This mask/mempo? has popped up in a few books I have from Japan. Unfortunately I can't read them so am at a loss. Can anyone identify what exactly it is and who it belonged to? It looks too flimsy for a helmet and too helmety for a mempo - I guess at a helmet liner but I've not heard of such before.




Before anyone says they remember buying one of these at Woolworths some time ago, the books are well respected and detailed photo collections of various armours, many I suspect from Japanese Museum reproductions.

David

One for Yellowcat, methinks, if he doesn't know, no one does.

Bill

Hi David,

The article indicates on the second picture is roughly translated as follows:

Izushi Shrine collection (出石神社蔵)

The design is unparalleled in terms of surprise. A helmet that accompanies the leather wrapping toseigusoku worn by Hidehisa Sengoku's (仙石秀久)vassal, Shusui Tanizu (谷津主水), in the Siege of Osaka. Because it is made with tension, it weighs only 1.2 kg. While many helmets weigh 3 to 5 kilograms, they are as light as Jinkasa 陣笠 (Samurai hat). It is said that monkeys are better, and they are quick to handle. It's only natural that you want to survive dangerous situations on the battlefield and get credit for success. One of the aims is that if you wear such a helmet, because the face is completely hidden when worn, there was an eerie feeling that the wearer's identity was unknown. You will not be able to tell whether you are an elderly military commander or a young military commander. The armorer must have a hard time to respond to the request to make such a helmet from the orderer.




Shusui Tanizu's "Sarumen Kabuto" 谷津主水所用の兜『猿面形兜』




Similar monkey mempo

Saru Monkey Mempo. 18th Century, Momoyama-Edo Period




From the Bonhams auction, New York September 15, 2015

A FESTIVAL HELMET DESIGNED AS A MONKEY - Edo period (late 18th century)
Sold for US$ 9,375

The simple iron bowl formed at the front as a monkey's face lacquered red and black, the top covered in horse hair, mounted with a three-lame shikoro with small fukigaeshi, lacquered red and laced in blue

Man....Yellowcat knows his stuff.....I thought for sure it was Voodoo........

Thanks Yellowcat, much appreciated.

I had heard about a monkey kabuto used at Osaka but always thought the pics I posted looked too fragile. The picture you quoted as belonging to Shuzui Tanizu solves that, but I had previously heard that the owner of a monkey mask at Ozaka was Tanitzu Mondo (also identified as a retainer of Hidehisa Sengoku). That must be the same samurai, right?
I assume all the other examples are merely ceremonial masks but the last example you give, with the shikoro attached, actually looks the most serviceable for battle usage. Any more info on that one?

David

Hi David,

I think they are the same person. I don't have any more info for that particular one with the shikoro. I found a better picture of the mempo and a hundred year old picture. It looks like it still had hair when the picture was taken.

Illustrations showing how the armour would look like. May be I should do a figure base on that.

Just come across a Japanese auction site and they have a monkey mempo in their catalogue.