Yamagata Tokimu'ne, Award of the Maiden's Heart, 2021

Snow blankets the land

The mountain sleeps under drifts

Its streams are frozen

Undisturbed by marching feet

Of bushi; they march to war.

One stands among them

Honour’d is Yamagata

Tokimune; serve

Your Ten’nō and your Jotei

Shugo of Western Province.

Rise, Hatamoto

Tono of the Okami!

Wolves howl your name

Kaylah and Trumbrand declare

The Maiden’s Heart – bear it now.

 

Done this 70th day of Winter, in the 54^th Year, by our decree.

 

Wording by Akashi Terumoto go-Taisho

Composed as a renga (連歌) format of poetry.

Tanegashima Hiromoto, Award of Arms, 2018

The hot sun rises
Over Iwashimizu;
Hachiman’s temple.
Baldric and Breyla, mighty
Imperial sovereigns
Summon before them
A loyal bushi; name him
Tanegashima
Hiromoto: Twin arrows
Crossed atop a turtle’s shell.
Veteran of war
Trainer of Ashigaru
He serves and is served.
Sews the seeds of future
And of victories to come.
Tanegashima
Bushi of southern islands:
Service is honoured.
Our court recognizes you;
Know now your worth as tono.

Done this 7th day of Summer, in the 53rd Year of the Society, by our decree.

NOTES:

Composed as a renga (連歌) format of poetry.

"The hot sun rises" is a kigo (季語, "seasonal word") for summer.
Iwashimzu Shrine is dedicated to Hachiman, the the syncretic divinity of archery and war; this, along with the crossed arrows on the turtle's shell, is a reference to Hiromoto's heraldry.
Sewing the Seeds of the Future and Southern Island is a reference to the literal translation of Tanegashima.

Wording by Akashi Terumoto.

Tanegashima Masako, Award of Arms, 2018

The time of blooming;
Wild orange blossoms
Erupt like gunfire
Baldric, our great Ten’nō
Derives counsel from Breyla
His noble Kōgō.
In humility
Now kneels Tanegashima
Masako; who gave
Herself unto bushido.
In battle, fear flees her mind;
Punishes her enemies
And those of her lord.
As she raises up others
So shall we elevate her.
Tanegashima
Seed of the Southern Islands
Onna-bugeisha
Rise and take up your station,
As a hine of our court.

Done this 7th day of Summer, in the 53rd Year of the Society, by our decree.

NOTES:

Composed as a renga (連歌) format of poetry.

"Wild Orange Blossom" is a kigo (季語, "seasonal word") for summer, refering to the flowering that occurs in early summer.
"like Gunfire": Tanegashima is a name for a Japanese arquebus, and a play on her name.
"Seed of Southern Island": Another play on the literal meaning of Tanegashima, "Southern Seed Island"
"Onna-Bugeisha" is a female samurai.

Wording by TH Lord Akashi Terumoto

Shimazu Nobuhisa, Award of Arms

Chōka (長歌, "Long Poem") which is a form of Japanese waka 和歌, by THL Dietrich von Sachsen

The Summer King Reigns;

Baldric-ten’nō, with glory
And Breyla, kōgō
Before them kneels a hikan
Of far Kyushu:
Shimazu Nobuhisa
Weathers storms of swords
As harbour on an island
Masters the seasons
Bountiful dishes always
Served with joyful heart.
Mikado says to you, Rise
Take your station as Lord.

Done this 7th day of Summer, in the 53rd Year of the Society, by our decree.

Yamagata Tokifune, Award of the Scarlet Banner, 2013

Kanji:

ナイジェル、王の前で,

狼から生まれた偉大な王

美の彼の女王と

北の男爵領を支配する彼ら,

私はひざまずい人に祝福の言葉を話す

私はこの男の美徳を記述したい。

山形時舟殿

彼は山のようなもので、彼は強いであり、彼は降伏しない

水と時間が山を下り着用しようとするのと同じように

だから敵は彼を攻撃しようとし

しかし、戦いのすべてを風化、彼が立っている。

山形時舟殿

彼の作品は目を見張るように美しいです

戦争と平和の両方

彼の鎧は、彼のラインの美徳を宣言

彼光やストーン、彼の技術。

山形時舟殿

天の下にあるすべてのことは、背の高い山を見ることが

彼らはこの赤い旗を見てみましょう

誇らしげにそれはあなたをマークしてみましょう

组头これは今あなたのランクです。

さて、ソブリン、あなたが狼の生まれた

この判決は、四十八年の十月の二十七日に発行されました

名誉山形時舟殿するために。

Poetic Translation (to be read in Court):
Before the great wolf-born King, Nigel-ō,
And his queen of beauty, Adrielle-Joō
They who rule the danshaku-ryō of the North
I would speak congratulatory words to this man,
Who kneels; And sing his praises.

Yamagata Tokifune-dono,
Like a mountain, strong and unyielding
As water and time may try to wear the mountain down
So would his foemen assail him,
Yet he stands, weathering all battle.

Yamagata Tokifune-dono,
Beauteous are his crafts,
Of warfare and of peace;
His armour, declaring the virtues of his line,
Leather and Stone, his skills

Yamagata Tokifune-dono,
As all under heaven see the mountain rise,
Let them see this Scarlet Banner,
Proudly may it mark you,
As kumigashira, your new rank.
Here now, wolf-born sovereigns,

This is done on the 27th day of the 10th month of the 48th year.

Done by your hand and seal.

Literal Translation:

In front of Nigel , the king ,

Great king, born of wolf

And his queen of beauty;

They dominate the baronies of North,

I speak the words of blessing to people kneeling

I want to write the virtues of this man.

Yamagata Tokifune-dono

He is like a mountain: he is strong, he does not surrender

As water and time is to try to wear down the mountain

So the enemy will try to attack him

However, weathering all of the fight, he is standing.

Yamagata Tokifune-dono

His work is beautiful to behold

Both of War and Peace

His armour, declaring the virtues of his line

Stone and his light, his skills.

Yamagata Tokifune-dono

All that is under heaven will see the mountain tall

They take a look at this red flag

Let it mark you proudly

Kumigashira: This is your rank now.

Well, sovereigns, you were born of the wolf

This ruling was issued on the 27th of October forty- eight years

In order to honor Yamagata Tokifune-dono

Wording by Dietrich von Sachsen.