Woody Joe developing kit of an Atakebune – big warship from Japan's Warring States period

[catopower]

At long last, it’s happening! 

 

After some enthusiastic petitioning by Kazunori Morikawa, myself, and others to the Japanese wooden model kit maker Woody Joe, it appears that the company is now developing the prototype for an Atakebune model kit. 

 

For those who didn't already know, there were three major classes of warships used by the Japanese feudal armies of the warring states period: The large Atakebune, the medium-sized Sekibune or Hayabune, and smaller Kobaya.

 

The Atakebune were boxy-looking, lumbering ships that were effectively floating fortresses. While they were equipped with one large mast and square sail, as well as a  single bank of oars, they were often towed by the smaller warships.

 

Woody Joe just announced development work is under way. The new model is 1/100 scale, and it’s only a prototype, so we won’t know if it’s going to go into production yet. I’m a bit disappointed that the model is not 1/72 scale, as that scale would then match Woody Joe’s Higaki Kaisen and Kitamaebune kits, plus it would then be compatible with 1/72 samurai figures that are currently available. However, a 1/72 scale model would almost 40% larger than a 1/100 scale model. And, considering these were large ships, that would be a fairly big kit that might be harder for company to manufacture. Also, such a large model may be less appealing in Japan, which is their primary market.

 

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By the looks of the photo they posted, they are actually working on a model that resembles the model at the Nagoya Castle Museum, which is on Kyushu, Japan's souther most and western most of the four main islands. The museum model is based on an old painting, also in the museum. In a follow-up post, Woody Joe confirmed that they've been working with the museum staff in developing this model.

 

This is great news, as I'd asked my contact at Woody Joe about the possibility of such a model kit last year, and they'd indicated that they had considered the idea before, but felt they could not do it, as there was not enough firm information about these ships.

 

I don't know if I made any difference, but I did suggest that they didn't have to do all the research from scratch and that they should consider designing a kit based on one of the many existing museum models. That's what they're doing, so it's a model of a model, which I think makes for a perfectly valid subject. I'm very happy to see they've reconsidered and have made such great progress.

 

Here's a photo of the 1/10-scale model in the Nagoya Castle Museum, courtesy of Kazunori Morikawa of Zootoyz.jp. This Atakebune is identified as the Nihon Maru, built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

 

No idea what the cost will be, but I don't expect it will be cheap. It's a lot of structural material, I would think. Plus, there are castle-like structures and details on top. Given that the coastal transport kits are around $250, I'm guessing this will be around $500, maybe more depending on how much detail they put into it.

 

Of course, they're likely to make some simplifications to keep the difficulty and costs down to make it more marketable.

 

Here's to hoping it goes into production in the near future!

 

 

Edited June 12, 2021 by catopower

[Louie da fly]

Great news. The more models out there that aren't just the usual generic square-riggers, the better (not that I've got anything against them, but it's nice to see the currently rather narrow focus open up a bit.)

 

Steven

Edited June 12, 2021 by Louie da fly

[Louie da fly]

A small point - I think your spellchecker "corrected" Warring to Warren in the title. Unless there was a Warren States period . . .

 

Steven

[catopower]

Thanks Steven!

 

Unfortunately, I can't blame it on a spell checker – Just my brain thinking one thing and my fingers typing another 🤔

[BobG]

That's a cool looking model!

[VTHokiEE]

Whoa, this looks really neat. I’ve eyed a few of their kits before and they look quite interesting. Thanks for the details!

[catopower]

I posted this information in a topic I created in the Shore Leave section called All Things Woody Joe, but it's about the Woody Joe Atakebune kit. I got the dimensions from them, but no further word on cost or expected release date.

Scale: 1/100

Length: 490mm or 19.3"　

Width: 230mm or 9" 

Height: 310mm or 12.2" (including the stand)

 

 

 

[hollowneck]

I would be interested in this model. I built WoodyJoe's Higaki Kaisen last year and placed it in a diorama. A superb kit with many new challenges... not the least of which was a build document in Japanese. But with thanks to Clare Hess and his advice along the way, it got completed and is now displayed as "It Takes A Village." For those who can read Japanese, the Clan ensign reads: "Ongakuka" (maru): which translated means "Musician(ship)." Pun totally intended!

Ron

PS Sorry, kids: I have no idea why these photos uploaded in crazy orientations. A suggestion: just grab your screen and rotate it.

 

 

 

 

[BobG]

1 hour ago, hollowneck said:

I built WoodyJoe's Higaki Kaisen last year and placed it in a diorama.

 

Your dioramas are magnificent, Ron! I'm looking forward to you making a build log tutorial on how you make your dioramas.

[catopower]

I love your work Ron! I really need to start working on more dioramas. I have trouble with people though – I guess I'm just not a people person... 

 

As for the image rotation, that's weird – it's not even consistent. Good thing my computer is light enough to flip upside down as needed! 😁

 

 

Oh, the latest word is that the new Atakebune kit is due to be released early next month. Hope you've all been saving your pennies! I may be into this for a fair chunk of money, as I'm planning on getting two kits. 

 

At least the dollar to yen exchange rate is really good right now...

 

Clare

[hollowneck]

Clare,

Thank you - I love yours too.

Long time, no speak! Covid layed us all pretty low...but, on the East Coast earlier this month we had our joint clubs annual Northeast Conference in New London and it was very good; lots of old friends, many models, an all-around good experience. This conference is being reinstated in its regular slot in April (last Saturday of that month) in 2022. My new club (Philadelphia Ship Model Society) will be the host so I'm one of the lead guys to organize this event since I've worked on two previous Conferences with the Connecticut club.

 

My wife and I moved to PA from CT this summer: a really long story with all kinds of problems (getting a new home, selling wasn't the issue) but things are settling in for us now. Our principal reasons for a major life change (at 75, trust me, it's a major change) were to be closer to family and the outrageously expensive living costs in Connecticut. The family part is the most important however, a daughter/son-in-law with 4 chilluns: an entire family we're very fond of.

 

Yeah, sometimes the site flips uploads in weird orientations. I tried this earlier post a couple times and it kept doing it. Grrrrrrrrr. But I'm glad you took my suggestion to pick your monitor up and turn it...🤣 Actually, if you have an iPad you can turn off the auto-rotation and flipping it around is quite manageable!!

 

I'm building Vanguard's HMS Sphinx kit now: I'm not doing a Build Log but I have posted some pics and a narrative on the Kit Review thread. Check it out if you'd like. I'll put my model (built as HMS Camilla, a sister ship of the era-1775) into a diorama. I'm hooked now and love to place my models in these dramatic settings.

 

Here's a few more of my Ongakuka "Takes A Village"diorama; no guarantees on picture orientation...in fact, only two uploaded correctly this time, plus some of the figures I used which were wonderful. They came unpainted from the U.K.

 

Please PM me when you get the new WoodyJoe Atakebune.

 

Hope You and Yours are well and have stayed safe during the plague year (and a half).

Cheers and Best Regards,

 

Ron

PS You may not know that I'm now a Director of the NRG. Mostly Good News. I'm very involved with new initiatives for the organization. Some tasking with MSW, but mainly with the quarterly Journal and other new things, like the yearly calendar, webinars, the 2021 Photo Contest, etc. ALso writing some feature articles that will be forthcoming next year.

 

Edited October 27, 2021 by hollowneck
grammar fix

[Ryland Craze]

Beautiful work Ron.  I corrected the photo orientation.

[hollowneck]

Clare,

I opened P'Shop and re-rezzed some of my photos for my Takes A Village and I think this fixed the upload interpolation problem!...enjoy.

I'm going to post these now to MSW gallery since I've figured out the problem which has been preventing me from contributing these to the MSW forum.

You get an early peek!!🤩

 

Thanks for the incentive!!

Best,

Ron

PS there's only one in this batch that didn't take on my fix...sorry

[BobG]

Fabulous diorama, Ron!

[hollowneck]

Thanks Ryland!

What did you do to fix my earlier post on this thread? I did some P'Shop rezzing and re-saved and then posted which now appears to have fixed the problem uploading to the forum...but I'd really like to know how you did this!

 

Best,

Ron

[hollowneck]

Thanks Bob, much appreciated.

When posting and reading comments from others the last few days, I am consistently reminded that MSW is also a Very Good Village -  for all of us!

We're 40,000 Plus members now (and still growing), but, importantly still "human scale."

 

Ron

[catopower]

Great photos Ron, but since this thread is about the Woody Joe Atakebune kit, I want to make sure that people get the word that Woody Joe officially announced the release of their new Atakebune kit today, and it will begin shipping starting this Sunday. 

 

I've contacted Zootoyz, where I think most of us here get our Woody Joe products, and began arrangements to get my kit.

 

The price is actually better than I expected at ¥38,000 (currently about $335). The prototype model looks a bit simplistic in the photos, but with some wood stain or dye, and a little bit of detailing, I think it will make for a pretty nice model. Again, it's a 1/100 scale kit with an overall length of just under half a meter, that's just over 19".

 

Mr. Kazunori Morikawa, who runs Zootoyz.jp, visited the museum model and took a lot of photos. I think they're all posted on the shop's Facebook page, so those should help anyone who wants to add some more detail to the model.

 

For those interested in buying the kit, I went and tried to search for it on the two Zootoyz web shops, but I don't think it's listed in the sites menus, or at least I couldn't find it. But, here's a direct link to the product where it can be ordered: https://www.japan-wooden-model-kits-zootoyz.shop/contents/en-us/p25066.html.

 

 

 

 

 

[BobG]

I’m really looking forward to watching you build this beautiful and unusual ship, Clare.

[hollowneck]

Me too! Clare...

 

Excellent. This source continues to be an interesting modeling option. Thanks for posting the photo and details for ordering; I'm tempted to spend the ¥38,000 and put this on my stash shelf. What a kool "artifact" from Japan's maritime history. It resembles European warships of the Middle Ages with castles at the stem and stern because warfare was still bows n' arrows mostly. Apparently there was also plenty of rowing labor😂 then... I agree that with some good detailing and better coloration on the woodwork it would improve the look.

 

When this kit hits your doorstep, please take a few pics of the box contents and the all-important instructions/plans. I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd love to see these as well as your build log - should you do one.

 

My apologies for what appears to be my hijacking of your thread about this model's availability. I will remove the posted pics here if you'd like (by going to edit I think I can do this) - or you can since I've now posted these photos in the Gallery. I have yet to learn how to contain my enthusiasm; that's my excuse, for now...

 

Ron

 

 

 

[catopower]

Ron, no worries about the pics, though I did create a topic called "All Things Woody Joe", so we could share about their kits of castles, temples, boats, ships, teahouses, etc.

 

You can find it under Shore Leave here: 

 

 

Anyway, the kit is out now, and three people including myself have been really pushing to convince Woody Joe to develop this kit, so I'm sure hoping I'm not the only one who builds this kit, or they are not going to be very happy with us!

 

Clare

 

[hollowneck]

Clare,

Thanks for the forum link!  Just read through it. Lots of good info. As others have commented, this new WoodyJoe kit is very tempting!

I will also be very interested in your impressions once this new kit hits your doorstep...

 

Domo Arigato!

Ron 

 

[Ekis]

I have been following the development of the Atakebune for a long time and I was really waiting for its release...
Mr. Kazunori Morikawa (Zootoyz.jp) informed me that I am the first customer in the world! 😂
So, I will be part of the adventure on this ship, transforming it a little visually to stick to the paintings and engravings of the time!
But I may not be the first builder: I have first a Higaki to build, among other things. 😁

 

[BobG]

9 hours ago, Ekis said:

I am the first customer in the world!

 

I hope you will make a build log when you begin.

[catopower]

12 hours ago, Ekis said:

I am the first customer in the world! 

Congratulations on the honor!

 

I guess I'll have to settle for being the first customer on my block... 😐

 

But, my order is on its way. Looking forward to your Higaki Kaisen build. Are you going to do a build log?