Our COLLECTIONS

M228 - Ashigaru

ref. EK Castings Zinnfigur – M228 - Ashigaru

M228 - Ashigaru avec des tropIIshés, 2ième moitié XVI - début XV
Throughout the history of the samurai best proof of the victory that Samurai or Ashigaru could give his master, he was captured as a trophy the severed head of an enemy. The tradition of cutting off and collecting animals was common throughout the history of the samurai. This custom, probably rooted in folk traditions and religious beliefs of the Japanese.
Marines-ashigaru, show courage and bravery in battle, could count on the awards and promotions. Opportunity to show themselves traditionally reduced to the number of captured enemy heads. Engaging in battle, loyal and brave ashigaru wondered if he would be able to get the enemy's head, or, on the contrary, he will lose his? In the words of Tokugawa Ieyasu before the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, only two options: either go back to bloody the enemy's head, or to remain without a head. Ieyasu was a great expert in this matter. His people, he made carefully monitor the hairstyle and hair before the battle fumigate spices, so that their severed heads were neat and a good view. Samurais are also encouraged to let his mustache that their heads are not confused with women.
Procured valuable head warrior tried to leave the field of battle, convinced that it was his duty fulfilled. Commanders sometimes had to give special orders prohibiting the cutting off the head directly during the battle, not to be distracted from the main objective of the battle. Warrior beheaded corpse thrown into the ring, became an object of scorn, and the heads of ordinary ashigaru, severed in the heat of battle, often not taken into account.
After the battle, conducted the collection and recording of these horrible trophies. Then the ceremony contemplation goals. The winning daimyo beheld them sitting in my rate, surrounded by the most approximate samurai. Before this ceremony head thoroughly washed, combed hair, tinted face makeup and mounted on special plates with spikes. This routine work typically performed by women. Then each head attached paper label, which bore the name of the victim, and the name of a brave warrior, dobyvshego trophy. If you did not have time to get ready for the ceremony, the head exposed to the disclosure of fighting fan, laid by a handkerchief or leaves to soak up the blood. Contemplation of the head could be delayed and timed to any holiday. Thus, the highlight of the program of the New Year feast arranged by Oda Nobunaga in 1574 became head captured in the previous year, and preserved because of their varnished and dusted with powdered gold.
Ashigaru clad in armor of a thin inexpensive lacquered steel or leather. Such armor style okegawa-up produced thousands and called Ocasio-gusoku ( "borrow armor"). Short manual lance (mochi Jari) has at the tip lacquered wooden sheath. Ashigaru procured valuable battle trophies: a pair of swords, which he tied to kopeynomu the shaft, and the severed head of their former owner.
 
Infantry troops were samurai arquebusiers troops, archers and spearmen. The most numerous were groups ashigaru-lancers. Classic lance Jari edged blade had a length of 15 to 90 cm, and the length of the shaft -. 1.5 to 2.5 m They were held with two hands, applying different intercepts, stitching and chopping impacts and inflow strokes. To combat the cavalry first ranks of infantry armed with very long spears - from 3 to 6 meters.
Troops Commander Ii Naomasa were part of the Tokugawa army in the Battle of Sekigahara (1600) and Osaka (1615)."Red Devils" Yee got its name from the red armor. He commanded the vanguard of the "Red Devils" Kimata Morikatsu, whose emblem is the white grunt in his red flag-sashimono. Ancient symbol Tomoe (comma-shaped) as the Mona used by several samurai clans. Okegawa armor and helmet-to Jingasa covered with bright red varnish. Skid plates on the hands and feet, as well as the bottom plate skirt kusazuri painted black. Spear covered with black lacquer.