What I’d like to introduce this time is a replica of the military socks, known as gun-soku (軍足), worn by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army. Strictly speaking, though, it’s not exactly a replica—socks of nearly the same design are still being manufactured and sold today, so this is more of an introduction to those. The gun-soku used by the Imperial Japanese Army differed somewhat from the socks generally sold today under the same name.…
This time, I’d like to introduce the Hinomaru Ring and Sword Hanger Belt used by soldiers authorized to carry swords, specifically those who were classified as sword-bearing enlisted personnel. Among non-commissioned officers and enlisted men, the following types were typically permitted to carry swords: Cavalry NCOs and enlisted men (from Private Second Class upward) Transport Troops NCOs and enlisted men (from Private Second Class upward) Military Police NCOs and enlisted men (from Private First Class…
In this post, I’d like to introduce the cleaning kit pouch (teiregu-nō / 手入具嚢) carried by the No.1 gunner—the shooter responsible for the light machine gun—in a light machine gun team equipped with either the Type 96 or Type 99 Light Machine Gun. We’ll take a look at an authentic example of the pouch, a reproduction made by Nakata Shōten, and finally, the process of crafting my own replica based on an original. If you're…
This time, I'd like to introduce an ammunition pouch made by S&Graf and discuss its restoration. The restoration process may be somewhat challenging, but being able to handle such work can be helpful when repairing damaged authentic items. Here is the item sold by S&Graf as an early model Type 30 Ammunition Pouch. This particular pouch has a unique feature: as shown in the second photo, there is only one stitch line in the center…
This is an example of a military police non-commissioned officer wearing the Type 98 Summer Tunic. In the case of the Japanese Army, the lowest rank for military police is Senior Private, so care must be taken when recreating this. To become a military police officer, one had to apply to and graduate from the Military Police School (Kenpeitai Training Unit) after serving in a general branch of the military. As of 1943 (Showa 18),…
The Type 5 Canteen was used by non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army. Contemporary primary sources refer to it as the "New Model Canteen." While the older tokkuri-shaped canteen had a capacity of 0.6 liters, the Type 5 Canteen was designed to hold 1 liter. It is said that variations in the stopper and strap cord were distinguished using terms such as Kō (甲), Otsu (乙), and Hei (丙), or alternatively, I-gō…
The Type 95 sword was a regulation-issue military sword used by non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army who were required to wear swords, such as cavalry, military police and transport corps. Although I don’t own an original Type 95 sword, I do have a replica made by PK Militaria. Even as a replica, it is quite expensive. After wearing it during outdoor games, the scabbard ended up covered in scratches. I had…