Japanese Armour - Individual Armour Parts

Individual Armour Parts

A full suit of traditional Samurai armour could include the following items:

  • Dou or dō, a chest armour made up of iron and or leather plates of various sizes and shapes with pendents *kusazuri made from iron or leather plates hanging from the front and back of the dou (dō) 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. Kote were made from cloth covered with iron plates of various size and shape, connected by chain armor (kusari).
  • Kabuto, a helmet made from iron or leather plates (from 3 to over 100 plates) riveted together. A neck guard shikoro made from several layers of curved iron or leather strips was suspended from the bottom edge of the kabuto.
  • Mengu, various types of lacquered metal and or leather facial armour designed in a way that the top heavy helmet kabuto could be tied and secured to them by various metal posts. Mengu had throat guards yodare-kake made from several rows of iron or leather plates or kusari (chain armour) sewn to a cloth backing, suspended from the bottom edge.
  • Haidate, thigh guards which tied around the waist and covered the thighs. These were made from cloth with small iron and or leather plates of various size and shape, usually connected to each other by chain armour (kusari) and sewn to the cloth.
  • Suneate, shin guards made from iron splints connected together by chain armor (kusari) and sewn to cloth and tied around the calf.

Read more about this topic:  Japanese Armour

Famous quotes containing the words individual, armour and/or parts:

    In the course of the actual attainment of selfish ends—an attainment conditioned in this way by universality—there is formed a system of complete interdependence, wherein the livelihood, happiness, and legal status of one man is interwoven with the livelihood, happiness, and rights of all. On this system, individual happiness, etc. depend, and only in this connected system are they actualized and secured.
    Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831)

    How happy is he born and taught
    That serveth not another’s will;
    Whose armour is his honest thought,
    And simple truth his utmost skill!
    Sir Henry Wotton (1568–1639)

    When the coherence of the parts of a stone, or even that composition of parts which renders it extended; when these familiar objects, I say, are so inexplicable, and contain circumstances so repugnant and contradictory; with what assurance can we decide concerning the origin of worlds, or trace their history from eternity to eternity?
    David Hume (1711–1776)