ベイカー寮221B／Baker House 221B

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Women's Fashion in the 16th Century Japan

Kosode

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I write about my impressions on "Onna Joshu Naotora". Needless to say, this is my personal opinion.

At first, I really enjoyed Tomboyish O-Towa, her family and friends and her negotiation with IMAGAWA Yoshimoto despite being a little girl made me expect the development of the story. And the words of the Zen sect and medieval customs and things in it are interesting.


However, the situation changes after she becomes a chatelaine and ruler of Ii-no-ya. She becomes to do or say things that are convenient to her. And ONO Masatsugu, who should oppose her in various respects until his death takes her side. Beside the priests in Ryotanji Temple and her mother Yuchinn-ni (Chika) become to accept everything she says.


Then things go smoothly according to her plan. It is impossible and lacks the charm of Taiga Drama series. Most of the series in the past, the main character overcomes difficulties and grows up and it attracted many viewers. Indeed the Ii clan is destroyed by the army of TAKEDA Shingen, Naotora marries Ryuunmaru after it and lives a happy life as farmer but insists that she never transfers the headship of the clan to Toramatsu, later Naomasa. It's strange. Maybe this is not the series we Japanese think what the series should be.


Such fictional scenes are often seen in the series "Hana Moyu", broadcast in 2015 and it was attacked in the press. But this year medias seem to hesitate to criticise the series. It is unnatural though it is still criticised or blamed on the internet. And the scene of the execution of Masatsugu is unnatural also. Just after the broadcast of the episode, a CD that contains a song whose theme is his death was on sale. It's a kind of viral marketing but I doubt it is proper to do such business using Taiga Drama series. It's the line that should not be crossed but the production crew crossed it...


The audience rating of "Hana Moyu" went up in the latter half of the series but "Onna Joshu Naotora" didn't. Its rating was low for the series that is set in Sengoku period but the executive producers Yukie Okamoto and Hirotoshi Matsukawa and Yoshiko Morishita, who writes the scenario show no sign of regret. They learn very few things or nothing from the failure of "Hana Moyu", the series doesn't describe the details of the affairs in the middle of the 19th century and that's one of the reasons why it's criticised.


SUGI Fumi, main character of "Hana Moyu" is a younger sister of YOSHIDA Shoin is surrounded by four men includes her brother Shoin. And in "Onna Joshu Naotora", the story developes O-Towa (Naotora) and four men - II Naochika, ONO Masatsugu, Ryuunmary and Toramatsu (Manchiyo), later II Naomasa. The two series are similar in this respect also.

However I'm satisfied with the description of IMAGAWA Ujizane in this series. It7s not too good but not too bad. If the Imagawa clan had been featured, I could have enjoyed it more. Anyway, I hope to watch solid one next year.

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Men's Fashion in the 16th Century Japan

6. Armour and battlefield

<Yoroi> (Japanese armour)

As there were many battled in the 16th century Japan, samurais had many opportunities to wear armours. Many of them wore traditional ones but some of them favoured the armours  influenced by those of western countries as time passed.

Takeda Harunobu (right) and his vassal Itagaki Nobukata in "Furin Kazan"



<Horo> 

Some samurais were appointed to HORO MUSHA in battles. They usually were messengers and packs a protector to prevent them from receiving arrows. In ancient times, they wore cloth but later it changed into a protector covered with yellow or red cloth.The protector resembled a big basket.

Not only horo, messengers of some clans carried flags like "Mukade shu" of the Takeda clan. Those who could carry them are elites who were selected from the sons of senior vassals.



<Headquarters and bases>

Headquarters or bases were surrounded by the tents with family crest. General or commander had a war council in them. They sat on shogi, a kind of collapsible stool and a table was consisted of shields and shogis. And the flags are raised as in the image.


In war council, go stones are used to position a battle array.

 
<Weapons>
 
In many battles, main weapons were spears, arrow and bows and swords. But from the middle 16th century, matchlocks became to be used.


During the winter campaign of the Siege of Osaka, TOKUGAWA Ieyasu used a field culverin to threat Chacha (Lady Yodo), mother of TOYOTOMI Hideyori. This is said to have been imported from England.

To tell the truth, cannons were not so much used in the Sengoku period. This is one of the few examples that a cannon overwhelmed the enemy in Japan at that time.

The images are the official website of "Onna Joshu Naotora", the DVD series and the video of "Sanada Maru" and "Furin Kazan".

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The title is changed from "To those who read the post on Taiga Drama in English".

I plan to write the posts about the armour in the 16th century Japan and  New Year Jidaigeki "Fu-unji tachi ~Rangaku Kakumei Hen（Revolutie）~" until the end of 2017 in addition to "Onna Joshu Naotora", "Furin Kazan" and "Sanada Maru". And I will begin writing about both "Taiheiki" and "Homura Tatsu" I mention in this post from next January.

Though the official website of "Fu-unji tachi ~Rangaku Kakumei Hen（Revolutie）~" is completed, it is in Japanese only. Then I plan to introduce the summary and the cast.

https://www.nhk.or.jp/jidaigeki/fuuunjitachi/

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Men's Fashion in the 16th Century in Japan

4. Others

Haori

Haori is a kind of overgarement and worn as everyday clothes by daimyos and rulers. With the passage of time, it became a formal dress of common man and still is worn with hakama as formal dress.
Sodenashi-baori

Sodenashi-baori is a sleeveless haori and worn as casual wear or as travelling outfit with Tattsuke-bakama that makes the wearer move easy.

In "Furin Kazan", Yamamoto Kansuke wears a pale brown sodenashi-baori and meets O-Goto hime, one of the concubines of Takeda Harunobu with her companion Ritsu.

In "Sanada Maru", Sanada Nobushige (left) wears a blue sodenashi-baori for his trip to Osaka with Uesugi Kagekatsu.

Kosode and hakama

Kosode is the clothes that means "small sleeve" because its sleeve opening is narrow. it's the one that is called kimono nowadays. Takeda Harunobu in "Furin Kazan" usually wears kosode and hakama when he meets his vassals and it's a very casual style.

Suikan

In "Onna Joshu Naotora", Imagawa Ujizane (right) wears a suikan. It has a stand-up collar and a string to fix the collar. It was worn by common people in ancient times. But it became to be used as casual wear by aristocrats and high-class samurais.It is worn with kukuri-bakama and the sleeve can be tied by the string. Its hem is usually tucked into the hakama.

Kariginu
Nagao Kagetora (left), later Uesugi Kenshin in "Furin Kazan" wears kariginu and kukuri-bakama. It is similar to suikan but its hem is not tucked into the hakama. It also has a stand-up collar and wide sleeve opening that can be tied by string. His vassal Naoe Sanetsuna wears a suit of suo. It was also worn by aristocrats and high-class samurais especially in hunting because kariginu means hunting wear.

The images are form the DVD series of "Sanada Maru", "Furin Kazan" and the official website of "Onna Joshu Naotora".

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Episode of Sanada Maru

Episode 43 Gungi (War Council)

TOKUGAWA Ieyasu who stays at Nojo Castle asks KATAGIRI Katsumoto about the ration in Osaka Castle. He says that there is only six-month supply of ration in store. At Osaka Castle, KIMURA Shigenari, one of the vassals of TOYOTOMI Hideyori suggests holding the castle. ONO Harunaga, ODA Urakusai and the Osaka Five except Yukimura agree with it but Yukimura is dissatisfied.

To begin with, Hideyori has no reinforcement to support him during the siege. And Yukimura plans to divide and confuse the enemies much more than Hideyori’s army in number. However Harunaga uses something that profits some of the Osaka Five as lures to make the agree with the holding the castle.

Then Yukimura proposes to Harunaga that thsy should fight against the Tokugawa Army outside the castle to protect the Toyotomi clan. Though Urakusai shows disapproval,　Hideyori agrees with his plan at last.However Chacha insists holding the castle and Yukimura has to work out another measure.

Episode 44 Chikujo (Construction)

Yukimura finds that the defense of south side of the castle should be strengthened. He plans to construct a fort there but Matabei has the same idea. However Yukimura plans to construct it to win while Matabei intends to die brilliantly in the upcoming war. Yukimura shows him his plan of the fort that is designed to slow the advance of enemy. Not only Matabei, but Hideyori is satisfied with the plan also.

But Okurakyo no Tsubone, who always looks down on the ronins suspects Yukimura who has such an idea. Then Harunaga and Shigenari don’t allow the ronins to take up the position and Yukimura’s plan of constructing a fort is cancelled.  Urakusai also tells Hideyori that he should not trust Yukimura because his father Masayuki was a man who promoted himself by betraying many people.

Yukimura still keeps constructing the fort though he is disturbed by Urakusai. Hideyori finally allows him to construct it. And the red armours are completed and Yukimura, Daisuke and TAKANASHI Naiki who wear the armours clombs the tower. Naiki asks Yukimura the name of the fort and he says proudly,
“Needlass to say…it’s SANADA Maru!!”  (*)



Episode 45 Kanpu (A Complete Victory）

The winter campaign of the Siege of Osaka began but Hideyori’s army is defeated by that of Tokugawa. It seems that somebody communicate with the Tokugawa Army secretly. Yukimura becomes to suspect Urakusai. And he tells Haru, Ume and Daihachi not to go out of the castle. Kiri becomes a maid of Chacha.

Sanada Maru is a great menace to TOKUGAWA Ieyasu. Then he orders Uesugi Kagekatsu who was closed with Yukimura to attack him with the Sabadas’ soldiers. Sasuke hands a secret letter to Yukimura and he tried to avoid fighting against his family. Then he plans to put his enemies up and then make themselves overreach as his father Masayuki did in the Siege of Ueda in 1585.

Other members of the Osaka Five and KIMURA Shigenari help him. He makes Shigenari disorder the armies of the Iis and the Maedas using matchlocks and fallen rocks. Then Yukimura rides on a horse and announces his name,
“I am SANADA Saemonnosuke Yukimura!”
He beat the enemies with HOTTA Sakubei with many soldiers perfectly. It moves UESUGI Kagekatsu though he is his enemy now.

Uesugi Kagekatsu (Keinichi endo, left) and his vassal Naoe Kanetsugu (Shingo Murakami) see Yukimra and Sanada Maru.

(*) In the scene, Takanashi Naiki finds the soldiers wear red armours in the enemy's position. Yukimura tells him that it's the army of the Iis and the clan must have their own history as the Sanada clan have. Naiki tells his master that he would like to hear about them. Many viewers thought it's the public relations of "Onna Joshu Naotora".

The images are from the DVD series of "Sanada Maru".
 

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Men's fashion in the 16th century in Japan

2. Suo
 
Suo (su-ô) was worn by the samrais in the Middle Ages. Even in the late Sengoku period, it was popular in the provinces. Suo is a suit of kimono (suo) and hakama and both are made of linen. Unlike kosode, it has big sleeve openings and and is tucked into hakama to make the wearer move easier. Leather cord at the front is decoration. Suo was also worn with nagabakama (trained hakama) as ceremonial dress.





 

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Today I write about the reason why I simplified the introduction of "Onna Joshu Naotora".

Firstly, it is due to the press on my daily life. Secondly, I also manage two blogs other than this and I have not finished posting the articles on "Sanada Maru" as yet. From these kinds of reasons, I simplify the posts on the episodes temporary. I’d like to write about the outline at least but the details will be summarised and posted later. And the episodes of "Furin Kazan" will be simplified for the time being.

To tell the truth, the series "Onna Joshu Naotora" is criticised for its peculiarity and not popular as "Sanada Maru". I will write about it after the broadcast of the final episode.

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Men's fashion in the 16th century Japan

1. Kamishimo

Kamishimo originally means a suit of clothes but became to mean a suit of sleeveless suo (kataginu*) and hakama (pleated pants) later. The design became finical with the times. Kamishimo was mainly worn by samurais in former times but is still put on by some people at traditional events even today.  It was popular among many samurais including daimyos in the late Sengoku Period.

Tokugawa Hidetada in "Sanada Maru" wears a kataginu with the pattern of hollyhocks, the plant used as the crest of the Tokugawas 


(*) I will write about suo next time. The clothes were popular in the Medieval Japan and worn by samurais in "Furin Kazan".

The images are from the official websites of "Sanada Maru" , "Onna Joshu Naotora" and the DVD series of "Sanada Maru".

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