Not a few of these old tools of war have lost their significance, and have become household adornments, objects of art, or symbols of peace. Such especially are the emblems of the carpenters guild, which consist of the half-feathered “turnip-head” arrow, wreathed with leaves of the same succulent, and the “frog-crotch,” inserted in the mouth of a dragon, crossed upon the ancient mallet of the craft. These adorn temples or houses, or are carried in the local parades or festivals.
As Buddhism had become the professed religion of the entire nation, the vast majority of the military men were Buddhists. Each had his patron or deity. The soldier went into battle with an image of Buddha sewed in his helmet, and after victory ascribed glory to his divine deliverer. Many temples in Japan are the standing monuments of triumph in battle, or vows performed. Many of the noted captains, notably Kato, inscribed the banners with texts from the classics or the prayers, “Namu Amida Batsu,” or “Namu mio ho,” etc., according to their sect.
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From General Nelson A. Miles
Thrilling Stories of The Russian-Japanese War, 1904
