Sword frogs?..

[Geoff Ward]

I thought I would post an NCO sword I have had for some time now.At first my interest in Japanese swords was in WWII swords because I felt safer in the collecting of pieces that would not "Break the bank"if I purchased a fake. The Shingunto pieces were still considered undesirable because they were not hand forged.This piece was one of the first pieces of Japanese I bought. At the time I was unaware of the suspension methods used and just purchased it from the grandson of an unappreciated Vet. Later I realized that this was not regulation but a field expedient. It probably would have been easier to wriggle through a tangled jungle with this setup as opposed to a long dangling chain or strap rig.
Has anyone encountered this type of "Modification?"

Best, Geoff

[Geoff Ward]

Another

Another pic

[Geoff Ward]

Another photo

one more

[GHP]

...I was unaware of the suspension methods used and just purchased it from the grandson of an unappreciated Vet. Later I realized that this was not regulation but a field expedient. It probably would have been easier to wriggle through a tangled jungle with this setup as opposed to a long dangling chain or strap rig.

Right you are! The sword belt below has a sword "pocket" sewn in. I've seen these a few times, and don't know if they are field expedient or not.

[found on Google]

This style belt looks to be modeled after the "taiso bando" [exercise belt] that is still used in the Self Defense Forces.


I can find only images of JGSDF in this uniform while practicing bayonet sports. When I was a visiting instructor at the JSDF Intelligence School in 1991 the students wore this all-white uniform while playing baseball. I think the uniform, like the stable belt, is modeled after the stable fatigue uniform worn even by our army in the late 1800s (but US soldiers wore it with the jacket tail outside the pants).

I studied a form of swordsmanship that was developed at the Rikugun Toyama Gakko; in those days it was called "Guntou no Souhou" [Army Sword Methods], and today is called "Toyama Ryu Iaido" [or Battodo].

I still have a couple that I used when I was a diligent student. Here's one with two stripes indicating instructor status:



Here's my teacher when he was an army sergeant and swordsmanship instructor. Nakamura Taizaburo on the right (sword). Note how his scabbard has been placed between the taisobando and his uniform.

At Camp Jinmu on the North China-Soviet border 1944. Conducting a special
performance of sword versus bayonet forms during a military festival.
Bayonet, Sergeant Major Yoshii; Sword, Sergeant Nakamura Taizaburo.

--Guy

[gunto]

Thats a bayo frog , not for sword. IMO postwar added.

[Stu W]

Indeed, a bayonet frog, and we will never know if some enterprising IJA NCO added it in the field or if the vet himself jammed it on there. Regardless, it's always interesting to see these items. Thank you for showing it Geoff.

Regards,
Stu

[Geoff Ward]

More pics

Thought I would post a few more pics to answer some emails I recieved thanks for the comments.

Geoff

[Geoff Ward]

More pics

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[Stu W]

Thanks for posting the fuchi stampings Geoff. I nice Iijima made piece for the Tokyo First Arsenal under Kokura administration.

Regards,
Stu