Original Item: One-of-a-kind. A Senninbari (千人針 thousand-person-stitches) or One-thousand stitch is a strip of cloth that measures approximately 15 cm (6 in) high and up to 90–120 cm (3–4 ft) or more in length. Each end of the belt (sash) may or may not have strings, snaps or buttons that allow it to be fastened about the waist. Examples that lack these were often tucked into the waist. Other variations were never worn but may have been folded and placed inside helmet liners, pockets or packs. Senninbari were decorated with 1000 knots or stitches, and each stitch was normally made by a different woman. Senninbari were given as an amulet by women to soldiers on their way to war as a part of the Shinto culture of Imperial Japan.

This is a magnificent example, measuring 50 inches by 6 inches, not counting the end ties, which measure 15and 18 inches in length. This is definitely the type worn around the waist, and it is both NAMED and TEMPLE STAMPED, which we very rarely see! It also came to us with some great accessories, as well as translations of the text stitched and stamped onto the belt itself. As with many we see, it has pockets where additional items might be stored, and this comes with a Blank Offering sheet as well as a Paper amulet from a shrine! This is truly a treasure trove of research potential!

The most noticeable feature on this senninbari is that the stitches are arranged in four large kanji, which read are (right to left) 𪮷 抬 𪮷 𪮇, which is read as SA MU HA RA. These are VERY old Kanji, not used by the general population, only usually by Shrines, and the term the “generic” name referring to the three major creator gods in Japanese mythology:

 天之御中主神 (Ame-no-Minakanushi), the “Central Master” and "Lord of the August Center of Heaven"

高皇産霊神 (Takamimusubi), the "High Creator" and god of agriculture

神皇産霊神 (Kamimusubi), the “Divine Creator”.

“SAMUHARA” is also the name of the shrine deifying the three gods, and was considered as an amulet or ward for protection against bullets and injury. By stitching this to the belt, the soldier was believe to be protected from harm during the war. To the left of this is a square temple stamp, which we have not been able to identify, and further left is the name 柴田 正治 written from the top down. This is written in the standard Japanese form with the surname first, read as "Shibata", and the given name second, which could be read as "Shōji", "Masaji", or "Masaharu" depending on the type of reading used.

The right side pocket of the belt is secured closed by snaps, and contains a Hoshimatsuri Protection amulet, which is a type specifically given out / sold at temples between Dec 21 and Feb 4 to align with stars that warded off negative occurrences at home. The left side pocket has a blank sheet of what feels like rice paper with the kanji 御 供 物 (offering) stamped faintly on it, with nothing else written on the inside. 

Definitely the best Senninbari offering that we have sever had! More than ready for further translation, research, and display!

Senninbari were most commonly made from white cloth and embroidered with 1000 red stitches, as the combination of white and red was considered to be lucky and auspicious. Yellow, red and green cloth were also used, and were combined with various coloured threads (such as yellow, gold, red and white) used for the embroidery. The stitches were typically arranged in multiple rows, but were also arranged in formations creating patterns resembling images of flags, patriotic slogans, or tigers; the most common slogan stitched into senninbari was bu-un chō-kyū (武運長久) or "eternal good luck in war". Tigers stitched or painted onto senninbari were also common, as tigers were popularly known to be able to travel far away from home and return safely.

Senninbari took various forms, and were not limited exclusively to belts. Some senninbari were made to be used as hachimaki (headbands), as well as belts, vests and caps; the most uncommon forms of senninbari were good luck flags. Senninbari designed to be worn around the waist, known as senninbari haramaki (abdomen senninbari), were considered to maintain good health, as well as being good luck for the wearer.

The custom of producing senninbari originated during the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895. In their earliest forms, senninbari were small handkerchief sized pieces of square material, containing 1000 knots or stitches embroidered to strengthen the material, the implication being that this strength was passed along to the man carrying it.

In general, senninbari and later varieties one thousand stitch belts were believed to confer courage, good luck and immunity from injury (especially bullets) to their wearers. Some Japanese soldiers rejected the belief that the senninbari could protect them from harm, instead believing that the amulet would allow them to inflict the greatest damage upon the enemy before offering their own lives up in battle. Others in the military wore the senninbari as a memento and a keepsake of the women who had given it to them.