Sashimono (指物, 差物, 挿物) were small banners worn by soldiers during the medieval era in Japan to identify troops during battles. They were typically placed on the backs of foot soldiers (ashigaru), samurai, and also placed in special banner holders on the mounts of some cavalry soldiers. These symbols, resembling small flags with clan symbols, were particularly used during the Sengoku period — a time of prolonged civil war from the mid-15th century to the early 17th century.
Forms of Sashimono
Sashimono were used to unify troops due to the wide variety of armors in use in Japan. They were usually white and black and square or slightly rectangular in shape, although there were various forms. For example, the umajirushi were large flags that served as personalized sashimono carried by army commanders. There was an even larger and finer version, the nobori, which required two or three men to keep it upright and was the reference point for armies in large battles.
The flag was supported by a gamma-shaped ("Γ") frame supported by the armor at the waist and attached with a ring at shoulder height. The most commonly used materials for the creation of sashimono were silk and leather.
Symbols on Sashimono
The symbols on the sashimono were often simple geometric shapes, sometimes accompanied by ideograms of the name of the clan leader (Daimyō), his motto, or his Mon. Often the color of the back indicated which unit the symbol bearer referred to. Famous or respected samurai sometimes had their logo or name written on the sashimono. The stylized logos of the sashimono contrast with the complex European heraldic crests of the same period.