Original Item: Only One Available. The word for canteen in Japanese is 水筒（Suito, literally Water Tube）. It was described as a tube structure, because the Japanese traditionally used bamboo sections as water bottles since the Samurai days. Bamboo has hollow chambers and drilling a hole into a section already makes it into a serviceable water bottle. Another plant that served as a liquid container was gourds. These dried out into a wood-like container and were often used to contain sake. Japan has plenty of water, so the need to carry water was not that great, whereas sake didn’t spring from the ground, so sake in gourd bottles hanging at the hip come to mind more easily when one wants to picture a samurai with a canteen.
 
The army did not seem to forget this tradition completely, as a survival guide in tropical climates issued in December 1941 recommends use of local bamboo as canteens to carry extra water.
 
This is a rare example of what appears to be an early production Medical canteen. It is much larger in size than the standard issued Japanese canteen. Not much can be found on these examples unfortunately. We are certain that this is in fact a Japanese WWII Medical kit canteen due to the size and construction.
 
There appears to be no significant damage present, however, the cork stopper has shrunk with age and can get stuck inside the neck of the canteen, making it difficult to remove. All straps appear to be present and the harness is undamaged with all stitching intact and functioning buckle.
 
This is an odd yet lovely example of a rare medics canteen. Comes more than ready for further research and display.