Launch documentation for the 1937 introduction of the new Navy Gunto

[DaveR]

You may very well be right. I went through my photo files and found only NLF officers with Sam Brown's except for...This guy who is the possibly Japanese? officer of a Ta Tao collaborator unit. This photo gives lots of people the heebee jeebies, and I would welcome more information about what is going on here.

[adachi]

The above officer appears to be Chinese.

Regarding the Sam Brown belts, they are regulation as per the naval landing force uniform regulations set forth in 1933. They are supposed to be worn by all NLF officers, even when the sword is not in use. They had already become a defacto standard by at least 1927, as almost every NLF officer in Shanghai had one.

[DaveR]

"The above officer appears to be Chinese." And he carries a shin gunto! No axe to grind but the IJA was VERY precious about who carried this style of sword. I suspect we will never know.

[Jareth]

That well known photo has been around the block. It’s been described as Chinese puppet troops and or Chinese troops loyal to the Japanese. Soldier on left is wearing a Japanese helmet and all appear to be armed with type 38 rifles

[Nick Komiya]

This thread is straying, so let me put it back into orbit.

Jareth had earlier added to this thread a WAF photo of a navy Gunto exhibiting the Hiramaki grip-wrap specified by the navy. The example does show what Hiramaki looked like, but whether the wrap on that example was done postwar by an amateur is a valid question, as it somehow does not feel right to me either.

However, the argument about the position of the knot being incorrect is not valid, as navy regulations did specify that the tape ends should be tied in a Komamusubi-knot 小間結 at the lower edge of the Kabutogane 冑金下際 to be positioned at the upper ridge of the grip 棟方ニテ.

The document I showed in post #1 gave as many as 15 points to watch out for on the grip alone. Those 15 points are, as follows. Points 9 and 10 specify the tape to be used and how to apply the Hiramaki.

一、柄ノ長サハ最短五寸五分トスル� �ト
二、柄ノ形状ハ立鼓、柄頭ニテ一分� �トスルヲ原則トスルモ修得セル劍術� ��派二定メラレタルモノトスルヲ妨ゲ ズ
三、冑金ノ刃方棟方ニハ鍍一、柄ノ� �サハ最短五寸五分トスルコト　
四、猿手用鵐目ハ櫻花トスルコト
五、柄鮫ハ必ズ沙皮ヲ用ヒ和鮫其ノ� �ノ疑ヒ物ヲ用ヒザルコト
六、柄沙皮ハ必ズ一枚を用ヒ冑金ノ� �縁ニ及ビ佩裏ニテ突合セ著セトス但� ��前重著セトスルモ差支ナキコト
七、著セタル沙皮ノ刃方棟方ハ巻柄� �必要以上ニ磨リ取ラザルコト
八、沙皮ハ瀬〆漆ニテ一囘以上下塗� �二囘以上瀬〆ニ松煙ヲ混ゼ若ハ箔下� ��ヲ塗ルコト
九、柄絲ハ濃茶色絹二ツモロ三十三� �四間飛常組トスルコト
十、巻方ハ平巻、冑金下際、棟方ニ� �、小間結トシ餘端ハ絲下ニ挿込ムコ� ��絲幅二分但シ平巻ハ併菱トスルモ差 支ナシ
十一、目貫ハ金又ハ銅鍍金トシ輪ニ� �花紋三雙、櫻花肉合彫地七子（魚子� ��トス家紋ヲ用フル場合ハ之ニ準ズル コト
十二、縁ハ引小縁ニ枝桜、共金ノ天� �金ヲ鑞著スルコト
十三、猿手ハ熏韋ヲ巻込ミ鞭結トス� �ナラバ八ツ折トシ鞭結トスルコト
十四、手貫緒ハ絹糸二ツモロ五十四� �高麗打長サニ尺五寸、總ハ縒總長サ� ��寸二分、扱ヲ入ル扱ハ網代編相当ノ 力ニテ引クモ抜ケザルコト
十五、手貫緒ハ猿手ニ引懸テ總ノ上� �テ一ト結ビスルコト

A careful read through the 15 items also reveals that, if you wanted to incorporate your family Mon on the sword, the Menuki was where you were allowed to display it, not elsewhere.

(Unfortunately annoying � � appear in the Japanese, so please refer to post #1).

[Nick Komiya]

At the start of this thread I mentioned the confusion with which the Navy in general greeted the comeback of the Samurai sword design.

Let me highlight that point further by quoting an actual exchange discussing this point.

As discussed in a another thread, the revival of the Samurai sword hit most naval officers as a step back in the wrong direction, coming totally out of the blue and being no natural outpour of Japanese nationalism.

On 5th November 1937, Kyuichi Tokoro, an individual and resident of Gifu City wrote a letter to the Ministry of the Navy in Tokyo.

The letter said...

Dear Sir,
I duly took notice of your public announcement in the 25th October issue of the government gazette, that you intend to renew the exterior design of the navy’s Gunto for officers. Is this to be understood as a renewal of the exterior appearance of what had been used as a ceremonial model or does it refer to a totally separate set of exterior fittings intended for combat use?

Please kindly advise which of the interpretations above applies to this case. The reason for my inquiry is, because I have a pressing need to acquire a new set of exterior fittings for my sword.

To this inquiry, the Aide-de-camp at the Ministry of the Army replied on 8th November 1937 as follows.

Dear Kyuichi Tokoro
In reply to your inquiry regarding the Gunto.
The Gunto you inquired about on 5th of November is a totally new introduction, separate from the sabre, which is meant to be carried in the following circumstances.

1. As standard equipment for wartime and military emergencies.
2. For commanding ceremonial troops or guards.
3. For those serving as Land Forces, Boarding Party onto enemy vessels, Boarding Inspection crew

Shown below is the actual exchange.

[Bruce Pennington]

Nick,
One of the things I truly enjoy about your work is the bringing in of human experiences of the war time. When you give examples like this, the war becomes more that pictures and text in a book, and becomes real, as people lived it.

I really appreciate that.

[Gunto]

Regarding Sam Brown belt.
Photo from

[DaveR]

Another classic photo'.

[Kiipu]

This popped yesterday, a naval sword tassel with a zig-zag stitch. Nick, have you ever heard of such a thing in Japanese documents?
Legendary zig-zag stitch Kai Gunto tassel - Military Swords of Japan - Nihonto Message Board

There is a somewhat related thread about brown tassels in which the naval brown tassel is mentioned.
What were the regulations for the Army civilian employees to carry swords?