Yari or yanone?

[bluboxer]

Good day all,

I have a question regarding the sizes of yari and yanone.I have seen a yanone that seems awfully large for an arrowhead and would almost classify it as a very small yari. How small can a yari be? I understand that larger blades were more desirable for the field because of the intimidation factor but I have seen little reference as to smaller examples except with simple su yari.

Could a jumonji yari be as small as;say 4 1/2" (11.5cm) and still be considered a yari?

Does anybody know of a jumonji yari that was made this small?

 

Thank you for any input.

 

Alan

[watsonmil]

Alan,

I assume you mean the entire yari including tang is 4 1/2 inches ?? , or are you refering just to the blade length ?? I have a few yari, ... the shortest blade on a jumonji yari that I have is 5 inches ( blade length only ). Having said that, ... I DO HAVE a jumonji yari with an OA length of about 4 1/2 inches made of steel which is mounted on a pole about 15 inches long and part of a very high quality Meiji era Boys Festival Doll. The yari is so good at first glance you would think that the doll maker used a real yari head. It would be helpful if you could post a photo or two, ... although I shouldn't talk as I do not have a digital camera and therefore rely on my son to do photos and he lives 100 miles away .

... Ron Watson

[bluboxer]

Thanks Ron,

I don't have photos to post as yet but the center blade itself is almost 4 1/2". OAL is about 7 1/2".Side blade width was around 3 1/2".

Interesting information, thanks for sharing.

Alan

[Mark]

here is one...... is it like what you are asking about?

[bluboxer]

Oh man, you found my query source!

Well since it is in the open now,opinions?

Alan

[mdiddy]

Looks like a fukuro (socketed) jumonji yari. Maybe that is one reason it is shorter.

[Brian]

This is a subject I have been meaning to bring up, since I have a jumonji yari that is about the same size (need to measure it) but the nakago is very much like a large yanone one...not flattened but tapering square shaped with no ana. I can find no hamon at all, and think it is either for display or is fully tempered.

I had suspected there may be huge yanone that were for presentation use, as similar ones can be seen in Stone's Glossary.

Will post pics when I have a chance, but it came from an obscure little antiques shop in Takayama.

 

Brian

[watsonmil]

Dear Brian,

As I have an interest in Yari and Yanone, ... I look forward to seeing a photo. It is not unusual to not find a hamon on yari, yanone. They were as often overall tempered. Some better quality examples do have a hamon, ... but just as many or more if in polish bear a kesho painted in fake hamon. This sadly is all too common.

... Ron Watson

[Stone]

Hi Beleive many yari were used to pull the thatch from fires in or on Japanese

houses, and it is one reason I was told that many Jumonji yari have no temper.

I am sure if this is a silly reason for finding no temper on your yari, some one

will point it out. I have seen a small jumonji yari shin-shinto I beleive and if

memory serves me correct smaller than the dimensions you have posted.

Regards.

Tony N.

[IanB]

Brian et al, I have seen several 'display pieces' dating from the Meiji period that consist of a screen or panel with a 'sunburst' of yari heads with often a helmet bowl in the centre. The finest was free standing, about 6 foot high with tsuba inlaid into the surrounding frame. Just occasionally the yari, including the upper foot or so of the shaft are real, but more often made for the purpose, the back of the blades being flat and although made with a short tang, unhardened. They even faked the upper parts of the shafts with copper, silver or gilt fittings wrapped around and nailed into the wood at the back. In these cases even the helmet bowls were false although they looked the part but were very thin metal. As for the size of arrowheads, don't forget that arrows were given as New Year gifts, often with large ornate heads, that were never meant to be shot.

Ian Bottomley

[estcrh]

A picture of a very small yari I have considered to be a childs yari.