Samurai and Ninja: The Real Story Behind the Japanese Warrior Myth That Shatters the Bushido Mystique (7 page)

軍奉行
Ikusa bugyō
– Commanding officer

旗奉行
Hata bugyō
– Commanding officer of the flags

幕奉行
Maku bugyō
– Commanding office for the war curtains

鉄砲大将
Teppo daisho
– Musketeer captain

弓大将
Yumi daisho
– Captain of the archers

鑓大将
Yari daisho
– Captain of the spearmen

鉄砲奉行
Teppo bugyō
– Commanding officer for the musketeers

弓奉行
Yumi bugyō
– Commanding officer of the archers

鑓奉行
Yari bugyō
– Commanding officer of the spearmen

御旗本衆
On-Hatamoto shu
– Direct retainers to the shogun

近習衆
Kinju shu
– Close retainers

小性衆
Kosho shu
– Pages

歩行衆
Kachi shu
– Foot soldiers

歩行頭
Kachi gashira
– Head or captain of the foot soldiers

近習横目
Kinju yokome
– Inspector of the close retainers

歩行横目
Kachi yokome
– Inspector of footed soldiers

小横目
Ko-yokome
– Secondary inspector

惣横目
So yokome
– General inspector

貝ノ役
Kai no yaku
– Conch shell blowers

鐘ノ役
Kane no yaku
– Bell officer

太鼓ノ役
Taiko no yaku
– Drummers

大物見
O-Monomi
– Large scouting groups

中物見
Chu-Monomi
– Medium scouting groups

小物見
Ko-Monomi
– Small scouting groups

使番
Tsukai ban
– The lord’s messenger

軍者
Gunsha
– Military strategist or military personnel
^*

御太刀奉行
On-Tachi bugyō
– Protector of the lord’s sword

馬奉行
Uma bugyō
– Horse management

具足奉行
Gusoku bugyō
– Armor management

小荷駄奉行
Konida bugyō
– Baggage train management

金奉行
Kane bugyō
– Accountant

納戸役
Nando yaku
– Property keeper

扶持奉行
Fuchi bugyō
– Treasurer

数鉄砲奉行
Kazu Teppo bugyō
– Commanding officer to those who hold the lord’s muskets

儒師
Ju shi
– Master of Confucianism

目醫師
Meishi
– Optician

外科付
Geka
– Surgeon

金瘡
Kinso
– Sword cut healer

易者
Ekisha
– Diviner

能書
Nojo
– Scrivener (scribe)

歌道者
Kadosha
– Poet

伯楽
Hakuraku
– Horse veterinarian

筭勘者
Sankanja
– Mathematician

馬惣横目
Uma so yokome
– General inspector of horses

雨用意役
Ame yoi yaku
– Those who prepare for rain

忍者
shinobi no mono
– Ninja

水奉行
Mizu bugyō
– Water management

井堀
Ido hori
– Well diggers

石切
Ishi kiri
– Stone quarrymen

鉄砲張
Teppo hari
– Gunsmiths

弓師
Yumi sh I
– Bowyers

矢師
Ya shi
– Fletchers

金堀
Kane hori
– Miners

漏刻
Rokoku
– Water clock maintainer

博士
Hakase
– Scholar of Onmyodo magic, astrology, calendars, etc.

兵法使
Heiho tsukai
– Master of military skills

強力
Goriki
– Load bearers

走態
Sotai
– Runners

番匠棟梁
Banjo Toryo
– Master builder

鍛冶
Kaji
– Blacksmiths

惣賄人（マカナイ）
So Makanai
– Food supply manager

庖丁人
Hocho nin
– Cooks

桶師
Oke shi
– Wooden bucket makers

檜物師
Himono shi-hinoki
– Cypress wood carvers

壁塗
Kabe nuri
– Plasterers

猟師
Ryo shi
– Hunters

鋳物師
Imoji
– Metal casters

鎚屋
Tsuchiya
– Hammer forger

具足屋
Gusoku ya
– Armorer

瓦焼
Kawara yaki
– Tile maker

屋葺
Yane fuki
– Thatcher

舩奉行
Funa bugyō
– Commanding officer of the naval forces

水主
Kako
– Sailors

梶取
Kaji tori
– Helmsmen

鷹匠
Takajo
– Falconers

革屋
Kawaya
– Leatherworkers

山伏
Yamabushi
– Mountain priests

出家
Shukke
– Monks

座頭
Zato
– Musicians

繪師
E shi
– Painters

白拍子
Shirabyoshi
– Dancing girls

能太夫
Nodayu
– Master of the Noh theater

塗師
Nushi
– Lacquerer

紺屋
Koya
– Dyers

油作
Yusaku
– Oil makers

犬引
Inu hiki
– Dog handlers

猿引
Saru hiki
– Monkey trainers

舞
Maimai
– Dancers

放下師
Hoka shi
– Street entertainers

狂言師
Kyogen shi
– Comical stage performers

磨屋
Togi ya
– Craftsmen who sharpen blades

畳屋
Tatami ya
– Tatami mat makers

百姓
Hyakusho
– Farmers

町人
Chonin
– Townspeople

商買人
Shobainin
– Merchants

穢多
Eta
– Outcasts

The preceding lists bring the reality of the battle camp into the mind’s eye. Servants and grooms attend each samurai. Carpenters and blacksmiths are at work; accountants are looking after the army treasure under guard. The command group is in the command tent and the cooks are stoking the fires. The soft grass is turning to mud and on the hill behind the camp, the
chi
masters are watching the enemy camp for auspicious signs. Dogs raid the perimeter, while prostitutes follow nearby. Merchants try to sell their wares in the daytime. Nighttime brings drinking and gambling, which are sometimes subdued or restricted by the command group. The army is a living, moving machine that is medieval life on the road. When on the road or taking up position, the army must erect a
jinsho
—a battle camp.

Battle Camps

Often a samurai army is depicted on the open ground, ashigaru to the front with shields in front of them. Banners wave in the wind as the lord-commander sits behind his closest samurai. However, the jinsho is seldom considered. This is a portable camp made up of huts constructed on site with local material. Fences are made from bamboo or wood, and internal divisions made from curtains or treated paper. Outside the camp, watch fires are built, guards are stationed, and shinobi are sent into the wilderness around. Strict guards are kept, identifying marks are needed, and passwords will gain a man entrance. In the center of the camp, the lord’s command group meets to discuss strategy. On a nearby hill or at a relatively short distance away, the enemy are doing the same. Conch shells sound in the air, drums beat the time, gongs give signals. The chatter of men fills the air.

Aspects of a Battle Camp

There are basic items that will be familiar to those in these temporary camps and generally military manuals of the Edo Period display similar illustrations, giving us the basic elements that make up a campsite.

Watch Fires

In a typical watch fire, the walls are seven feet high, the fire front opens outwards so that light spills into the dark area away from the camp and allows the men behind the fire to remain in the shadows.

Fences

Fences are normally constructed of wood or bamboo in the fashions shown below. Sometimes double fences were constructed to stop infiltrators. Sometimes ditches were dug outside of the fences and filled with sand to show if any footprints had been left behind by shinobi.

Conch Shells

A common sound in a battle camp would be that of the conch shell. The system of use would change from camp to camp, but a samurai would expect that the camp would be awoken in a “call the hands” fashion, and then it would be “hands to breakfast” and “form divisions,” etc. The conch shell would sound out and gain a response from the men of the camp, depending on the arrangements made.