Is this a Gunbai? And what is it used for? I read somewhere that it’s either for sumo wrestling or carried by samurai?

Is this a Gunbai? And what is it used for? I read somewhere that it’s either for sumo wrestling or carried by samurai?

3 comments
  1. The gyoji (ref) carries them. The indicate when to start the match, the winner, and place prize envelopes on top of them. Pretty cool you found one!!

  2. it’s definitely a gunbai in modern days used by sumo referrers, I believe a Japanese idiom raise a gunbai(軍配を上げる) meaning to declare a winner comes from their practice, also in the past used by samurai leaders to command their troops in a battle field. incidentally 天下泰平 means world peace.

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