Japanese armored clothing.

The Japanese mastered the manufacture of armored clothing, they made and wore many different types and styles. Here is a high end example of a katabira. I count around 2000 small leather armor plates connected to each other by chain armor.

 

 

 

Ooh I like that! There is a very similar one in Liverpool Museum, made from the scales of a horse armour that has the provision of turning back the edges to convert it into a jinbaori. The gilded metal kohaze are usually associated with Muromachi armours - in this case reused I suspect. Hats off again

Ian Bottomley

Ooh I like that! There is a very similar one in Liverpool Museum, made from the scales of a horse armour that has the provision of turning back the edges to convert it into a jinbaori. The gilded metal kohaze are usually associated with Muromachi armours - in this case reused I suspect. Hats off again

Ian Bottomley

Ian, I think you are right about the kohaze, I have seen similar ones on really nice dou's and never on this type of armor, it did look unusual to me. I am not quite sure what this type of armor plate would be called, karuta is the closest to describing it that I can think of. I would like to see the one in the Liverpool Museum as I have only seen one other katabira that was even close to this style.

 

 

 

 

I Just found this photo, its the first time I have seen it and only the second old photo showing chain armor being worn, its titled as "Estate Guards" supposedly taken by Beato. It is unusual in that it may not have been staged in a studio or at least it looks like it could have been taken outside. The chain armor jackets "kusuri katabira" and chain armor hoods "kusari zunin" some with forehead protectors "hachi gane" are typical light weight portable armored clothing. The guy on the left appears to be wearing a pair of armored half gauntlets "han kote".

Eric, A friend has passed on a photo of the Liverpool piece for me. Most interesting is the helmet which is a type of eboshinari kabuto made from two main plates. One plate is a single piece of iron, the other rivetted up from twenty some scraps!!!!.

Ian

Eric, A friend has passed on a photo of the Liverpool piece for me. Most interesting is the helmet which is a type of eboshinari kabuto made from two main plates. One plate is a single piece of iron, the other rivetted up from twenty some scraps!!!!.

Ian

Thanks Ian!!! An awesome piece, and very similar to the one I posted for sure. A lot of recycling going on there, especially if the armor pieces were previously from a horse armor. I wonder if the one I posted is made from the same type of recycled armor plates as I do not see that style of really small square armor plates being commonly used elsewere?