How are you all doing?
Today, I'd like to introduce you to the Japanese HACHIMAKI.
A “HACHIMAKI” (鉢巻) is a long, narrow cloth or cord worn on the head, primarily in Japan, to aid in mental focus and boost fighting spirit. The term literally means “head bowl wrap.”
From the mid-Kamakura period onward, samurai wore HACHIMAKI during combat.
They fastened the HACHIMAKI over their eboshi cap(烏帽子) and then placed their helmet(兜-Kabuto) on top. This helped stabilize the helmet's crown.
Both the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy wore HACHIMAKI during wartime.
Hachimaki were not issued by the government; they were given directly to troops by superiors or others.
Others were made by female students who drew the Hinomaru with blood.
The material was silk or cotton.
Hideo Oishi, departing for the Chongqing Bombing—a large-scale air raid repeatedly conducted from December 1938 to September 1941 during the Sino-Japanese War.
He was a member of a medium land-based attack squadron, wearing a HACHIMAKI featuring the warship flag (Rising Sun flag) distributed to boost morale.
Upon close inspection, the Hachimaki he wears has a red cloth base.
reproduction
This one has a white cloth base.
For Japanese people, the HACHIMAKI is something they particularly want to wear when they want to get pumped up or unite as one.
Typically, it is wrapped directly around the head, with the flight helmet worn over it.
As they headed toward special attacks, photographs of them wearing the Hachimaki became more frequent.
Some included favorite phrases.
That's all for today.
Until next time.
※About ordering※
We manufacture the flight helmets, oxygen masks, receivers, etc. shown in the blog. Please contact us for production orders, film-related orders, etc.
Hello.
Today, we received reenactment photos from Mr. Z.W. in the UK, which we are pleased to share.
These photos were taken at an event held recently at Military Odyssey in Maidstone, Kent, UK.
Imperial Japanese Navy Aviation Corps Pilot
This scarf is inspired by the Fuyou Unit.
芙蓉の花 Cotton rose hibiscus
The “ Fuyou Unit ” was the common name for a unit formed in January 1945 when the 901st Fighter Squadron, 812th Fighter Squadron, and 804th Fighter Squadron—night fighter units belonging to the Combined Fleet—were reassembled at Fujieda Naval Air Base (present-day JASDF Shizuhama Air Base). Its official designation was the 131st Air Group
Crew members assigned to the Fuyou Unit wore light pink scarves, the color of the Cotton rose hibiscus flower.
芙蓉部隊 指揮官 美濃部 正 少佐
Fuyou Unit Commander Major Tadashi Minobe
Major Minobe named it thus because Mount Fuji was clearly visible from Fujieda Base (now Japan Air Self-Defense Force Shizuhama Base) in Shizuhama Village, Shida District, Shizuoka Prefecture (present-day Yaizu City), which served as the unit's base.
He is often portrayed as having resisted the military high command's policy of all-out special attacks and refused to carry them out. However, there are differing accounts regarding the reality of his actions. He devised various special attack operations, instructed units under his command in their training even before the formation of the Kamikaze Special Attack Corps, and actually ordered sorties for special attacks.
Minobe, then 29 years old, commanded approximately 1,000 personnel.
At a Navy meeting in late February 1945 at Kisarazu Base, where the decision for special attacks in the Okinawa campaign was finalized, he argued before the assembled senior officers that sending inexperienced pilots on successive suicide missions offered no chance of victory. He contended that rigorous training followed by night attacks would be more effective.
"None of our young pilots fear death. But mere empty slogans about mental fortitude alone cannot inspire them to stand up with true courage. If we must die, I ask that you provide us with a method that offers a reasonable chance of success."
(Minobe Tadashi, “A Taisho Child's Account of the Pacific War”)
According to Major Minobe's memoirs, their training was three times as rigorous as that of the special attack units.
Military officers inspected this demanding training regimen.
Furthermore, their reconnaissance efforts in gathering information on American forces were recognized. Consequently, an unusual change was made: the unit was excluded from the special attack squadron formation.
Fuyou Unit officers just before advancing to Kanoya Air Base. Center front is Minobe; to Minobe's left is Captain Masashi Tokura, flight leader of Combat Squadron 812; to his right is Captain Eiichi Kawabata, flight leader of Combat Squadron 804. Photographed at Fujieda Air Base on March 30, 1945.
The first contingent of the Fuyo Unit assembled at Kanoya Air Base to serve in the Battle of Okinawa. The person in the center of the second row from the front, wearing no hat and an American flight jacket, is Minobe. The photograph was taken on either April 1 or 4, 1945. The leather flight jacket he wears was given to him by an American POW in the Solomon Islands.
The exhibition booth displays equipment he collected and fighter aircraft outer panels.
The writing on the blackboard was completed after being rewritten many times.
Flight computer
Also on display are felt receivers, flight helmets, and Aerial Battle Models (wooden).
Aerial Battle Model（wooden） ●A6M
●Lockheed P-38 Lightning
Fighter aircraft outer panels
Window sock
Memo board and comfort doll
Japanese Army and Navy reenactors operating in the UK
He is currently the only IJAN pilot reenactor in the UK.
We talked about many things, so I know the effort he puts into his reenactments. That made me feel like I was building the base alongside him, which was really enjoyable.
His passion for reenactment, driven by a desire to convey something, truly warms my heart.
Thank you for sharing these great photos.
That's all for today.
See you soon.
※About ordering※
We manufacture the flight helmets, oxygen masks, receivers, etc. shown in the blog. Please contact us for production orders, film-related orders, etc.
Today, I would like to write about “Comfort dolls” that were sent (or given) to soldiers going to war.
Although they are not military equipment, I believe that they are indispensable and must not be forgotten when reenacting.
Soldiers smiling at the comfort dolls
I have been studying various kinds of military equipment, but I had not paid much attention to these dolls. However, when I look at soldiers, I see many photos of them wearing dolls from that time.
It is said that schoolgirls and women made them with their hearts and sent them in comfort bags（慰問袋 imon-bukuro) to soldiers fighting in the war.
Thus, each handmade doll seems to have a soul. These dolls have various names such as “comfort dolls（慰問人形 imon-ningyo),” “good-luck charm dolls（お守り人形 omamori-ningyo),” “mascot dolls（マスコット人形 masukotto-ningyo),” and “ special attack dolls（特攻人形 tokko-ningyo),” but one cannot help but feel the wish that “the soldiers will be safe” and "good luck will continue to flow to them.
There are still news videos about the comfort dolls of those days.
When you think of Japanese good luck charms（御守り omamori), you may easily imagine a small bag-shaped object, but I feel deeply touched by the idea of daring to give something in the shape of a person, just like the origins of the kanji（漢字) for “doll（人形）”.
These comfort bags were started by women who learned that soldiers in war zones were fighting for their lives under harsh conditions and wanted to heal and encourage them (activities spread mainly through women's groups such as the National Defense Women's Association 国防婦人会).
The bags were sent with not only dolls, but also letters, daily necessities such as soap, caramels, belly wraps, and gloves, foodstuffs, medicine, and other items.
Let's take a look at some photos from those days.
I could only show you the photos of the airmen here, but of course, they were actually comfort dolls for all soldiers.
A scene from the TV drama series “The Pacific”
After the special attack teams began their special attack missions, female students and their relatives would give them directly to the troops to take with them before they went out on their missions.
There are many photos of the soldiers with their dolls in the triangular barracks（三角兵舎) where they slept in the days leading up to the sortie.
A special attack soldier holding a comfort doll sent by female students from all over the country at the Triangle Barracks（三角兵舎).
Troops sleeping in the triangular barracks on the eve of a sortie.
The mascot doll will be hung in the plane tomorrow and fly out together.
In the memoirs of a female student who became a caretaker of the special attack team, the doll is often mentioned.
In the journal of a female student who was a caretaker of a special attack unit, she often wrote: "Among the dignified brothers' beloved planes, various dolls are swaying in the wind as if waiting for today's sortie.
One of the squadron members told me that of the two dolls, one was hung on his beloved plane and the other on his flight watch."
Dolls of the time
I think these dolls are a direct reflection of the personality of the person who made them. If I had a doll from those days right in front of me, there is no way I, or anyone else of course, could recreate it. That is why the recipients could not help but feel something.
I want to believe that their hearts were saved, even if only a little.
This is one of the dolls my wife handmade for Reenactor.
It contains a wish that the recipient's good health and peace of mind will be protected for a long time.
That's all for today.
See you soon.
※About ordering※
We manufacture the flight helmets, oxygen masks, receivers, etc. shown in the blog. Please contact us for production orders, film-related orders, etc.
Today we would like to introduce you to IJN's late model winter flight helmets with curled fur.
Squadron Officer, 1st Squadron Lieutenant‐JG Noriyasu Sato and J2M
He participated in the decisive Battle of the Philippines and was wounded while flying his Mitsubishi 2JM, as part of the 302nd.
If you look at his flight helmet you can see the long, curly fur. Most of the IJN winter flight helmets would have the shorter fur, from rabbit or nutria pelts. The longer, curly fur is said to have come from Angola Goats.
～Reproduction～
Ensign Michihiko Senge
Hyakurihara Naval Air Force（百里原海軍航空隊）in 1945
The white scarf fluffy around his neck was a gift from his father, who was the priest of Izumo Taisha Shrine（出雲大社). It was made by unraveling the white robe worn by his father.
His flight helmet can also be seen with its fur curled.
～Reproduction～
original
original
original
～Hinomaru Hachimaki～
～Scarf as a mask～
Well, that's all for today!
See you then.
※About ordering※
We manufacture the flight helmets, oxygen masks, receivers, etc. shown in the blog. Please contact us for production orders, film-related orders, etc.
Hello. Today, we would like to share with you some photos we received from Mr. P.M. from Texas, U.S.A !
This is a rear view with a Type 97 parachute (Type 2).
It is very rare to see such a reenactment with this much equipment installed.
In his hand, a Type 14 pistol can be seen.
The parachute was separated from the harness and placed like a cushion on the pilot's seat. Perhaps for this reason, there are very few photographs of the parachute hanging from the waist.
The canopy of the parachute was made of special silk habutae, and after the war was converted into fabric for use as handkerchiefs, etc., so there are very few of these in existence.
A Grumman F6F Hellcat can be seen in the background.
A a6m3 was supposed to come to this event, but due to problems with the aircraft, it was not able to come.
The flight helmet fits perfectly and the bounce-up habit looks great!
Hanging from the life vest is a comfort doll. At the time, female students and women made these dolls for soldiers in the war zone, expressing their feelings of fighting together.
In his hand is an Imperial Japan Navy Sword (海軍刀 Kaiguntō).
In principle, swords, which are made of iron, were prohibited from being carried on board naval fighters because of their effect on the compass.
Let's take a look at the equipment here for a moment.
●Early Type1 Winter Flight Helmet
●Early type life vest
●Receiver with felt
●Memo board
●White silk scarf
※About ordering※
We manufacture the flight helmets, oxygen masks, receivers, etc. shown in the blog. Please contact us for production orders, film-related orders, etc.
