Signaling Baton (<i>Saihai</i>) and Storage Box

Signaling Baton (<i>Saihai</i>) and Storage Box

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Saihai were carried as signs of rank and were used by military commanders to give the signal for an attack. This saihai is decorated with peony blossoms, the mon (crest) of the Tsugaru family. The Tsugaru, who had land in northern Japan, were wealthy and influential daimyo (lords) who were renowned as patrons of the arts. The Tsugaru continue to be one of the leading families in Japan; they were united in the eighteenth century with the imperial household through the marriage of Tsugaru Hanako and Prince Hitachi, the younger brother of the Emperor. The saihai and its matching storage box are among the most finely made and preserved examples in existence.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Signaling Baton (<i>Saihai</i>) and Storage BoxSignaling Baton (<i>Saihai</i>) and Storage BoxSignaling Baton (<i>Saihai</i>) and Storage BoxSignaling Baton (<i>Saihai</i>) and Storage BoxSignaling Baton (<i>Saihai</i>) and Storage Box

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.