Looking for Ebira (Vintage Quills) and Kabura-Ya (Whistling Arrows or Arrowheads)

Iaido dude · January 4

I have modern reproduction Kari-Ebira and Kabura-Ya, but am interested in Japanese vintage examples.

Located in Florida, USA.

ROKUJURO · January 5

Steve,

there are a few on YAHOO. From time to time, simple YAZUTSU are offered as quivers, which they are not. Sometimes there are SHIKO and UTSUBO, too. In the latter, the arrows are usually falsely oriented upside-down; the YAnoNE should be at the bottom in the little grid..

Iaido dude · January 5

Yes, I have been on the lookout on Yahoo, Jauce, and other auction sites. This the one that I had custom made for actual use in kyudo. It has the mon of Chosei Zen, where my Zen teacher is based in Madison, WI.

ROKUJURO · January 5

https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d1206571515

https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/l1214130896

https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/c1214142948

https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/1214173253

EBIRA are for war shooting, so I guess you are practicing HEKI RYU INSAI-HA?

Iaido dude · January 6

Actually, believe it or not, I learned yabusame in Kamakura Japan. Mostly riding a wooden horse for training indoors and then...

I don't really need the Ebira to hold ya when practicing on a makeshift wooden horse. I just tuck the ya into the straps of my hakama, but the Ebira is fun. I practice Heki Ryū Bishū Chikurin-ha, which Shibata sensei brought to the US in the 1970's at the height of Western interest in all things Japan. There is a National Geographic documentary about him that was heavily viewed. The yabusame is another story. I got a chance to do kyudo practice with a group on a visit to Kamakura. To my surprise, they had a wooden horse in their dojo, which they let me try. When I was coming back from a 7 year sabbatical in Singapore, I took a significant amount of time off to train in Japan (both Kyoto where Shibata sensei's main teaching line remains, and Kamakura). I didn't even know how to ride a horse, so it was quite an adventure. I have made some of my own wooden turnip shaped arrowheads, which got me interested in the whistling variety.

This is my makiwara just outside my covered patio and the 8 mm bamboo practice ya that I make from scratch. I do enteki on our back property that overlooks a nature reserve (just gorgeous). I am making finer sets of 9 mm ya fletched with the highest grade wild turkey feathers with horn nocks and silk wrapping to gift to teachers for ceremonial shooting.

Edited January 6 by Iaido dude

Bugyotsuji · January 6

These things do pop up in the market every so often, but many are in a terrible state. I had a couple of kabura for a while but they were sad-looking objects.

Would you look to repair, or do you want pristine examples?

PS You probably mean quivers in the title, not quills!

Iaido dude · January 6

Yes, quivers. Thanks. You’re right that most are in quite poor shape. Looking for a historical example in good shape and not for actual use since they appear quite fragile.