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Ian, maybe those armors from the Watanabe Collection that you mentioned are some were in these pictures, I have never seen so many samurai armors in one place. I heard they were housed in an old bowling alley!

I just received a copy of this fantastic book by Shigeo Sugawa. Anyone interested in the subject of samurai firearms should put this book on their list. I ordered my copy right from the authors web site and it arrived in the mail about 2 weeks later, (signed by the author) the cost with shipping from Japan was $120. There are a lot of very good quality pictures of Tanegashima and related items along with historical information. This is one of the few books on this subject that I could find on this subject. The book is 60 pages in color and in English. http://www.japaneseweapons.net/sonota/hon/english.htm

Here is some upgraded rain equipment, a gappa or kappa travel cape which from what I have read was based on the Portuguese capa (cape,cloak,mantle) and a waterproofed fabric zukin or hood. The cape would have a layer of waterproofed paper sewn between two layers of fabric.

Actually the system is quite ingenious, the hood or hat is lined with a type of waterproof paper and a cloth lining, the water runs off of the hat and the cape is thick and woven in a way so that it acts like a thatched roof so that the water runs off of the cape, same with the skirt.

Thanks John, any idea if mino refers to just the cape as I have heard or does mino refer to rain gear in general.

The rain here got me thinking about this mino rain cape along with the hood and skirt. Low end rain and snow equipment. I can not find exact names for these items either except for possibly "mino" for the cape and Fukagutsu for the boots.

Piers, I guess I have to much time on my hands, sounds like a good book. I was just reading some old accounts by westerners in Japan on the same subject...sankin kôtai or alternate attendance, maybe some of the same same accounts that Constantine Vaporis also read while writing his book Tour of Duty: Samurai, Military Service in Edo and the Culture of Early Modern Japan. I havnt read it yet but its on my ever growing list. I think I remember that you have attended the modern re-enactment of the sankin kôtai parade, I think you also mentioned that your gun troop preformed at the same time? I have seen some of the original elaborate regalia dating from the sankin kôtai, everyone was showing off their best stuff!

Ian, I would not mind being able to see a kusari dou first hand to see exactly how they were constructed and how thick they were. I can not find any information about them at all and only ran into this picture in an old book by accident as it did not come up under any search. I think this is the strange kabuto you mentioned from the Watanabe Museum, someone must have had a sense of humor to make it and to wear it.

I will try that again http://members.shaw.ca/nihontonut/glossary.html

Here is a link to a glossary of Japanese sword terms, it might be of help to you.

I see these types for sale in Japan a lot. http://www.jauce.com/view2.php?seturl=h ... h148056291

Pictures of another kikuchi yari.

I have been looking at Tobiguchi ever since I first posted this, a least 50 or more, they all seemed to have the same general shape and look and none had a chain. I think that like the jutte which was a sort of badge and symbol of an office, the Tobiguch was much the same and represented the office held by the owner which would explain why they all seem to look similar. The 2 items with pick type of heads that I posted picturs of are completely different looking, one is mounted much like a spear and the other like a kusarigama, I could be wrong but I think this represents a weapon. As for the chain, original forged chains are very rare, they seem to have been replaced on even authentic old chain weapons, the chain may have been added later and even shortened. I think that anyone using one of these types of weapons would have had a sword or short spear etc available also for use when entangled with someone in a fight. Here is a close up picture of an old forged manriki chain and close ups of the kusarigama type item.

This is the only picture I have ever seen of a kusari dou, maybe it should be called a kusari tatami dou as kusari is as easy to fold and is just as light weight and portable as any tatami armor. I found this photo ln very old book.

Malcolm, I was looking to see if this particular type of pick like head had a name that was different then the typical kama or kusarigama head which is more like a sickle. As for the length of chain I think that different methods of use dictated the length of chain. Interesting to see a sword up against a kusarigama. Here is the usual sickle type of kusarigama.

I just saw another one of these and its definitely a weapon, still looking for a name other then tobikuchi.

Bob, I imagine that there would be several layers, tabi socks to keep the feet warm, waraji sandals to protect the soles of the boots and for the snow there would be snow shoes.

What an excellent link, thanks for th information.

Well maybe this item will be easier to find an exact name for, a pair of snow boots. I was told that straw was stuffed inside them while wearing to help with insulation from the cold. Fukagatsu is the name the seller used.

The party is on in the French Quarter!!! Happy New Years

Piers, am agree with you and in honor of that I am renaming my files , no more bashaku. I have been trying to put names to some items I have or just things I have seen and it gets confusing at times due to the conflicting multiple names I run into. Kanabo and tetsubo are quite hard to pin down for example, there are several conflicting descriptions by credible references. Some things you just cant find a name for at all. Thanks for the information!

Ian, thats a great picture, you can also see the horse bit and harness around his neck. I see that the groom has 2 swords showing that he is a samurai, I would have guessed that a groom would be of a lower class.

Piers, this is how the picture translated. Photo comments Harness From left, 轡 (ie shoes) a horse whip salt dipper (or Bishaku) 障泥 (aftermath)

I was looking at this tanto in the for sale section http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9260 and since Kikuchi yari were mentioned I thought I would post these pictures of one that was discussed on another forum. http://www.swordforum.com/forums/showth ... p?t=103713 Since there are so few pictured of these I thought I would post these for anyone who was interested. http://s831.photobucket.com/albums/zz23 ... hi%20Yari/

Piers, I found this under mabishaku but like you I did not find bashaku used as a horse ladle, I could not find Ians term either " Ba shiaku" but I do not doubt its also correct. A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and ... - Page 420 George Cameron Stone - 1999 - 694 pages - Preview Mabishaku. i. The bowl is a cocoanut shell and it and the handle are decorated with a gold lacquer vine. Length 26 inches. 2. ... MABISHAKU. A long-handled dipper used by the early Japanese to give water to their horses. ... books.google.com - More editions ►