Paris samurai exhibit.

**american samurai** · November 22, 2011, 04:58 AM

Here is a link from the nihonto forum with pictures of the exhibit.

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewt...st=0&sk=t&sd=a

https://picasaweb.google.com/1110344...rai?feat=email

**Lord Oda Nobunaga** · November 22, 2011, 04:16 PM

Oh no I don't live in France...

**furinkazan** · December 10, 2011, 03:02 AM

I don't live in France too, but in Belgium

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I went to the exibition yesterday. It's a really nice collection. If you're not living too far, i recommand this visit.

**american samurai** · December 11, 2011, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by furinkazan

I don't live in France too, but in Belgium

.
I went to the exibition yesterday. It's a really nice collection. If you're not living too far, i recommand this visit.

No pictures???

**RavSai** · January 11, 2012, 10:33 AM

Hey there,

Bit of a late reply (1 month since last post, hehe).
I too visited this exhibition (2 weeks ago, I live in Belgium too).
A nice collection, worth the effort to visit if you're not too far away (I had to sit on the train for 5-ish hours total, that's both ways).
Thing is though, the pictures in the Picasa album are probably the best you'll find. It was very hard to
take pictures there, because:
1) Huge crowd, you wouldn't believe it.
2) Everything (save for a few pieces of armour) was behind glass, making it very difficult to
take pictures without getting reflections on them.
3) The lights were terrible, haha. They made the reflections even worse.

I did buy the catalogue however, which has pictures of (I think) all of the pieces featured in the exhibition with explanations.
It also features a short history of the owners and where the collection was originally from.

**visser300** · January 11, 2012, 10:51 AM

Hmmmm, I thought that samurai didn't use shield.

**Loger** · January 11, 2012, 11:01 AM

That's a hat.

**RavSai** · January 12, 2012, 03:00 AM

Originally Posted by visser300

Hmmmm, I thought that samurai didn't use shield.

That, in fact, is a helmet. More specifically a 'ichimonji jingasa' (= flat helmet). From the 14th century, made out of iron and guilded bronze. Mostly used for ceremonial occasions, but also by those going to war because it was more comfortable to wear than a normal helmet.

(cf. Armure du Guerrier p.336)

**american samurai** · January 12, 2012, 03:05 PM

I made this category on Wiki commons for pictures taken at the exhibit, considering the lighting, crowds, glass etc it seems that you would have to be very lucky (or a great photographer) to get a good shot.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ca...ior%22_exhibit

**american samurai** · January 12, 2012, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by RavSai

That, in fact, is a helmet. More specifically a 'ichimonji jingasa' (= flat helmet). From the 14th century, made out of iron and guilded bronze. Mostly used for ceremonial occasions, but also by those going to war because it was more comfortable to wear than a normal helmet.

(cf. Armure du Guerrier p.336)

Actually jingasa are considered to be hats, jin=war gasa=kasa=hat.

**RavSai** · January 12, 2012, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by american samurai

Actually jingasa are considered to be hats, jin=war gasa=kasa=hat.

That could very well be, but in the official catalogue the translation next to it says: "casque plat", and in French casque means helmet or headphones, and somehow I don't think it's the second one.

**furinkazan** · January 13, 2012, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by RavSai

That could very well be, but in the official catalogue the translation next to it says: "casque plat", and in French casque means helmet or headphones, and somehow I don't think it's the second one.

The term 'casque' in the book is unfortunate for this jingasa. It should be 'couvre-chef', which translates as hat.

**Jom** · January 13, 2012, 04:37 PM

Where is the exhibition in Paris? The Grand Palais? If so, I may head along. They also have some nice Japanese armour and weaponry at Les Invalides in their permanent collection, although the selection of items is rather small.

**furinkazan** · January 13, 2012, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Jom

Where is the exhibition in Paris? The Grand Palais? If so, I may head along. They also have some nice Japanese armour and weaponry at Les Invalides in their permanent collection, although the selection of items is rather small.

It's at the musée du Quai Branly, not far from the Eiffel-tower. http://www.quaibranly.fr/fr/programm.../samourai.html

**RavSai** · January 14, 2012, 02:37 AM

Originally Posted by furinkazan

The term 'casque' in the book is unfortunate for this jingasa. It should be 'couvre-chef', which translates as hat.

I agree, that would've indeed been more appropriate.
I checked the glossary at the end of the book and there they decided
to translate "jingasa" as "chapeau de guerre" or "casque chapeau plat" or "casque militaire léger",
which all would've been better I guess.