Japanese Equipment
Hello!
I was for a long time not active in here, but now I am returning with some questions:
1. Did the Japanese made use of the Weapons of the Mongols and Koreans which were acquired by the Japanese as spoils of war?
2, Did the Mongols Invasion have any affect on the Equipment of the Japanese?
3. Did the Japanese use Bows like the ones of the Mongols or Koreans in addition to the Yumi?
I was for a long time not active in here, but now I am returning with some questions:
1. Did the Japanese made use of the Weapons of the Mongols and Koreans which were acquired by the Japanese as spoils of war?
2, Did the Mongols Invasion have any affect on the Equipment of the Japanese?
3. Did the Japanese use Bows like the ones of the Mongols or Koreans in addition to the Yumi?
I myself do not see much inspiration from Mongolia entering Japanese archery during the invasion period. But Japanese archery does not stand alone from Asian archery per se. Much is made of yumi asymmetry but many periods of Asian bows feature asymmetry and from very ancient origins. There were laminated bamboo bows discovered in Chinese graves. Use of bamboo for arrows is a world wide phenomena.
Maybe even closer associations are to be found in swords, armor and helmets between Japanese and Asian in general. Gently curved swords of folded metal are found everywhere.
The most strikingly unusual bow in the Japanese arsenal is the carriage bow, unlike any others in Japan with its Scythian or Persian like curves and whale baleen construction.
Japanese appear to have preferred their own bows and arrows over any of Mongol or Korean import.
Maybe even closer associations are to be found in swords, armor and helmets between Japanese and Asian in general. Gently curved swords of folded metal are found everywhere.
The most strikingly unusual bow in the Japanese arsenal is the carriage bow, unlike any others in Japan with its Scythian or Persian like curves and whale baleen construction.
Japanese appear to have preferred their own bows and arrows over any of Mongol or Korean import.
Thank you for your answer!
Do you have a picture of a japanese carriage bow, please? From a Museum for example?
Do you have a picture of a japanese carriage bow, please? From a Museum for example?
Isn't it sometimes said that the design of the Saiga-bachi/Saika-bachi type of helmet originated from a contemporary Chinese or Korean helmet (as opposed to a design that had evolved separately in Japan from much older Chinese/Korean origins, that is)? Legend says that the prototype helmet washed up on the Japanese shore after drifting on the sea, but I've heard some speculation that it was more likely to have been a spoil of war from the Mongol Invasion or something of that sort.
Sorry not to have responded earlier. I do not have a picture of a carriage bow. I suspect there is at least one in Stone's Glossary of Arms. They are very interesting and unexplained as to how they arrived.