Japanese Short Bow

It actually looks like an odd rimankyu. I think hankyu bows are bigger. Are there measurements?

I will have to agree with Bede; looks like a carriage bow made of whale baleen. the arrows are armed. Parlor bows do not have arrow heads. fantastic find, museum stuff, thanks. -j-

Isn't daimyo something like warlord?

Did you notice strange nocks?

Rimankyu all have unusual nocks. Daimyos are rulers or aristocrats in local areas. During the periods of weak government they often became warlords.

Fascinating - beautifull piece of workmanship. Does anyone know anything about these shorter Japanese bows? I've heard of whale-baleen Japanese short-bows before, but know nothing really about them. It seems that they were 'serious' weapons - but more of a side-arm than a main warbow (unlike the longbow / yumi).

Were they self-baleen or backed with sinew for instance? Were they ever made of other materials?

Nick,
How serious a weapon they were is up for discussion. The usual story is that they were carried by high ranking aristocrats when traveling in palanquins where space was tight and you would have no opportunity to jump up and fight normally.

All the ones I have seen were unbacked baleen, but there is no reason to suppose that they were not made out of laminated bamboo as well. Someone who has read a lot about Japanese archery literature would have to comment on the use of sinew, but I know of no examples.

Hi everyone!

This is my first post on ATARN and I'm glad to be here!

These (should be) some pics I took yesterday of a early (about 1,000 years old) Japanese Budha of compassion, although he doesn't look too compassionate to me! I'd hate to see what the Budha of anger looks like! He sits in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachussets.

Note the small recuve bow in his hand. Didn't yumi bows come become popular with the samuri? and didn't the samuri become established around 1,000 years ago?

J.
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