#bekkou

簪 Kanzashi (Japanese hairpins) and いち止 Ichidome (hairstops), handy charts by Edo lover Nadeshico Rin following the kushi/combs and kôgai/hairsticks ones.

Technically, kôgai (hairsticks, rod-like/single prong) were pratical hair accessories meant to hold mage (chignon), where kanzashi (hairpins, with 2 prongs) were used as decorations only.

Historically, two prongs hairpins differentiated from kôgai to circle around sumptuary laws* banning certain types/material for kôgai. (*I remember reading that kôgai could be used as weapons which probably weighted in the authorities’ decision to ban some kôgai types ^^;)

Nowadays in the West, word “kanzashi” often refers to “tsumami kanzashi” ie hairpins with silk flowers. But many types existed, many of which are now mostly seen worn in “traditional”/formal settings (tea ceremony, wedding, or by Geisha/Maiko for example).

As for hairpins types, you can see here from right to left, top to bottom (pins are more or less sorted chronologically):

Right column:

松葉簪 - matsuba kanzashi (pine needle hairpin) - straight forward name for this pin which looks like a big pine needle, it was popular during Meiwa and An’ei eras

紋入り簪 - mon iri kanzashi (crest hairpin) - popular during Meiwa/An’ei eras, this pin had a small crest carved between tab and prongs parts. Women could wear their family crest, but also their favourite Kabuki actors one’s for ex for historical fangirling ;)

輪形銀簪 - wagata gin kanzashi (ring shaped silver hairpin) - a simple yet refined pin which appeared around Shôtoku/Kyôhô eras. Apparently one of the first hairpins having two prongs + tab design

持出し簪 - mochidashi kanzashi (stick out pattern hairpin) - once again a popular Meiwa/An’ei eras pin, with carved flowery motifs sticking out

平打簪 - hirauchi kanzashi (flat crest hairpin) - another well known metal pin (still seen nowadays though crest part is often smaller) which appeared around Bunka/Bunsei eras. It has a flat tab shaped as crest, which can be stamped, carved or cut out

琴柱簪 - kotoji kanzashi (koto bridge hairpin) - the typical “Edo era” hairpin, popular since Kan’en/Hôreki eras. The elegant name is pretty straight forward as it does look like an elongated koto bridge

Left column:

べつ甲花簪 - bekkô hana kanzashi (turtle shell flowers hairpin) - a striking style which appeared in Bunka era. It was first worn by (rich) young ladies for formal/celebratory events. It is now only worn by brides on their wedding day.

べつ甲足つなぎ簪 - bekkô ashitsunagi kanzashi (turtle shell linked prongs hairpin) - a sturdy pin thanks to its connected ends, it first appeared during Bunka/Bunsei eras.

大耳簪 - ômimi kanzashi (big ear​ hairpin) - also appeared during Bunka/Bunsei eras, the telling name comes from its large tab.Edo people used the top part of hairpins (the ‘ear’/tab) to clean wax from their ears (using them much like ear pick/ear spoons) so this could explain the name of this pin - too big to be actually used for this purposed.

玉簪 - tama kanzashi (beaded hairpin) - a pin which appeared in Bunsei era and remained steadily popular through the ages and well into nowadays. The bead was usually made from sango/coral, but many variations existed (like jade for ex, but also cheaper materials like died horn, glass, celluloid etc).

房飾り付花簪 - fusakazari tsukihana kanzashi (tasseled flower hairpin) - a big pin with cute fluttering ornament worn by young girls from late Edo to Meiji era.

銀製花簪 - ginsei hana kanzashi (silver flower hairpin) - gorgeous flowery hairpin made from costly silver, popular from late Edo to Meiji era. Rin doesn’t say anything about it, but I don’t think this could have been anything but a special ornament for formal wear ^^

びらびら簪 - birabira kanzashi (dangling hairpin) - a style well known by Maiko fans! Those fluttering metal pins were popular during late Edo and Meiji era, especially among “musume” (unmaried women, especially refering to fashionable city girls). The beads here are coral ones

Ichidome note - ichidome are small hairpins meant to hold (dome) into place the “tail” (ichi) part of some nihongami hairstyles:

笄タイプ - kôgai type also known 髷どめ wagedome (”chignon stop”) - those pins were used from late Edo to begining of Meiji. They were especially fashionable in Kyoto/Osaka, among girls who wore them with sakkô hairstyle (an hairdo now seen on maiko during their erikae)

櫛 - kushi (Japanese combs types), handy chart by Edo lover Nadeshico Rin.

Rin doesn’t detail materials, but you can see here illustrated tsuge/boxwood (+dark woods I can’t replace for yamataka, maybe sugi/cryptomeria for tenmaru?), bekkô/turtle shell, zôge/ivory, shikki/lacquered wood, glass.

While translating this chart, I stumbled upon this overview of the Kushikanzashi museum dedicated to hair accessories. It reminds that before Edo era, women used to wear their hair down/loosely tied (垂髪 subeshigami styles = hair tied behind and hanging down/long flowing hair).

When nihongami appeared (=the trademark Japanese bun we think of when thinking about “ancient Japan”), it was first considered casual style, so a woman would in fact nor wear an updo for formal events.

When nighongami spread, demand for combs increased, leading to a flourishing craft.

Combs also varied widely during the whole period, following the fashion and styles, from big+wide during peak Edo (which loved big hairstyles) to dainty+narrow in Meiji era (where hairstyles were much more muted).

As for the combs types depicted by Rin, you can see from left to right, top to bottom:

First column:

月形 Tsuki gata (crescent shaped) - small comb like this one became popular around 1825 after a sumptuary law banned more extravagant combs. This one was made famous by actor Iwai Hanshiro for the character Mikazuki Osen.

半月形 Hantsuki gata (half crescent shaped) - a small comb like tsuki gata, with a somehow thin and even spine and long teeth, popular during Tenpô era. 

閑清形 Kansei gata (kansei shaped) - a small comb with a soft rectangular shape, popular in Tenpô era. 

新牡丹形 Shinbatan gata (”young peony” shaped) - small comb with a small spine and rounded corners, fashionable after Tenpô era.

柳川櫛 Yanagawa kushi (Yanagawa comb) - a small comb made from ivory dyed red, then carved to revealed white patterns. Such combs were popular during Kôka era.

Second column:

銀覆輪櫛 Gin fukurin gushi (silver ornemental border comb) - comb with a silver framed ridge, popular during Meiwa and An’ei eras. It is said to have been invented by famous jack of all trades Hiraga Gennai (and hence also named Gennai comb 源内櫛)

光輪形 Kourin gata (Kôrin shaped) - an ornated comb with openwork designs popular during Meiwa and An’ei eras. The patterns were inspired by works of famous painter Ogata Kôrin hence the name

御巻用の櫛  Kushimakiyou no kushi (hair roll comb) - a long comb, big enough to wrap the entire hair around. In Hôreki era, A kyûji onna (teahouse waitress) named Minatoya Oroku who waited a teahouse in the precincts of Sensoji Temple is said to have invented this style who soon spread among the population.

硝子製の櫛 Garasusei no kushi (glass comb) - appeared in first half of 18th century. Glass was quite rare and precious then as it was a foreign good (as shown by the names used: ビードロ/bidoro from Portugese vidro or ギヤマン/giyaman from Dutch diamant). Such combs were very fragile.

角形 Kaku gata (angle shaped) - a comb with a straight rectangular shape, popular in Tenpô era.

Third column:

天丸形 Tenmaru gata ("all round” shaped) - a straight forward name for this comb which has a very large and round “yama“ (spine part) which leave plenty of room for decorations (painted, inlaid etc)

糸鬢丸形 Itobin marugata (itobin round shaped) - “Itobin” (lit. thread like sidelocks) was a men hairstyle from early Edo era (head mostly shaved except for thread like locks on temples and nape). OP wonders if the name of this comb originated from this peculiar look? It’s true the shaft kinda looks like a balding head with the tiniest bit of hair left ;)

山高形 Yamataka gata (tall mountain shaped) - a style fashionable during Kyôhô-Genbun eras. The name is pretty straight forward as it has a pretty high (=taka) spine (=yama”), which made a nice canvas for decorations.

利休形 Rikyuugata (Rikyuu shaped) - popular during Kan’en and Hôreki eras, this comb looks like a longer yamataka comb. OP doesn’t know why it was named after the Rikyû school of tea ceremony.