''Sashimono'' (, , ) were small

banner A banner can be a flag or another piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or another message. A flag whose design is the same as the shield in a coat of arms (but usually in a square or rectangular shape) is called a banner of arms. Also, ...

s historically worn by soldiers in

feudal Japan The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to the Paleolithic, around 38–39,000 years ago. The Jōmon period, named after its cord-marked pottery, was followed by the Yayoi period in the first millennium BC whe ...

, for identification during

battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...

Description

Sashimono poles were attached to the backs of the dō "cuirass" by special fittings. Sashimono were worn both by foot soldiers, including the common soldiers known as '' ashigaru'', as well as by the elite

samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...

and members of the shogunate, and in special holders on the horses of some

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

. The banners, resembling small flags and bearing clan symbols, were most prominent during the

Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...

, a long period of civil war in Japan from the middle 15th to early 17th century.

Variety

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.) The banner hung from an L-shaped frame, which was attached to the chest armour ''dō'' 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 Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...

and

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning (leather), tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffal ...

were the most common materials used.

Design

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 A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a clan or a political, commercial, religious, or other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose, with the goal of persuading members of the public or a more defined target group ...

. 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 ''

daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and no ...

''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. These stylized designs contrast with the elaborate heraldic devices displayed by some European armies of the same period.

References

External links

{{Japanese (samurai) weapons, armour and equipment Japanese historical terms Japanese warriors Flags of Japan Historical flags Military communication in feudal Japan Japanese heraldry Samurai weapons and equipment

Description

Variety

Design

See also

References

External links