I have had these guys on the painting table all year and finally got around to finishing them late last week.

These are generic enough to be able to be used in a variety of game systems.

The village of the farmers in Seven Samurai was a set built in Tagata on the Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka, Japan. I have scoured the internet to try and find the actual name of the village in the movie but cannot find it anywhere; maybe one of you guys can help.

With the completion of the Ninja outlined in the last blog and the rest of my Test of Honour figures finally on the drawing board I thought I should start on some appropriate terrain.

Japanese “Ghost Town” Shonai Eigamura, Tsuruoka

What looks like an old and abandoned Japanese village is actually just a movie set. Many of the latest Japanese Samurai movies where filmed here. There are reconstructions of a farming village, a fishing village and a post town of the Edo period (1603–1867). I hope to use this as an example to model off.

I purchased some building and scenery back in 2016 and have finally started building and painting my 16th century village. The Ronin and Bandit figures are a must to get painted next!!

I have the village mdf kit from Warlord Games which includes a Tori gate and bridge, some rice storerooms, and a water mill (yet to be put together). I also have some excellent resin buildings from Oshiro Model Terrain and a Samurai House from John Jenkins Design.

Here is a preview of what it will look like:

I still have the Warlords watermill to put together to finish off the village.

I already have enough fields and gardens but might need some rice paddy fields to place near the rice storerooms.

With the Oshiro models came a variety of scenic bits including a small shrine, lanterns, and enough headstones to create a small cemetery.

I am still working out how to make a Japanese Garden that will look OK. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Here is the first of the Oshiro models completed.

May the kids give you that Matilda tank you always wanted tomorrow!! Me …. socks if I am lucky. Although the youngest did give me a bottle of single malt Scotch today!! Bottoms up.

These are the start of quite a large project for the Test of Honor Japanese samurai rules.

The figures are all Warlord miniatures but they are now supplied by Footsore miniatures. The second edition of the rules is now also produced by Footsore and clears up a lot of the problems in the first one.

The figures are designed around three small contingents of a Ninja Lieutenant, 2 groups of three Ninjas and two single ninja for a total of 16 points each. A hero leads them for 7 points giving a 55 point total for the whole contingent.

Coming soon will be the warrior monks and bandits to fight them

Not really new as like a lot of projects they have been in the pipeline for a long time and are all being finished at once. I still have about half a dozen to go but decided not to wait until they were finished before sharing these.

Hopefully I will get the last few done in the next few weeks to finish this collection. Tomorrow will see the “Return of the Iga Ninjas” as they should be finished basing during tonight’s paint club zoom meeting.

My Eureka miniatures warrior mice are almost ready and should also be on display within a few days. Next on the agenda are Test of Honour warrior monks and bandits and the two large Japanese warrior clans. Following these probably some more Test of Honour figures, the Japanese terrain and building, and my crazy collection of female East Africa company figures. This should take me through with the odd zombie here and there until Christmas.

By the way does any one have any tips for modelling Japanese Gardens, ponds etc.?

See ya soon.