Japanese Armor (Yoroi Kabuto) Construction
Noh mask homeSamurai-SwordShishigashira home


Intro. Noh mask list
Home Price
Contact us
History Construction Individual armour parts Auxiliary armours Yoroi Restraition Kabuto Restraition
Please click the yellow No. or Part's name.
Construction of samurai armour
1. Cuirass - do (胴(仏胴)
2. Fauld - kusazuri (草摺)
3. Cuisse - haidate (佩楯)hizayoroi
4. Poleyn - tateage (立挙)
5. Greaves - suneate (臑当:篠臑当)
6. Sabaton - Tsuranuki (貫), or Kegutsu(毛沓)
7. Spaulders - sode (袖:当世袖
8. Vambrace - kote (籠手:篠籠手)
9. Gauntlets - tekk? (手甲:摘手甲)
10. Helm - kabuto (兜 筋兜)
There are many kinds of Kabuto.

11. Torso roll- Doumaki (胴巻き)
12. Forehead plate - mabisashi (眉庇)
13. Lame - fukikaeshi (吹返)
14. Faceplate - menboo (面頬:目の下頬)
15. Crest (here: brass horns) - wakidate
(立物:大鍬形)- Ohkuwagata
There are many kinds of Crest, Ohkuwagata is populer.

16. Crest (here: sun disk) - maedate (立物:日輪の前立)
Also there are many kinds of Maedate
Dragon, Shishi, Sun

17. Bevor - yodare-kake (襟廻)
18. Neck guard - shikoro (しころ:日根野しころ)
19. Stand for Wakidate- Wakidate dai脇立台
Japanese armour was generally constructed from many small bamboo staves (tetsu) and/or leather (nerigawa)
scales (kozane) and/or plates (ita-mono), connected to each other by rivets and macrame cords (odoshi)
made from leather and/or braided silk, and/or chain armour (kusari). Noble families had silk cords made
in specific patterns and colors of silk thread. Many of these cords were constructed of well over 100 strands of silk.
Making these special silk cords could take many months of steady work, just to complete enough for one
suit of armour. These armor bamboo plates were usually attached to a cloth or leather backing.
Japanese armour was designed to be as lightweight as possible (thus the use of bamboo) as the samurai
had many tasks including riding a horse and archery in addition to swordsmanship.
The armour was usually brightly lacquered to protect against the harsh Japanese climate.
Chain armour (kusari) was also used to construct individual armour pieces and full suits of kusari were even used. 

Inoue Corporation
1530 Kamiaraga, Fukuchiyama, Kyoto, Japan 620-0065
Tel:81-773-23-5211 Fax:81-773-23-5190

1996-2019 All rights © reserved
Link is welcome!

Shikoro Wakidatedai Shikoro Haidate Dou Kusazuri Tateage Suneate Kegutsu Kote Tekou Doumaki Mabisashi Fukikaeshi Wakidate Maedate Yodarekake Kabuto Menboo Sode