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SW002 'Ashigaru Archer Making Ready' (Western Army)
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SW002
This standing ready archer is carrying a small, rectangular flag on his back called a ‘Sashimono’. Primarily used during the ‘Sengoku Period’ (15th-17th Centuries), they served as crucial military identification on chaotic battlefields.
These small flags usually displayed a ‘clan’ symbol or specific colours to distinguish different units enabling commanders to identify who was who amidst the chaos.
The figure depicts an ashigaru ("light feet"), the common infantryman who formed the backbone of Japanese armies during the Sengoku period. Although firearms were becoming increasingly important by 1600, large numbers of ashigaru still fought as archers. Bows offered several advantages: a higher rate of fire than matchlocks, no reliance on a burning match cord, and greater reliability in damp or rainy conditions.
Brand: King and Country
