====== House Ōkami ====== //A Samurai with no group and no horse is not a Samurai at all//. -Yamamoto Jin'-emon House Ōkami (狼氏, //Ōkami-shi//) is the collection of Samurai in the Kingdom of Ealdormere. Their goal is to promote the SCA through the reenactment of the ways of the Samurai of Japan. In Japanese, the character Ōkami means "wolf". This represents the fact that House Ōkami styles itself the Japanese Wolf of Ealdormere - and the Ealdormere populace symbol is, of course, the wolf. House Ōkami therefore always flies the banners of the wolf and of Ealdormere, as they hold allegiance to the kingdom and to the King and Queen, until the Emperor calls them back home to Nippon. The house follows the seven Tenets of Bushido and official "belted" members take an oath to these during a private ceremony. Activities the Ōkami include [[activities:arts_sciences:armouring|Armor Making]] [[activities:arts_sciences:Woodworking]], [[activities:martial:target_archery|Way of the Bow]], [[activities:arts_sciences:bardic|Chanting]], [[activities:arts_sciences:storytelling|Story Telling]], [[activities:arts_sciences:costuming|Sewing and Garment Making]], [[activities:arts_sciences:Calligraphy]], [[activities:arts_sciences:Poetry]], and, of course, [[activities:arts_sciences:brewing|Sake Brewing]]. Plans are afoot to add Taiko Drum Making, [[activities:arts_sciences:Metalworking]], Tent-Making and other activities of the Medieval Japanese. =====History===== What began as armoring sessions at [[people:yamamoto_morikazu|Yamamoto's]] Do'no's house quickly evolved into a collection of Japanese persona that wanted to fight and learn the arts of Japan. Started in A.S. 44, House Ōkami started out as a fighting household, but it has evolved into a way to collect Japanese persona in Ealdormere and give a path to follow for future Japanese samurai. House Ōkami at one point boasted over 22 official members and numerous "Friends of the House " members. Lord Yamamoto led the house for eight years. In A.S. 52, Yamamoto Morikazu Do'no and his lady, Mi'namoto Natsume Do'no, were recalled to Kyoto by the Emperor. House Ōkami is currently led by Yamagata Tokim'une Do'n and his Yamagata Yukiko Do'no with the help of the trusted retainers of the House. =====House Members===== Membership in House is divided between official "belted" members (called the Hatamoto), and Friends of the House. To become a belted member, one must have a Japanese persona or alternate persona; have contributed to the house in a manner that satisfies the Daimyo; and have participated in the wider SCA, including learning the skills and service prized by the Society. A belted member is given an Obi - a sort of cloth belt - in a private ceremony where they take an oath to uphold the tenants of Bushido. The obi reflects the wearer's SCA rank; thus a white obi is reserved for a member of the [[awards:order_of_the_chivalry|Order of the Chivalry]], a red obi represents a [[scaism:squire|squire]], and so on. Some members of the House also wear a necklace or token to show their dedication to the House. **Hatamoto (Full Members with Obi):** * Yamagata Tokimune Hachi-i , //Daimyō// (Leader) * Yamagata Yukiko Shichi-i (Alieana of the March) * [[people:ishigane_no_okami|Ōkami-no-Ishigane]] Hachi-i (Lord James Mac Donald), //Jitō// (Treasurer) * Shimazu Nobuhisa Hachi-i, //Sobayonin// (Secretary) * Atai Yoshina San-i * Oikawa Katsu Roku-i * [[people:dietrich_von_sachsen|Akashi Terumoto]] Roku-i * [[people:ichijou_gorou_kinaki|Ichijō Kinaki]] Hachi-i * [[people:eogan_svartauga|Hattori no Sabarou Akihira]] Hachi-i * Tanegashima Hiromoto Hachi-i * Tanegashima Masako Hachi-i * Sakuran no-Ōkami Hachi-i * Kagutsuchi Itto * Takeda Seishin **Retired Hatamoto:** * Kajia Hachi-i * Yamamoto Morikazu Hachi-i * Mi'namoto Natsume Hachi-i * Heroshi Heisui * Hoshi No-Ōkami **Friends of the Ōkami (Honorary Members):** * Kenshin Hachi-i of Æthelmearc * Seishi Hachi-i of Æthelmearc * Artemis * Daisuke No-Ōkami * Geishi * Inabe Yasue * Kurosawa * Liambeth * Mori Shiome Hachi-i * Raiden * Ren * Seimei No-Ōkami * Sakura * himazu Mitsunaga Hachi-i * Yasu No-Ōkami * Yoshikuri Nagayori Shichi-i =====Contact===== House Ōkami can be contacted by joining the [[https://www.facebook.com/groups/clanokami/|Facebook group]]. There is also a Discord channel where most of the house communications take place. [{{ :groups:households:okami_mon_heraldry_only.png?200px|The //mon// of House Ōkami: //(Fieldless) Three triangles inverted gules, overall a wolf's head cabossed sable.//}}] [{{ media:photographs:okami_at_kariya_park.jpg?200px|House Ōkami at Kariya Park for the Cherry Blossom Festival. Photo by [[people:eogan_svartauga|Hattori no Sabarou Akihira]] Do'no.}}] [{{ media:photographs:clan_okami_2022.jpg?200px|House Ōkami after the fighting at Murder Melee 2022. Photo by TH Lord Bjarn Aaronson.}}] [{{ media:photographs:clan_okami_2016.jpg?200px|House Ōkami, armed and ready for war at Murder Melee 2016.}}]