Matsunoki Posted May 14 Report Posted May 14 Arghhh, I can’t play ……don’t know what a Genbu is (without cheating) Guess….something to do with one having a very hairy tail (minogame) that the other does not? 1 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 14 Author Report Posted May 14 You're too honest, Colin. A cheater can lie, and after looking it up, say he or she already knew the answer! As it is, you have gained two points already. The minogame is a symbol of old age, having been in the water so long that waterweed grows off the back of its shell. I once actually saw one in a nearby river, but did not have the camera with me. Countless times I went back to that bridge, but never saw it again. 1 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 14 Author Report Posted May 14 Guessing that no one knows the answer. Genbu is very interesting though for a number of reasons… Quote
Hokke Posted May 14 Report Posted May 14 3 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said: Guessing that no one knows the answer. Genbu is very interesting though for a number of reasons… That's not really fair, you even make it hard to cheat.........i did a quick look up (didnt know what a genbu was either) and I still have no clue, outside of maybe color. 2 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 14 Author Report Posted May 14 Genbu of the north is the ancient Chinese tortoise upon which the universe stands. A snake appears from its rear end. Genbu is the black warrior of the north, chief of the four directional guardians. Genbu is painted on ancient tomb walls in Japan. Genbu later became Bishamonten, chief of the Shiten-no-o guardians. Bishamonten was the god of warriors and listened to their cry. For this reason the turtle Genbu has ears, although tortoises and turtles don’t. Genbu is the turtle shell, the brain pan, the crown, the 甲 shell of armour. 甲 the shell is Number One, the top/best, in the old counting system 甲、乙、丙、丁… Recently I bought a pair of Menuki with a gold-shell Genbu on a shakudo background. You can see the ears, …but the tail is from a Minogamé. 1 1 Quote
Matsunoki Posted May 14 Report Posted May 14 Piers, can you make it a bit trickier next time?🙂 1 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 14 Author Report Posted May 14 Will do, Colin! PS I was joking about the cheating bit. Too many years in education! 1 Quote
Hokke Posted May 14 Report Posted May 14 Very cool Piers, when I saw these menuki in your other thread, I completely missed the shell pattern, head and ears. I thought I was looking at a gold aoi leaf on a cluster. Now I can see the details after you have pointed them out. 1 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 16 Author Report Posted May 16 May have had this question before, but apart from their decorative appeal what were/are these plants used for? (The wife brought these home last night.) If you know, then let’s hear it! Cheating OK. Closer… Quote
Hokke Posted May 16 Report Posted May 16 (edited) Hmmmmm……..I’m certain this isn’t the answer but, my younger, pre-drivers license self would immediately go to using them as whips. My group of friends thrived on terrorizing each other with whatever implement we could get our hands on. That looks like it would leave quite the welt…… Forgot to make an actual guess…… Considering the sub forum we are in, perhaps something to do with cleaning the barrel of a firearm? Edited May 16 by Hokke Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 16 Author Report Posted May 16 No, not the answer to this quiz, (they’re light and hollow so would not be much use as whips) …but it is the answer to the next quiz I was lining up. Quote
John C Posted May 16 Report Posted May 16 I think I have those in my backyard. Horsetail grass? Not sure what I would use them for. I treat them like weeds, though they are too hardy to get rid of. I guess you could use them as straws? John C. Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 16 Author Report Posted May 16 Apparently yes, it is a type of horsetail grass. (Had to check the English before I could answer that!) Quote
Matsunoki Posted May 16 Report Posted May 16 Not quite the same as our local horsetail grass but if it’s the same family…..it gets used in cosmetics for skin and hair. Perhaps I should try it 🙂 Quote
Brian Posted May 16 Report Posted May 16 Well..it's in this section, so has to be something related to Tanegashima? Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 16 Author Report Posted May 16 13 minutes ago, Brian said: Well..it's in this section, so has to be something related to Tanegashima? Hmmm… good spot. It could be used as part of the process for making a Tanegashima, granted, but it’s not strictly related to Tanegashima. Apologies. Hint, why is the Japanese name Tokusa? Quote
Brian Posted May 16 Report Posted May 16 I was thinking tokusa! Dried and used to polish shirasaya? 2 1 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 16 Author Report Posted May 16 That’s the stuff, yes. Functions like sandpaper. Also widely used for polishing lacquer. 砥草 Tokusa, often pronounced Togusa. 2 Quote
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