21 manuscript scrolls on paper, 12 of which are illustrated (various sizes, but generally ca. 180 mm. tall, varying lengths); four manuscript booklets; & manuscript notes
No Image
- SIGNED
[Japan]: scrolls dated 1653-1856.
This is a fascinating collection, clearly assembled over a number of years by a private collector, of scrolls and other manuscripts concerning all aspects of the samurai, the elite warrior ruling class of Japan, known for martial skills, strict code of honor and morality (Bushidō), and considerable influence in Japanese history during the Tokugawa years. The range of topics covered by these manuscripts is wide and touches on many sides of samurai life and thinking.
We will list a few of the topics covered by the manuscripts: arms and body armor; samurai attire in general; all aspects of falconry including aesthetics and rituals; swords, their types, qualities, purposes, ornate external fittings and scabbards (efu no tachi), and care; the special stationery used by samurai; the all-important state of mind of the samurai (Bushidō); the Ogasawara ryu, which systematized samurai etiquette and set the foundation for martial arts protocol in Japan; the Chikurin ryu school of traditional archery; talismans (in Sanskrit) to be carried into battle; the ritual of seppuku (suicide); instructions regarding the most vulnerable parts of an opposing enemy’s body (with several anatomical maps); special arrow tips (kabura ya and hikime arrows, which produced a whistling sound, used to ward off evil and purify locations); more on swords; more on Bushidō; various schools of the martial arts including the above-mentioned Ogasawara ryu and Chikurin ryu, along with the Sekiguchi shinshin ryu, the Fūden ryu, the Yōshin ryu, and the Jitoku ryu. We could go on, almost without end, regarding the subjects covered.
Throughout, we find warnings that this is secret information, to be carefully passed on. Family names of providers of this information and their recipients are given, including Ogasawara, Mizushima, Tokuoka, Inoue, Shibatō, Kubo, Iwamura, Hara, and Hashimoto.
This is a wonderful research collection for anyone interested in the samurai class and its profound role in Edo-period Japan.
In very good to fine condition and preserved in an old wooden box.
This is a fascinating collection, clearly assembled over a number of years by a private collector, of scrolls and other manuscripts concerning all aspects of the samurai, the elite warrior ruling class of Japan, known for martial skills, strict code of honor and morality (Bushidō), and considerable influence in Japanese history during the Tokugawa years. The range of topics covered by these manuscripts is wide and touches on many sides of samurai life and thinking.
We will list a few of the topics covered by the manuscripts: arms and body armor; samurai attire in general; all aspects of falconry including aesthetics and rituals; swords, their types, qualities, purposes, ornate external fittings and scabbards (efu no tachi), and care; the special stationery used by samurai; the all-important state of mind of the samurai (Bushidō); the Ogasawara ryu, which systematized samurai etiquette and set the foundation for martial arts protocol in Japan; the Chikurin ryu school of traditional archery; talismans (in Sanskrit) to be carried into battle; the ritual of seppuku (suicide); instructions regarding the most vulnerable parts of an opposing enemy’s body (with several anatomical maps); special arrow tips (kabura ya and hikime arrows, which produced a whistling sound, used to ward off evil and purify locations); more on swords; more on Bushidō; various schools of the martial arts including the above-mentioned Ogasawara ryu and Chikurin ryu, along with the Sekiguchi shinshin ryu, the Fūden ryu, the Yōshin ryu, and the Jitoku ryu. We could go on, almost without end, regarding the subjects covered.
Throughout, we find warnings that this is secret information, to be carefully passed on. Family names of providers of this information and their recipients are given, including Ogasawara, Mizushima, Tokuoka, Inoue, Shibatō, Kubo, Iwamura, Hara, and Hashimoto.
This is a wonderful research collection for anyone interested in the samurai class and its profound role in Edo-period Japan.
In very good to fine condition and preserved in an old wooden box.