ももあまりとおあまりひとつ momoamaritôamarihitotsu etc. If you want to create the ancient numbers, there's a neat Java generator on this site (Thanks again John and Takasugi Shinji San for the site) http://www.sf.airnet.ne.jp/~ts/Japanese/javanumber.html Cheers

John Stuart wrote: Stands back in awe............. John...You da Man!! Yet another case of NMB doing what it says on the label. :D Cheers

Thanks John and Jacques for such a swift reply and the kanji 廿日for Hatsuka etc. However, my question is, where do they come from and why? Are they related to Lunar Solar observances in the old calendar used pre Meijii Jidai? Do they have a significance related to the old agrarian observances "borrowed" from Northern China such as 立春 Rishun - Feb 4th -Beginning of Spring. Cheers

Morning all A quick clarification please When describing a date of the month, a Japanese friend used the following terms, but did not know why they were used: Why is 一日 Tsuitachi and not Ichinichi? Why is 二十日 Hatsuka and not Nijunichi? Why was 三十日 Misoka instead of the present Sanjunichi Where do these terms come from? (Lunar - Solar?) and to what do they relate? Cheers

Hi Brian Check this link if it works in S.A.: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... ke_Glover/ It's a fascinating documentary about Thomas Blake Glover who dealt with Lord Shimazu and supplied the Satsuma with Firearms and machinery to manufacture. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Blake_Glover The BBC keep items on their iPlayer for a relatively short period of time so act swiftly. Cheers

Morning all This is not Plan B...I asked a tame techie who thought it sounded like a memory issue and suggested checking the memory limit settings for your server. He said if it's php, go to > tools > host tools > host params, it should show you both the settings that your server is currently set to (on the left) and the recommended settings (on the right). He warned against trying to adjust anything yourself as info could be lost on the apache start up......whatever that is........ :lol: Cheers

Morning all, I can remember seeing a book at Kinokuniya called "Higo Ategashira" which contained a variety of extended or pointed Kashira. The purpose apparently being deterrent offensive without the need to draw the blade in the first instance, The ZNKR Standard Iai forms as well as a number of Ryuha contain a ganmen ate (Face striking) technique. Used like this: Cheers

The plot thickens. At Sunday 06.49 UK time trying to access anything on the board by major heading produce this on a white screen (Google Chrome). However entering the thread topic at head of list gives access to the thread shown but no other. 07.42 UK time all functions normal, can access via chrome or IE, all avatars showing. Cheers

Morning all If you look at the rear image and apply the zoom facility you can see that the pins that would normally locate the Menuki to the body of the Tsuka are cast, having the appearance of almost melted chocolate. Cheers

Morning all Avatar free here....... suggest Sunspot activity or subtle James Cameron publicity for part 2 Cheers

Morning all Hi J.Jorgensen, the Kamon on the Fuchi looks like one called "Onimitsu Gashiwa". Cheers