The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-05-11
JAPANESE WEAPONS.
IMPLEMENTS ON WAR THATWEREsiN
USE in FEuDAE TIMES.

oSErliS4 %.
The Lance md Bow Were Noble
weapons, but the sword. Upon
which wns Lnvixhed All the Re-
sources of Art, OutrnnLed Them
In the Detroit Museum of Art is IN
Interesting collection of war implements
of old Japan. Two complete suits OF
arrnor are in the collection. One of
these dates. from the sixteenth century
the other is of more modern date, but
exactly like it in all its parts 4 COM
pletc suit Of armor as worn by the Jap
anesc soldiers of the higher class pre-.
vious to 1870 consists of a helmet, chain
mail in parts and breast armor. toSeth-
err with two hip pieces. Chain mail
panta LOOMS lined with silk brocade, pro
tect the thighs. They are Worn under
the hip pieces. An iron mask covers in
some cases the entire visaSe, in Others
only the nose, cheeks and chin, allow
ing the eyes to be uncovered, and these
are protected by the broad helmet The
shoulders are protected by two pieces,
with fine bronze openwork mountings.
Upon these are fittings in which in bat
ties q small flag is fastened bearing the
crest or monogram Of the wearer.
-
The back of the hand is protected by
embossed iron. A body piece covers the
chest and back, held together by tyings
of heavy silk green braid. In the back
Of this are two sockets for the banner
pole The helmet is made of heavy
lacquered iron. Two crests branch
from the front in moon shaped man
ner and between them Is Il bronze disk
representing the sun. y pair of sandals
completes the outfit. This armor is ex-
ceedingly heavy and looks impregnable
to such weapons as were used
The lance and bow We're noble weap-
ons, but the sword outranked them.
sword with the Japanese in feudal
times was the most Important of all
weapons in war and for personal use.
Iyeyasu. who was the first great sho-
gun of Tokugawa, 1G10-3O, termed the
sword the soul of the Samuraf-' To
him it was the most important of ais
possessions
Upon this weapon the Japanese Law
iShed all the resources of their art.
The forging of the blade became Il high
art. and its experts won great honor
and fame The making OF famed
blade was subject of meditation and
PRAYER; upon the Scabbard was lavish
ed all the lacquerer's skill; to the guard
and other metal mountnES were given
an infinite variety of lessons from Ma
ture and her cre:l lures and from re!i-
giouS and symbolic legends. The high
er classes Wore two. and the children
of these classes commenced early in
youth TO wear wooden ones. The prop
cr use of the sword was made Il part
of the system Of education. and the
ceremonies attending its use in every
day life were most elaborate and mi
mute.
The abolition of the Shogunate in
1865 was soon followed by Il decree
abOIiShng the wearing of the sword;
hence there came into diSlSe hundreds
of thousands of beautifully decorated
weapons, which have been distributed
all over the world
y time was in Japan when Il mans
station could be determined by the
sword he Wore at his side. y person
magniGcently CARRIED with an ordinary
weapon would be &djudSed OF low de-
gree, while poorly dressed person
wearing 4 fine sword would be extend
ed distinguished homage. y fortune
was invested in arms. y rich noble
often possessed 1900 swords. some of
them costing $1,4OO, and the daimioS
We'd with each other in owning elegant
specimens of the armOreTS craft All
the metal work of Japan, the beautiful
designs and exquisite ha1nmering. are
due to the many wars The orna men
tation of the guard and swords aces
series have been the craze of tourists
and collectors for thirty years.
The most important parts OF jap
aneSe sword are: The tSub:l or guard. a
Hat piece OF metal usually circular or
oval in form. perforated Ivy Il triangu-
lar aperture for the admission of the
blade. At either side are one or more
openings for the lod.mrnt of two 9TH
or accessories. called the kodZul<:i. or
small Ia :cGcT. and the llogai, or skewer.
The guards are usually entire in de-
sign. \ fish. serpent, Il horse, 4 noun
tain landscape and many other Tea lures
OF nature are introduced into the de-
sign of these sword guards. The han
dies of the small dagger and the skew
crs are also cNQuiSitcly decorated with
inlaid mother of pearl in design or
wrought limoges in the metal itself.
Crabs, Holsters, SerpcntS and dragons
enter very largely into their decorations
of the dagger. The Sllcwcr usually has
upon its handle some pattern or model,
corresponding in some way with the
crest or monogram of the owner. Its
use is thrccfold to the soldier Some
times he takes it from its place and