Senninbari "1000 Stitch Belt"

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

Hello,

Going thru some of my packed way stuff last night and came across this Senninbari that I have had in my collection for a long time. The owner did alot of art work on it and thought some of you might be interested in seeing it. Im guessing its from the China Campaign since he he has drawn the great wall of China, a castle with sun, then there is a drawing of Mt. Fuji and the Tiger. I have never had it translated so if anyone would like to tell me what is says, it would be greatly appreciated. Enjoy.

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

left side

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

middle

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

Close up of the tiger

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

right side

[Jareth]

David, where are the thousand stitches? On the other side?

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

David, where are the thousand stitches? On the other side?

no stitches, the title should have been called good luck belly band or something to the fact. David.

[MikeB]

Senninbari....not really.

David-
What a great senninbari! That portrays some of the neatest symbolic artwork I have seen collected on a senninbari. ...........and you are right, it is not a real senninbari as it lacks stitches or knots. It is a good luck belt. These seem to be rarer than actual stitch belts and senninriki. I really like the symbolism of the wave, ready to engulf the Great Wall of China! Let me know if your haramaki ever needs a new home! It is really different. MikeB

[Jareth]

Is there a significance in the posistioning of the sewn coin? I wouldn't of thought to cover the tigers eyes! It kind of ruins the image! Thought they'd choose another open, undecorated area?

[MikeB]

Senninbari........

Jareth-
Some tiger stitch belts have the head of the tiger completely missing. The body is stitched but the head is gone- a headless tiger! Other pre-printed examples show the image of the tiger done in knots where the body is stitched over the red dots, but the head is left unstitched. Most of the people I have spoken with say that they believe this is a simple mistake. I would disagree but as of yet, have no facts to back up the point either way. I have some ideas why it was done, but can't say for sure.
Other examples of tiger belts show good luck coins randomly sewn to the tiger's body, while others show a single coin sewn over the eye. Another pattern shows a coin over the eye and at the end of the tail. It seems to me that there would be an explanation for the eye or eye/tail coin combo, but for now that answer escapes me too. MikeB

[Nick Komiya]

This is a belly band Yosegaki presented to a Kouji Akutsu by 5 people. The slogan in the middle means "Bringing the world together as one family" (hence Mt Fuji and the Great Wall shown together)and there are several others like "Wishing for everlasting fortune in battle". Particularly to allow the wearer to be able to evade enemy bullets, there's the Shinto charm of "Samuhara". Also, to give it further luck, Akutsu Kyouichi 15 years old, born in the year of the tiger (1926) is signing. The band is dated March 1940.
In the case of Senninbari, a woman born on the year of the tiger, was allowed not one stitch but as many as her age. Kyouichi is a boy, so there was no bonus of 15 stitches here, but still best wishes from someone born on the year of the tiger was regarded as lucky; lucky because of the legend that a tiger can go a 1000 miles and return in one night (the emphasis being on safe return).

[Nick Komiya]

To have the 5 or 10 Sen lucky coin at the eye of the tiger appears to have been common practice according to what I read. I'm not 100% sure of the reason for this, but in Feng Shui the Tiger's Eye (gem stone) is supposed to scare bad luck away with its all-seeing and ferocious stare, so I think that is where they got the idea to sew it on to the luckiest spot of the lucky creature.

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

Nick and Mike, Thanks so much for the great information and translation . this has been a very interesting thread and as always I have learned alot as im sure everyone else that has read it. I can't thank you all enough for your expertise. David.

[Striking 9th]

Nick and Mike, Thanks so much for the great information and translation . this has been a very interesting thread and as always I have learned alot as im sure everyone else that has read it. I can't thank you all enough for your expertise. David.

I second that! Also hope you are feeling well Nick.
Thanks, Scott