Taiji Whale Boats: Styles and Designs
Taiji's whale boats were "painted in such brilliant colors as can be seen in the wonders of nature and fantasy" according to a visitor at the beginning of the 19th century.All that remains today are a few fragments, pictured above, but this site features recreations of the boats, which we know from paintings and scrolls featured vivid phoenix birds, chrysanthemums, cherry blossoms and spiny lobsters, along with the hash-like Taiji family crest.
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 1 "Phoenix and Paulownia"
8-oared, 15 crew
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 2 "Halved Chrysanthemums"
8-oared, 15 crew
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 3 "Pine, Bamboo and Plum Trees"
8-oared, 15 crew
Kae Seko-bune Reserve Chaser Boat No. 1 "Cherry Tree on Red Background"
8-oared, 15 crew
Kae Seko-bune Reserve Chaser Boat No. 2 "Large Bamboo on Red Background"
8-oared, 15 crew
Kae Seko-bune Reserve Chaser Boat No. 3 "Numerous Crests"
8-oared, 15 crew
**Crest details unclear
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 4 "Halved Chrysanthemums with Water Flowing Under Flowers"
8-oared, 15 crew
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 5 "Wooden Fans"
8-oared, 15 crew
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 6 "Ivy on Black Background"
8-oared, 15 crew
**Blue in some sources
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 7 "White Peonies"
8-oared, 15 crew
**Rings in some sources
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 8 "Flags and Command Batons, and Plum Blossoms and Helmet"
8-oared, 15 crew
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 9 "Cherry Blossoms"
8-oared, 15 crew
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 10 "Pine Tree"
8-oared, 15 crew
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 11 "Crowbar Leverage Tool Crest and White Camellias"
8-oared, 15 crew
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 12 "Three Chrysanthemums"
8-oared, 15 crew
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 13 "Three Chrysanthemums"
8-oared, 15 crew
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 14 "Three Chrysanthemums"
8-oared, 15 crew
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 15 "Three Chrysanthemums"
8-oared, 15 crew
Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 16 "Two Chrysanthemums"
8-oared, 15 crew
Onaya Seko-bune Supply Boat "Crowbar Leverage Tool Crest, Well Curb Crest, and Pine Bark Diamond Crest"
8-oared, 15 crew
Autumn Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 1 "Crane in Pine Bark Diamond"
8-oared, 15 crew
Autumn Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 2 "Old Turtle in Pine Bark Diamond"
8-oared, 15 crew
Autumn Seko-bune Chaser Boat No. 3 "Three-Storied Pine Tree on Pine Bark Diamond"
8-oared, 15 crew
Autumn Uogoroshi-bune Killer Boat "Flower Diamond on Pine Bark Diamond"
8-oared, 15 crew
Mossou-bune Towboat "Crowbar Leverage Tool Crest"
11 crew
Mossou-bune Towboat
11 crew
Mossou-bune Towboat "Red Treasure Sack"
11 crew
Mossou-bune Towboat "Blue Treasure Sack"
11 crew
Mossou-bune Towboat "Flower Diamond Crest"
11 crew
Mossou-bune Towboat "Crowbar Leverage Tool Crest"
11 crew
Mossou-bune Towboat "Flower Diamond Crest"
11 crew
Taru-bune Cask Float Retrieval Boat "Lobster and Daidai Oranges"
10 crew
Kae Ami-bune Reserve Net Boat "White Chrysanthemum on Red Background"
10 crew
Ami-bune Net Boat
6-oared, 13 crew
Ami-bune Net Boat
6-oared, 13 crew
Ami-bune Net Boat
6-oared, 13 crew
Ami-bune Net Boat
6-oared, 13 crew
Ami-bune Net Boat
6-oared, 13 crew
Ami-bune Net Boat
6-oared, 13 crew
Ami-bune Net Boat
6-oared, 13 crew
Ami-bune Net Boat
6-oared, 13 crew
Ami-bune Net Boat
6-oared, 13 crew
Ami-bune Net Boat
6-oared, 13 crew