A Fine Kawari Kabuto [Exotic Helmet]

One of the ancient Chinese tales of The Twenty Four Paragons of Filial Piety tells of Meng Zong in the Kingdom of Wu whose widowed mother became sick. A doctor recommended him to feed her fresh bamboo shoots. Even though it was mid-Winter he dug deep into the snow, and upon crying in vexation at his failure, bamboo shoots sprang up around him. A hachimaki tied at the back of the head signifies a martial intent, but the present silver hachimaki tied at the front in festive style might well have called to mind whiteness of snow with the crown of the helmet a bamboo shoot rising from it, and it would have immediately recalled the Chinese tale. The conch shell with silver mouthpiece shows the conch as a battlefield trumpet, although with a suitable stopper it has also been suggested to have been used as a drinking vessel.