The Evolution of IJA Canteens (1889-1945) Expanded Version

[Nick Komiya]

Since writing this canteen story, I have continued to make many discoveries about the Army, as I researched other topics. Among those new insights, one thing that dawned on me recently when writing about Army uniform markings was the fact that before the Central Clothing Depot was established in Tokyo in 1890, clothing and field gear items needed to be procured locally by each regiment. HQ only supplied them with samples of the items, and the regiments had its own tailors, saddlers, and cobblers to duplicate these samples for their own troops.

So when I first wrote this story, I was surprised by what seemed to be a disorganized flurry of development activity throughout the Army to cope with the problem of exploding glass canteens, due to the freezing cold in China during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894/95. This I described as “Too many fingers in the pie”, but now I realize that this happened while the newly established depot was still gearing up, and the home units of the regiments sent to China were merely playing the traditional developer/fabricator role in support of the field units, like they always had done.

But even when the aluminum canteen was established, they were being made by the arsenal, not yet by the central clothing depot. Sometime later, canteens would become the responsibility of the clothing depot (I’m too lazy to find out when this switch of jurisdiction occurred), but at this point the fabrication involved state-of-the-art equipment imported from Germany, so aluminum canteens were nothing the clothing depot could simply source from the private sector.

So when new technology was involved, arsenals took the lead to develop and supply them, but as the private sector caught up, the clothing depots took over to buy from private industry. This progression was also seen in steel helmets and gas masks, as they got switched from the weapons category to a clothing item.

Thus if you step back, you can see within the army itself a microcosm of industrialization, in the form of a linear progression from “Home-made (by Regiment)” to “Government-issue (Arsenal)” and “Private Sector supply (Clothing Depot)”.

They are just canteens, but even they tell a small chapter in the evolutionary story of mankind.

[arisakadogs]

I have this canteen that is in almost new condition. It's the only one I've seen with a small metal tag sewn onto the carry strap. Any thoughts on this? Thanks in advance

[Nick Komiya]

That tag would have been affixed in connection with the post war reuse of the canteen in civilian life.

The name under the family crest reads Itoh, and that crest was indeed used by the Itoh family. The writing on both sides of the name, reads Tomita Nishimachi, which was the name of the township, the Itoh family lived in. That is the northern part of Yokkaichi City of Mie Prefecture now.

The Itoh family was a highly influential family, which more or less founded Yokkaichi City by industrializing the area by running a Sake Brewery, Soya Sauce company, among other businesses and the sauce company is still in business today as Yamako Soya Sauce and is still run by the Itoh's.

[arisakadogs]

Very interesting information. Thanks a bunch!
Just had a thought. Do you think the Itoh family might have acquired these unissued canteens and then marketed them with this tag attached?

I also have these two officers canteens. One is like new and the other one is nice & salty. The used one has a wool cover sewn over the length of the shoulder strap.

[Nick Komiya]

No, not for sale, but used probably by a child in the family, as all kids had canteens after the war for school outings.

[MAP]

Wonderful information Nick.

[dimmuborgir95]

Thanks, Nick, excellent information and photo.

[Nick Komiya]

Just to keep things consolidated under one title, here are officer canteen specs, explaining how post 44 features post 1930 versions.

[DoubleCanister]

Hello, thank you for posting this article. I was reading reports of Western officers attached to the IJA army during the Russo Japanese war, (whether it was American or British escapes me at the moment). In their writings about the equipment, they mention both a canteen and water bottle such that it seems that the IJA soldier carried two objects. The water bottle seems to refer to the standard canteen that you mentioned in your article, but the canteen seems to refer to a object which I could not seem to find pictures of. Do you happen to have any ideas about what they might be referring to? (Could the canteen be a local improvisation?)

[Nick Komiya]

To me a canteen and water bottle are the same thing, but in British English canteen also broadly refers to eating utensils and a place for eating, so by stretching that interpretation I tend to think they meant the mess kit. Anyway, the Japanese soldier did not carry two water containers.