Introduction:
The Samurai
1: Historical Context Samurai armour changed over time: in the Heian Period (794-1185), armour was designed to be light and flexible because samurai fought on horseback. In the later Edo Period (1603-1867), armour was worn more as an expression of culture and status.
2: The Evolution of Armour-making in Japan The development of armour design is shaped by factors such as economics and availability of materials as well as expediency and efficiency.
3: Armour Construction Japanese armour contained leather, iron, steel, wool, cotton, and sometimes silk in its construction. * Dou or do, a chest armour made up of iron and or leather plates of various sizes and shapes with pendants * Kusazuri made from iron or leather plates hanging from the front and back of the dou (do) to protect the lower body and upper leg. * Sode, large rectangular shoulder protection made from iron and or leather plates. * Kote, armoured glove like sleeves which extended to the shoulder or han kote (kote gauntlets) which covered the forearms. * Kabuto, a helmet made from iron or leather plates (from three to over 100 plates) riveted together. * Mengu, various types of lacquered metal and or leather facial armour. * Haidate, thigh guards which tied around the waist and covered the thighs. * Suneate, shin guards made from iron splints connected together by chain armour (kusari) and sewn to cloth and tied around the calf. * Guruwa, throat protector. * Nodowa, a type of throat and neck guard. * Tate-eri, the tate-eri is a small padded pillow like piece * Manchira, the manchira is a type of armoured-vest * Wakibiki, the wakibiki is a simple rectangle of cloth covered with kusari (chain armour), karuta (small iron plates), or kikko (brigandine) * Yoroi zukin, cloth hoods with various types of armour sewn to the cloth.
4: Ancient Samurai Armour (4th -9th centuries) * Tanko - The first iron armour appeared in the 4th century and was called tanko. * Keiko - the introduction of the keiko (or kake-yoroi), was connected with the importation of horses from continental Asia around the end of the 4th century. * Do-maru - retainers and servants usually wore simpler armour (do-maru), which appeared approximately with the o-yoroi or earlier.
5: Classical Samurai Armour (10th -15th centuries) * O-yoroi - The o-yoroi (or 'great armour') appeared in the beginning of the 10th century. * Haraate and Haramaki - Beginning in the 15th century, the light infantry (ashigaru) was equipped with a new type of armour called haraate ('protection of the abdomen'). * Kusari - Japanese mail, appeared in the 14th century.
**6: Modern Samurai Armour (16th -19th centuries) ** * Mogami-do gusoku - The earlier variants of the mogami-do gusoku, which appeared in the late 15th/early 16th centuries were considered to be transitional types of armour. * Maru-do gusoku - The maru-do was a modern variant of the do-maru and usually was the armour of high-ranking warriors. * Ni-mai-do gusoku - Strictly speaking, the ni-mai-do was not a particular type of armour but was a term for a group of armours of different construction. * Okegawa-do gusoku - Around 1550 a new type of armour appeared, the okegawa- do or the armour of riveted lamellae. * tosei-gusoku - in the beginning of the 16th century the Classical armours were replaced by tosei-gusoku ('Modern armours') of lamellar construction. * Namban-do gusoku - The namban-do gusoku or 'armour of the south barbarians' was one of the results of contact with Europeans.
7: Famous Samurai of the Sengoku Period Takeda Shingen (1521-73) - Oda Nobunaga (1534-82) - Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616)
8: Heraldry Samurai in battle would wear a banner with their lord's crest on it, attached to the back of their armour.
