Samurai and Ninja: The Real Story Behind the Japanese Warrior Myth That Shatters the Bushido Mystique (27 page)

モチリハ如此上下ヲ鉄ニテ包ミ横ツチニテ打込モチリヲ抜其穴ヲ用ユ

Cover the mojiri’s upper part and lower part with iron. Drill the mojiri into the ground by rotating the horizontal T-bar. Take mojiri out and use the hole as you wish.

兵糧乏き時ハ松の甘膚一斤人参一両白米五合右細末尓して後丸して井楼尓て 蒸て十五人尓与へ候へハ三日迄不食しても飢る事更ニ無と也

When food is lacking, make the following:

♦
Pine bark—1 kin

♦
Ginseng 1—ryo

♦
White rice—5 go

When you do not have enough rations, powder the aforementioned ingredients, form it into balls and steam them in a steaming basket. Divide this between fifteen people and they will not starve, even if they eat nothing else for up to three days.

油乏キ時紙燭を拵へ候尓ハ何の木尓ても細くけつり其上を紙尓て巻松脂を解て 可塗也或ハ紙小嚲を蝋尓て煮しめ可用也

When oil is lacking, make a paper candle. To do this, take thin sticks of any type of wood and roll them in paper and coat it all with melted pine resin. Alternatively, boil a twisted paper string in wax and use that.

雪中尓て手足不寒薬ハ右酒一升生薑六十目皮を去り能刻候て右鍋尓入火を細 く焼て半分程尓煉詰小豆程ツヽ手足尓可塗也或ハ酒計を面より手足迄塗候て も防寒者也

A medicine that protects your hands and legs against the cold:

♦
Sake – 1 sho

♦
Peeled, chopped ginger – 60 momme

Mix the above in a pot and reduce it over a low heat until it is half in volume. Put an amount the size of an adzuki bean on your hands and legs. Alternatively, use only sake; apply this on your face, hands and legs. These above work for protecting your hands and legs from frostbite.

万毒消ハ青鷺の頭尓ヒルムシロを入黒焼尓志て可用也ヒルムシロとハ海の藻 也又第一早く吐出すへき也

The way of making an antidote for all things is to put pondweed into a gray heron’s head and char it. Pondweed is a kind of seaweed. Primarily you should spit [poison] out quickly.

血留尓ハ溝三歳（ミソサンザイ）の黒焼を舌の上尓少し可置也

Char a wren and put a little of it on your tongue as a styptic.

同血留尓ハ五八草を流連落たる血の上尓少し可振掛也

Another styptic is to sprinkle
gohasso
—the powder of charred mamushi snake—onto a bleeding wound.

同血留尓松の葉と青木葉の灰を血の上尓可振掛也

Sprinkle the ash of pine and aucuba leaf on the blood of a wound, this is also styptic.

疵（きず）薬ハ膏薬の外妄尓不可用却而痛出る者なり急する時ハ三七葉を捫 （モン）て其汁抔ハ可付也

You should not use other kinds of wound remedies apart from commonly used ointment; this is because they may bring even more pain. In case of emergency, you should crumple the leaves of the chrysanthemum (
gynura segetum
) and rub the juice onto your wound.

白文の書（カキ）様ハ生大豆を能ひしき水を少し入其汁を新筆尓染候て可書也 扨鍋墨を其紙の上尓可振掛始の書たる文字明々尓見へ作那り

The way of invisible writing: mash soybeans and add a little water. Write with this juice and use a new brush. If you apply kettle soot over the paper, the letters originally written will clearly appear on the sheet.

同白文の書様ハ古酒を新筆尓染て可書也扨見候時ハ炭の火尓て焙り候ヘハ始 の文字明か尓見へ候也

An alternative way of invisible writing is to write with old sake using a new brush. When you want to read this, hold it over the fire and the letters originally written will clearly appear on the paper.

同白文の書様ハ五倍子の不入金の汁を新筆尓染可書也扨見候時ハ水尓浸し候 ヘハ始の書多る文字明々尓見へ候也

A further way of invisible writing is to write using a new brush with the liquid used for tooth dye without adding the sumac nutgall. When you wish to read it, soak it in water, and the letters that you originally wrote will clearly appear on the paper.

相圖の文書様ハいろは尓ても上の一字を捨てろの字よりいろはと可讀抔約す る事也

When you write a code, you should make arrangements for the reading of it. For example, every kana character should be read as the one which is one place previous in the “I Ro Ha” Japanese alphabet. For example, the second kana “Ro” should be read as “I.”

トウユ尓て長の半頭巾の如く肩迄掛り候様尓拵へ緒を付て可持也

Make a shoulder-length raincoat with oiled paper, styled like a chohan-zukin hood. Attach a cord and carry it.

狼烟を上候尓ハ穴を堀草藁を入狼の糞を加へ火を可掛也煙高く上り遠方の味 方見付候て相図を知る也

When you light a signal fire, dig a hole and add grass and straw to the hole and then add wolf ’s excrement and ignite it. This smoke will rise up high, and an ally at a distance will see the signal.

同狼烟の方ハ藁三束松葉四分一狼糞三分一鉄砲の薬少し右一ツ尓して火を 付候也

Another signal fire method is to mix three bundles of straw, put together pine leaves of one fourth of the amount of straw, then add wolf dung to one third of the amount and a small amount of gunpowder, then ignite it.

同狼煙の方䡰畳尓狼糞を加へ其儘火を掛候也扨又狼糞見様ハ糞尓毛交りて 有之者也

A further signal fire method is to add wolf ’s dung to old tatami mats and ignite them. To find wolf excrement, know that it has hair in it.

胴の火の方ハ笋の皮を晝夜百日程雨露尓曝し黒焼尓して早稲藁（ハセハラ）を 捫ツトの如く拵へ一方強く結てツント切尓て一方ハ長くして能捫其中へ右の黒 焼を柚の大サ程尓丸して火を付入置上を手拭尓て能包ミ候へハ久敷有之者也

Constructing a
donohi
(body warmer): Expose young bamboo sheaves to the rain and dew for about one hundred days and nights and then char the mixture. Next, crumple early-ripening rice straw and make it into a bundle. Fasten one side of the bundle tight and cut the end off. Leave the other end uncut. Crumple enough [of the mixture] and char it, [form it into a] ball the size of the yuzu fruit and ignite it, then place it into the straw bundle. Finally wrap this with
tenugui
cloth and it will last a long time.

同胴の火の拵へ様ハ奉書の紙を能捫（モミ）引破り丸して燃（モユ）ル火の中へ 投入連惣て火の渡候時別の紙を捫（モミ）置其上を幾重も包ミ火氣の急尓不出 様尓して可懐中也

A further way of constructing a donohi: Crumple hosho paper, which is a thick paper used for formal documents. Tear it in pieces, forming it into a ball. Throw it into a fire but then take it out when it ignites. Next completely wrap it with many layers of crumpled paper; this is so that it does not flare up [and burn out]. Place this in your kimono.

胴の火の拵へ様ハ苗を能干丸く遍そ尓拵へ其中へ杉原のホクチ尓火を付て 可入也

Constructing a donohi: Dry rice saplings and weave them into a sphere, next create a “belly button” style hollow and ignite tinder made from sugihara paper and then place the lit tinder within [the sphere].

火口（ホクチ）の拵様ハ䡰紙等を両曝尓して塩硝（エンシヤウ）硫黄（イヲフ）尓 て煮合せ可持也用る時ハ少しツヽ切て用候也

Constructing tinder: Expose [and bleach] old paper a few times, boil it in a solution of saltpeter and sulphur and carry it; tear off a section for use.

同ホクチの拵様ハ奉書の紙を能捫黒焼尓して可用也

A further way of constructing tinder: crumple
hosho
(thick paper), char, and use it.

萬年火の方ハ鞍馬石六匁硫黄三匁二分塩硝三匁二分熊野ホクチ三匁二分 生 脳一匁五分龍脳一匁二分松脂少シ杉原ホクチ少シ右松の甘膚を能煎し其汁尓 て煉固め能干て置扨用ひ候時ハ小刀尓て削り候へハ火出候也

The way of the everlasting fire, mix as follows:

♦
Diorite – 6 momme

♦
Sulphur – 3 momme 2 bu

♦
Saltpeter – 3 momme 2 bu

♦
Tinder from Kumano – 3 momme 2 bu

♦
Camphor – 1 momme 5 bu

♦
Borneol – 1 momme 2 bu

♦
Some pine resin

♦
Some sugihawa tinder

Knead and harden the above with liquid made from boiled down pine bark and dry it. When you use it, ignite it by striking it with a short sword.

矢火矢の薬ハ焔硝八十目硫黄六十四匁灰二十目鉄沙十二匁右からからと研し 一包ニ七匁宛也

To make powder for fire arrows, grind the following:

♦
Saltpeter – 80 momme

♦
Sulphur – 64 momme

♦
Ash – 20 momme

♦
Iron sand – 12 momme

Grind the above together and insert seven momme into each [wooden arrowhead].

此処ニ口薬ニ火ヲ付候

Ignite the fuse here.

根ハ木鋒也

The [box] arrowhead is made of wood.

雨火縄拵様ハ生脳一両を挽て其中へ天目尓水二ツ程入候て甞（なめ）候へ者 味の辛程なる時常の火縄を漬して後能干て可用也

Constructing a waterproof fuse: Grind one ryo of camphor and mix two Tenmoku bowls of water with it and then taste. When it tastes pungent, soak a common fuse in the liquid and dry completely so that it is ready for use.

同火縄拵様ハ常の火縄を[?]の中尓七日程漬して後能干て可用也或ハ五倍子の 不入カ子尓て能煮て後干て可用也

A further way to construct a waterproof fuse: Soak a common fuse in white lead
^*
for seven days, dry and use. Alternatively, boil it in liquid that is used in dying teeth with which the sumac nutgall has not been added, dry and use.

同火縄の拵様ハ木綿の䡰着を縄尓嚲（ナイ）塩硝と松脂を水尓たて能く漬して 後能干て可用也

A further way of constructing a waterproof fuse: Form the fuse by braiding old cotton cloth into rope, fully boil saltpeter and pine resin in water. Soak the fuse in this liquid, dry it completely and use.

同火縄の拵様ハ椿尓ても藁尓てもアク尓たれ常の火縄を能染よく干て後可 用也

A further way to make a waterproof fuse: Soak a common fuse in lye from the camellia plant or from straw; dry it enough for use.

火縄乏キ時蒲の穂の火挟尓合たるを干て其儘可用也

When you lack a fuse, dry the head of a cattail plant and fit in the lock [of the musket] and use it just as it is.

䊨（フキ）のからを能両曝尓して後火縄尓嚲可用也

Expose the stems of the giant butterbur plant in the sun. These can be made into fuses by braiding them.

松明の拵様ハ枯竹を以て如常拵へ火先の方尓十文字ニ串を指て可用也

Constructing a torch: Make this of dried bamboo as is normally done, pierce it with skewers in the shape of a cross, insert them at the flame end and then use it [by throwing it, note that it will keep the flame upright].

又松明の拵様ハ檜杉禿松の三色を能破候て笋の皮尓て包ミ処 結候て可用也

A further way of constructing a torch is to have three types of wood thinly split; cypress, Japanese cedar and double-leaf pine. Wrap them within a bamboo sheath [which is found at the base of bamboo], tie it up at places and then use.

又松明の拵様ハクヌギの青き時能扣て後能干て如常拵へ可用也

A further way of constructing a torch is to beat sawtooth oak when it is still green. Dry it and make a torch in the usual way and use.

松明の方ハ塩硝其儘七十目硫黄三匁二分炭三匁二分松脳二匁一分松の引粉 一升 ナモミの實三匁三分艾葉一升松脂三匁三分右何もあらくおろして後艾葉 を細尓刻ミ松脂と能合て後惣を一尓して能堅メ大形筒三本尓可持也扨一尓て 路三里行積也

Constructing a torch:

The following ingredients are roughly grated:

♦
Saltpeter – 70 momme (as it is not refined)

♦
Sulphur – 3 momme 2 bu

♦
Charcoal – 3 momme 2 bu

♦
Camphor – 2 momme 1 bu

♦
Sawdust of pine tree – 1 sho

♦
Cocklebur seed/fruit – 3 momme 3 bu

♦
Mugwort leaves – 1 sho

♦
Pine resin – 3 momme 3 bu

Shred the mugwort leaves and then mix them with the pine resin. Next mix it all together and ram into three large bamboo cylinders and carry. You can use one bamboo torch for three ri of distance.

雨松明の方ハ塩硝二十五匁硫黄十二匁灰二匁五分松の節五匁艾三匁松脂二 匁生脳三匁引茶三分鼡糞三分也右細抹ニして竹の筒尓成程堅く込竹の上皮を 薄く削て可用也

The rainproof torch:

♦
Saltpeter – 25 momme

♦
Sulphur – 12 momme

♦
Ash – 2 momme 5 bu

♦
Pine wood knots – 5 momme

♦
Mugwort – 3 momme

♦
Pine resin – 2 momme

♦
Camphor – 3 momme

♦
Ground tea – 3 bu

♦
Mouse droppings – 3 bu

Make the above into powder and firmly ram it into a bamboo cylinder, shave the bamboo to make a thin layer and then use it.

水松明の拵様ハ鹿の角尓[?]（ナモミ）の油を塗て干して五十日程返候て後可用也

The way of making a waterproof torch is to coat oil of cocklebur onto a deer antler, dry it for fifty days and then use it.

忍松明の方ハ塩硝二十目硫黄十四匁灰十四匁右を一番と須松脳十二匁右を二 番とす松脂一匁八分引茶一匁五分鼡糞一匁七分右を三番とす松の節粉三匁牛 糞三匁右を四番とす如此面 尓合せ扨一ツ尓合して竹の筒へ堅く込竹の上皮 を削り扨竹を二ツ尓破其破口を紙尓て二返張り亦惣を一返張て後可用也是ハ 火を付候て打消又振立候ヘハ燃上り候塀尓成とも地尓成共突付候ヘハ煙り計 ニ成候古へ祐成夜討時時宗是を持候と申傳也

The way of constructing the shinobi torch:

Step one:

♦
Saltpeter – 20 momme

♦
Sulphur – 14 momme

♦
Ash – 14 momme
^*