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Kendoguy9
2nd December 2004, 06:19
Hello all,

I just got back from Tokyo a couple weeks ago and something I saw got me thinking. It was my second trip to Japan and I really wanted to see the grave of the 47 Ronin. So one day when we didn't train budo until the afternoon, we went to Sengakuji. Outside of the temple there was a small shop (one of several really) that had gifts. One item I saw on display was a child's happi coat. I asked the shop keep if he had adult sizes, but he told me they were out of stock for a while. I was really disappointed, because they looked very cool.

They were a light blue base with white design. On the back it had Lord Asano's kamon printed very large. At the edges of the sleeves and the bottom of the jacket it had a "shark tooth" pattern (for want of a better term) in white. I saw a man at the temple (guy who was selling incense) with one on and it just looked cool.

In a vain hope to find one, I went on ebay when I got back home. The closest I could find was a black and white one (actually looks cooler then blue) that is Shinsengumi. It has "Shinsengumi" on the collar and "Makoto" on the back (where the kamon was on the other). Otherwise the pattern was the same. My girlfriend got me the Shinsengumi happi for Christmas. No 47 Ronin though.

Where am I going with this? I have seen this shark tooth pattern depicted on samurai (mostly Chushingura theme) in ukiyo-e many times. Please see link for example:
http://www.robynbuntin.com/ukiyo-e/item.asp?ProductID=4336
I have also read that the Shinsengumi did wear this style haori. Does anyone know if the Ronin, or Shinsengumi truly wore this style kimono/haori? Does it have any significance? It seems only samurai are shown wearing it in Ukiyo-e. Does it have a special name?

Also, does anyone ever go near Sengakuji? If so, would you mind picking one up for me? Or if you know another source for them I would truly appreciate it.

Kendoguy9
2nd December 2004, 06:21
P.S.

Thanks everyone for your help in advance!

Douglas Wylie
2nd December 2004, 14:38
Here ya go

http://www.shop-japan.co.jp/english-boku/shinsengumi.htm

X-san
2nd December 2004, 20:36
Yup, that's the Shinsengumi haori all right. Apparently the white version with the black pattern is a lot more dubious than the blue/white one, the existence of which is pretty certain. There is some debate over the color, as the word for the uniform's coloration is "asagi", which can also mean yellow, but the blue is generally the accepted version.

The resemblance to the 47 Ronin haori is deliberate - the Shinsengumi were on a big Chuushingura kick, and designed their uniforms accordingly. ;)

FujitaMakoto
8th June 2005, 17:37
1) The Shinsengumi changed their uniform
2) the blue uniform the most famous was used only temporarily
3) yes the connection with the 47 ronin is true however MORE confusion is due to the fact that people believe what they see in films---for example they believed that captains dressed in different uniforms and so forth