Senninbari (Thousand Stitch Belt)
notes: label: Description
content: The sennabari, or "thousand stitch belt," was given to Japanese servicemen by the women in his family or community as he went off to war. The belt was believed to confer good luck, courage, and protection upon its wearer. The belts were usually made of white cloth and decorated with a thousand red stitches or knots. Traditionally each knot was made by a different woman so that the making of the belts was a communal effort. This belt is about 42 inches long with ten rows of red knots.
label: Description
content: This item is one of over 30 medical-military objects collected by Harold B. Price, Chief Pharmacist's Mate, U.S. Navy, during his deployment in the Pacific theater during World War II. The material is all associated with the Japanese military and most of the items were collected on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll. The island was the site of intense fighting during the Battle of Tarawa, November 20-23, 1943.
label: Description
content: Mr. Price loaned the material to the Smithsonian in August, 1944, and it was immediately put on public display. The original loan included a Japanese microscope and accessories which were returned to Price in November 1946. The remainder of the material was retained in the collection as a permanent gift.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Japan: Japan
label: associated place
content: Japan: Japan
topic: label: related event
content: World War II
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Harold B. Rice
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MG.M-05241
label: catalog number
content: M-05241
label: accession number
content: 168283
objectType: label: Object Name
content: amulet
label: Object Name
content: belt
label: Object Name
content: belt, military
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: cloth (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall, as stored (folded): 1 3/4 in x 11 in x 4 1/2 in; 4.445 cm x 27.94 cm x 11.43 cm