Banner worn by medieval Japanese soldiers for identification during battle
Sashimono
(
指物
,
差物
,
?物
) were small
banners
historically worn by soldiers in
feudal Japan
, for identification during
battles
.
[1]
[2]
Description
[
edit
]
Sashimono poles were attached to the backs of the
d?
"cuirass" by
special fittings
. Sashimono were worn both by foot soldiers, including the common soldiers known as
ashigaru
,
[3]
as well as by the elite
samurai
and members of the
shogunate
,
[4]
and in special holders on the horses of some
cavalry
.
[
citation needed
]
The banners, resembling small flags and bearing clan symbols, were most prominent during the
Sengoku period
, a long period of civil war in Japan from the middle 15th to early 17th century.
[
citation needed
]
Variety
[
edit
]
Given the great variety in Japanese armour, sashimono were used to provide a kind of "uniform" to armies. Sashimono typically came in either square or short rectangular forms, although many variations existed. A variation that is often bigger and coloured is the
uma-jirushi
, which were large, personalized, sashimono-like flags worn by commanders. Similar to this were the very large and narrow
nobori
banners, which commonly took two or three men to hold erect and were used to control the direction of fighting during large battles. (
Uma-jirushi
and
nobori
are still used today at sports events, as Japanese versions of the banners common among Western sports audiences.)
[
citation needed
]
The banner hung from an
L
-shaped frame, which was attached to the chest armour
d?
or
dou
by a socket
machi-uke
or
uketsubo
near the waistline and hinged at shoulder level with a ring
gattari
or
sashimono-gane
. While this arrangement was perhaps one of the most common, there were other variations.
Silk
and
leather
were the most common materials used.
Design
[
edit
]
The designs on sashimono were usually very simple geometric shapes, sometimes accompanied by Japanese characters providing the name of the leader or clan, the clan's
mon
, or a clan's
slogan
.
[
citation needed
]
Often, the background colour of the flag indicated which army unit the wearer belonged to, while different
divisions
in these armies emblazoned their own design or logo on it. However, the presence of the
daimy?
'
s
mon
was used more commonly than the design or logo of the unit, as battles could often get quite large and complicated; being able to recognize friend from foe at a glance is of the utmost importance in battle. Sometimes elite samurai, who were sufficiently famed or respected, had their own personal design or name featured on their sashimono as opposed to that of their division.
[
citation needed
]
These stylized designs contrast with the elaborate
heraldic devices
displayed by some European armies of the same period.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Sashimono (little banner)"
.
www.historyofwar.org
. Retrieved
2023-06-26
.
- ^
"Banners & Flags"
.
Sengoku Daimyo
. Retrieved
2023-06-26
.
- ^
Turnbull, Stephen (2001).
Ashigaru 1497-1659
. Bloomsbury USA. p. 5.
- ^
"The Equipment of the Samurai - Fearsome Warriors Armed to the Teeth"
.
warhistoryonline
. 2017-03-16
. Retrieved
2023-06-26
.
Another important part of signaling and organizing samurai in battle was the sashimono. It was a banner suspended on a pole and worn on the back of a samurai's armor. It was emblazoned with the mon, or badge, of the commander the samurai served. Like many heraldic displays, it served several functions in battle. It was a way of showing off a samurai's presence and glorifying a commander who brought many men to fight.
External links
[
edit
]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Sashimono
.
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