Gunbai
{{Short description|Japanese signal baton and war fan}}
{{Italic title|reason=:Category:Japanese words and phrases}}
The {{nihongo|gunbai|軍配||short for {{nihongo||軍配団扇|gunbai-uchiwa}}}} is a type of signal baton and Japanese war fan. Once held by military leaders (such as {{tlit|ja|daimyō}}) and priests in the past, it is used in the modern day by umpires in sumo wrestling.Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary, Kenkyusha Limited, {{ISBN|4-7674-2015-6}}
Description
{{tlit|ja|Gunbai}}, from the Sino-Japanese roots meaning "military-apportioned [fan]", were a specialized form of fan used by samurai officers in Japan to communicate commands to their troops. Unlike regular fans, {{tlit|ja|gunbai}} were solid, not folding, and usually made of wood, wood covered with metal, or solid metal.
It is also a key accessory of a {{tlit|ja|gyōji}} (referee) in professional sumo. The main use is at the end of a bout, when the {{tlit|ja|gyōji}} decides the victor and points the {{tlit|ja|gunbai}} to either the east or west position (each wrestler is assigned to start from either the east or west position each tournament day). Reflecting this, the {{tlit|ja|gyōji}}'s decision itself is often informally referred to as a "{{tlit|ja|gunbai}}". If this is called into question and the judges hold a consultation, a decision to uphold the {{tlit|ja|gyōji}}'s judgement is announced as {{nihongo||軍配通り|gunbai-dōri|{{lit}} "according to the {{tlit|ja|gunbai}}"}}, while a decision to overturn it is {{nihongo||軍配差し違え|gunbai-sashichigae|{{lit}} "{{tlit|ja|gunbai}} mispointed"}}. In modern times, all {{tlit|ja|gyōji}} will take either the family name Kimura or Shikimori as their professional name, depending on the tradition of the stable that they join. There are exceptions to this naming convention, but they are rare. Additionally, there are different styles to how a {{tlit|ja|gyōji}} will hold his {{tlit|ja|gunbai}} depending on which family he is in. The Kimura family hold their {{tlit|ja|gunbai}} with their palm and fingers faced up, while the Shikimori will hold theirs with their palm and fingers faced down.{{cite web|title=Grand Sumo: The Beauty of Tradition|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQSEW1NFRwo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/EQSEW1NFRwo |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|website=YouTube| date=18 October 2015 }}{{cbignore}}
Family crest ({{tlit|ja|Mon}})
The {{tlit|ja|Gunbai-Uchiwa}}, along with the {{tlit|ja|Touchiwa}} ({{tlit|ja|Karauchiwa}}), is also used as a {{tlit|ja|Mon}} (family crest).
See also
{{Commons category|Gunbai fan}}