Saihai

Antique saihai, Met Museum.

A saihai (采配) was a baton carried by samurai commanders in feudal Japan. The saihai or sai-hai was a sign of rank and a signal device.^[1]^[2]

Appearance and use

A saihai usually consisted of a lacquered wood stick with metal ends. The butt had a hole for a cord for the saihai to be hung from the armor of the samurai when not being used. The head of the saihai had a hole with a cord attached to a tassel of strips of lacquered paper, leather, cloth or yak hair.^[3]^[4] The saihai first came into use during the 1570s and the 1590s between the Genki and Tensho year periods. Large troop movements and improved and varied tactics required commanders in the rear to be able to signal their troops during a battle.^[5]

Gallery

Edo period commanders baton "saihai" with a yaks hair tassle.
Japanese ( samurai ) commanders signal baton "saihai" with leather tassels.
Japanese ( samurai ) commanders signal baton "saihai" with leather tassels.

References

↑ http://hirasefamily.com/antiques3.aspx
↑ Secrets of the samurai: a survey of the martial arts of feudal Japan By Oscar Ratti, Adele Westbrook p.225
↑ Samurai armies, 1550-1615 By Stephen R. Turnbull, Richard Hook p.12-p.13
↑ A Glossary of the Construction,Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in all countries and in all times by George Cameron Stone page 61
↑ Russo-Japanese war, Volume 3 A.T.Mahan Publisher Kinkodo pub. co., 1905 p.911

Japanese weapons, armour and equipment

Sword construction	Glossary of Japanese swords Horimono Japanese sword mountings Japanese sword polishing Japanese swordsmithing Tameshigiri

Swords	Chokutō Guntō Japanese sword Katana Kodachi Ninjatō Ōdachi Shikomizue Tachi Tsurugi Uchigatana Wakizashi

Knives and daggers	Kabutowari Kaiken Tantō Yoroidōshi

Polearms and spears	Bisento Hoko yari Kamayari Nagamaki Naginata Sasumata Sodegarami Torimono sandōgu Tsukubō Yari

Practice weapons	Bokken Iaitō Shinai Shinken Suburitō Tanren bō

Armour	Auxiliary armours Bōgu Dō Dō-maru Haramaki Japanese armour Kabuto Karuta Kikko Kusari Mempo Ō-yoroi Sangu Tatami

Armour types	Brigandine Lame Lamellar Laminar Mail Plate Plated mail Scale

Clothing	Fundoshi Hakama Kyahan Shitagi Tabi Uwa-obi Waraji

Samurai accoutrements	Abumi Daishō Horo Kaginawa Kate-bukuro Kubi bukuro Kura Uchi-bukuro Yebira

Chain and rope weapons	Chigiriki Kusarigama Kusari-fundo Kyoketsu-shoge Jōhyō

Clubs and truncheons	Hachiwara (club type) Jitte Kanabō Tekkan Tessen

Staff weapons	Bō Hanbō Jō Tambō/Tanbō Yubi-bo

Projectile and throwing weapons	Makibishi Oyumi Shuriken Ya Yumi

Firearms and guns	Bajōzutsu Bo-hiya Tanegashima

Other weapons	Kama Metsubushi Ono Ōtsuchi Shobo Suntetsu

Signal devices	Gunbai Hata-jirushi Horagai Kabura-ya Nobori Saihai Sashimono Uma-jirushi

Users	Ashigaru Edo period police Ninja Rōnin Samurai Sōhei Yamabushi

Japanese armour Japanese martial arts Japanese swords National Treasure swords Samurai weapons and equipment

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