Horse mark - Umajirushi

A military marker popular in the early modern period. It is also written as 'baken' or 'ba-shiyo'. It was attached to the end of a long pole and was pressed against the horse of a military commander or at the main camp to indicate his location. It is believed to have originated from the end of the Middle Ages to the beginning of the early modern period based on articles in the 'Kōyō Gunkan' and 'Shinchōki' as well as records from various feudal domains. It is believed to have arisen from the need to distinguish between enemies and demonstrate honor in the fierce battles between large armies of the time. There are large and small 'ba-in' banners. Large 'ba-in' banners are often large flags or 'fukinuki' banners with five or six panels each, dyed with crests, patterns, letters, etc., and there were also 'tsukurimono' banners modeled after objects, and they were generally placed at the main camp. The komajirushi is thought to have evolved from the swordsmanship and spear sheaths carried by military commanders' attendants, and is also known as matoi.

Various items made from materials such as cloth, paper, wood, bamboo, whalebone, bird feathers, and leather, and colored with gold and silver leaf, lacquer, dyes, and pigments, were popular, and their designs were more varied and colorful than those of the large horse crests. In addition to the shogun, hatamoto, and feudal lords, horse crests were used by the shogun, hatamoto, and feudal lords, and as the Hosokawa clan records state, ``those who were not allowed to use horse crests'' were allowed to use them by the clans and senior vassals of feudal lords. Famous examples include Oda Nobunaga's golden umbrella, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's gourd, Tokugawa Ieyasu's golden fan, Shibata Katsuie's golden sacred wand, Kato Kiyomasa's horse rush, and Hosokawa Tadaoki's four-sided large flag with the character ``ari'' on it.

[Motoo Yamagishi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

近世に流行した軍陣の標識。馬験、馬標とも書く。長柄(ながえ)の先につけ、武将の馬側や本陣に押し立て、その所在を明示した。『甲陽軍鑑』『信長記(しんちょうき)』の記事および諸藩の記録などにより、中世末から近世初頭に発生したものと推測される。当代の大軍による熾烈(しれつ)な戦闘において、彼我を識別し功名を顕示しようとする要求より出たものと解される。大馬印と小馬印の別があり、大馬印は紋章、文様、文字などを染め付けた五幅(いつの)、六幅(むの)四方の乳付(ちつき)の大旗や吹貫(ふきぬき)が多く、物の形をかたどった「作り物」のたぐいもあり、おおむね本陣に据えられた。小馬印は従者が捧持(ほうじ)した武将の指物(さしもの)や槍(やり)の鞘(さや)から転化したものと考えられ、纏(まとい)の称もある。

　布帛(ふはく)、紙、木、竹、鯨のひげ、鳥毛、皮革などを素材とし、金銀箔(はく)、漆、染料、顔料(がんりょう)などで彩色したさまざまの作り物が好まれ、その意匠は大馬印より変化に富み、多彩である。馬印は将軍、旗本、諸侯のほか、細川家の記録に「馬印御免の衆」とあるごとく諸侯の一族重臣が許されて使用した。著名なものに織田信長の金の唐傘(からかさ)、豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉の瓢箪(ひょうたん)、徳川家康の金扇、柴田(しばた)勝家の金の御幣、加藤清正の馬藺(ばりん)、細川忠興(ただおき)の有の字の四方大旗などがある。

［山岸素夫］

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