Shigetô No Yumi Japanese Bow, Signed - Edo Period (1603–1868).

JAPAN - Edo Period (1603–1868).
Traditional Japanese Shigetô No Yumi bow.
Black glossy lacquered wood with rattan rings; the central grip is wrapped in embossed leather. It should be noted that our bow is signed by the artisan who crafted it in a small bamboo cartouche engraved with three characters and inlaid at one end.
Slight wear at the ends and small cracks.
Dimensions: 212 x 2.5 x 1.8 cm.

Notes: Among the bows with sacred functions and powerful symbolism is the Shigeto-no-Yumi (Braided Rattan Bow), the Bow of Peace and Unity.
History records that Oda Nobunaga first presented a Shigeto-no-Yumi as a symbol of peace and unity to one of the lords he had just subdued militarily. The symbolism is powerful, especially since he was the one who had begun using muskets in battle. Thus, through this gesture, the bow shed its destructive function to take on a creative one—that of its original purpose. This Bow of National Unity thus became a symbol of Oda Nobunaga and his followers. It is displayed in homes and workplaces to inspire the courage, honor, and dignity of the “Warrior of Peace.”