Japan is an amazing country with a wonderful history. When we hear about the land of the rising sun, thoughts of samurai immediately come to mind. This is not surprising, because a similar phenomenon did not occur in other countries. Samurai were different from medieval knights. They became a unique layer of society that existed for many centuries and went from guarding the emperor to representatives of the military government of the country. The appearance of these warriors also deserves attention. The samurai armor had no analogues and is still studied by orientalists.
In this article we will talk about the most significant eras in the history of the country, about the formation of the samurai and how the appearance of the Japanese warrior changed from century to century.
Ancient warriors of the Yayoi era
The inhabitants of the Japanese islands in the New Stone Age lived by hunting and fishing, and this was enough for food. The tools were made from animal bones and stone. This time was called Jomon. But the life of the ancient Japanese changed in the early 300s. BC, when other tribes from the Korean Peninsula were resettled into the territory. These people were more adaptable, grew rice, were engaged in pottery and could make tools from metal. The merger of the two communities did not take place without armed clashes. This was the beginning of the Bronze Age or Yayoi era.
Yayoi is a period in Japan from about 300-400 BC. and to 300 AD. Society was divided into layers, slaves appeared as a result of the resettlement of new tribes to the islands. It was then that the first mentions of spears and swords can be found.
Very little is known about the warriors of those times. They used bows and arrows, straight double-edged Chinese swords, and hoko spears as weapons. Most weapons were made of bronze. The equipment of the ancestors of the samurai, who appeared centuries later, looked like a shell made of leather or wood with straps and was worn on a shirt. In cold weather they wore bear skins. In a leather cuirass, the shoulders were covered with additional strips of leather, and in a wooden one, the back part protruded above the level of the shoulders. The soldiers were buried along with their weapons and ammunition.
Warriors of the Yamato era and Heian era
Following the Yayoi period comes the Yamato era, which lasted from 300 AD. e. to 710 AD e. At this time, Buddhism penetrated into Japan from Korea and became the official religion. This fact initially caused many conflicts, since the lower strata of the population did not want to recognize the new complex religion. But gradually the situation smoothed out, and the disagreements were settled. Also from China in the 5th century. The Japanese borrowed writing.
Changes affected not only the religious and cultural spheres; innovations also appeared in the military field. For the first time in Japan, cavalry appeared, and the appearance underwent changes. Keiko were used to replace tankos that were inconvenient for riding. The iron elements in them were fastened together with leather cords, which made the riders more mobile. The armor of the nobility was gilded. The hands were protected with leather sleeves. In battles, the cavalry used swords, but no longer double-edged, but sharpened on one side, as well as large bows and arrows with iron tips.
In the middle of the 7th century. Military service was introduced in the country - upon reaching the age of twenty, each young man had to serve 3 years. Troops were created to guard the emperor - eji, as well as to protect the borders from invasion - sakimori. But the raids on the country continued, and the nobility understood that the emperor’s soldiers were not enough for defense. Therefore, the upper class preferred to have their own guards; they were called bushi, which means fighter. In the future, they will become the first samurai.
Next comes the Nara period, which lasted until 794 and was marked by the flourishing of Buddhism.
After the capital of the state was moved to the city of Heian in 794, the period of the same name began. It lasted until 1185. This time is usually called the golden age of Japanese culture. It was then that the samurai appeared, about whom the whole world would later talk. As mentioned above, officially they were considered imperial warriors, but in reality it was not so easy to subjugate them. They formed their own code of honor, which they followed no matter what. Only samurai generals were able to control such an army.
The main weapon of the fighters of that time was not a sword, as we used to think, but a bow and arrow. This was more convenient, since they fought on horseback. Samurai armor in the 9th-10th centuries. — leather o-yoroi. These were plate cuirasses connected to each other by silk cords. The plate structure was attached to a metal plate (tsubo-ita) to better protect the fighter's stomach. The chest and part of the back were protected by three rows of tateage stripes, which were also reinforced with a metal plate. Mandatory elements of armor were sode shoulder pads and leg guards. These were unique pieces of armor not found among neighboring peoples. Sode consisted of plates, like all warrior clothing. Along the edges they had a edging made of cord in a contrasting color. Kusazuri legguards were attached to the armor and protected the legs of the samurai in the saddle. Skin was placed over the armor. A helmet with a characteristic tip and a hole for hair was always attached to the o-yoroi.
Sewing hakama
If the material “crumbles”, then it should be overlocked. You need to sew together the elements of the front and back halves of the hakama in pairs. You should have four parts.
Take the front elements and stitch them together along the middle seam, departing 30 cm from the top edge. We process the outer top edge: on the wrong side you need to bend a triangle measuring 10 cm on one side and 20 cm on the other. Trim off excess material. Don't forget to leave a seam allowance.
Let's move on to laying out the folds. There should be 6 of them in front (you can make three). They should be turned towards the center. Press the folds firmly, there can be no soft drapery here. Now stitch the sides from the slits to the bottom edge and hem the trousers.
You can sew a samurai costume from cotton fabric or thick curtain material.
The kimono can be decorated with embroidery. A samurai costume for the New Year can be made from artificial silk.
Warriors of the Kamakura era
The next time period is from 1185 to 1333. Named the Kamakura era, after the city that became the center of the country's first shogunate (military government). Its creation entailed an intensification of internecine wars. Kamakura is remembered for the fact that it was this time that became the heyday of the samurai, they found themselves in power. The image of the samurai began to be idealized; he was a brave fighter, a man of honor, a man who, under pain of death, would not stray from his path. Just as before, every warrior had to have a horse; only peasants were on foot.
The armor remained assembled, had a low weight to ensure ease of movement, and decorative lacing painted it in different colors.
In this era, designs on armor became more complex, and instead of geometric ones, more intricate patterns and engravings appeared. The armor was most often covered with deer skins. Metal visors began to be made on helmets to enhance protection.
Many forges appeared throughout Japan, and sword making became an art. Samurai carried curved swords about 80 centimeters long, and often had small koshigatana swords tucked into their belts. Spears, knives and daggers were most often used.
In 1274 and 1281 Genghis Khan's grandson attempted to take over the country, but was defeated both times. The Mongols were not sufficiently prepared for naval battles, and the weather conditions were not on their side. These events strengthened the national spirit and gave the image of the Japanese warrior even more heroism.
Japanese clothing from the Middle Ages to modern times
With the coming to power of the samurai class (12th century), the cut of clothing underwent dramatic changes. The pretentious fashion of the aristocrats was replaced by a military style: “ kariginu ” and “ hakama ” for samurai, formal “ sokutai ” for officials, “ hakama ” and “ kosode ” (kimono with short, narrower sleeves) for women.
At first, Japanese women wore kosode as underwear, with a long uchikake . But in the hot months, “uchikake” had to be dropped from the shoulders, secured with sleeves on the belt, thereby visually expanding the lower part of the body. Thus, “kosode” became a standard weekend outfit for women of any class, although interest in “uchikake” was revived every year during the cold winter period. (The combination of “kosode” and “uchikake” has survived to this day in the bride’s wedding dress.)
Over time, the shapes of the capes changed, the decor flared up and died down, but the clothes still remained practical and functional; instead of silk, cheap fabrics and leather were used.
Samurai gradually began to abandon the traditional “kariginu” and switched to a kimono, on which they put on a sleeveless cape “ kataginu ” (or “ kamishimo ”). The kamishimo, which was worn with loose hakama pants, had hard wings on the shoulders, giving a masculine appearance to even a slender man.
During the Edo period, a loose, thigh-length haori combined with an ankle-length hakama became popular among samurai. The samurai's family crests were applied to the "haori" - on the back, sleeves and chest. This set survived virtually unchanged until the mid-19th century as typical clothing for wealthy people.
With the advent of the Edo period (1600–1868), bloody civil strife ceased in the country. The years of peace came, bringing with them a flourishing of crafts, art, and culture. New methods of dyeing fabrics appeared - “yuzen” and “shibori”, which made it possible to turn silk and cotton cuts for “kosode” into real works of art.
By that time, any tangible influence of foreign fashion - Chinese or even European - had been canceled. The country voluntarily plunged into self-isolation, contacts with foreigners were prohibited under penalty of death. The artists of the Kabuki theater and the inhabitants of the “fun quarters” began to set the tone in fashionable cuts and colors of clothes. Representatives of the emerging bourgeoisie copied the clothes of their favorites, and the streets of the cities bloomed with bright colors of outfits and jewelry.
But this did not last long. Obviously, this irritated the samurai who were at the top step of the class ladder, who professed simplicity in life and clothing in accordance with Zen principles. The Shogun government was forced to tighten the previously existing restrictions and regulations that strictly defined what clothes, from what material, what colors should be worn by representatives of each class. Forced to obey these regulations, the merchants tried to circumvent the prohibitions by cunning.
The commoner's kimono remained monochromatic, with stripes, speckles or polka dots, but the lining of such an outwardly unattractive calico kimono was made of silk. A glimpse of expensive fabric, momentarily revealed to the eye while walking, spoke of the high financial status of a representative (or representative) of a low-ranking trading class. The modesty of the dress was compensated by the elaborate hairstyle and jewelry.
The same goal was pursued by changing the shape of the kosode belt. Previously, women girded themselves with a thin strip of the same fabric as the kimono. Now the soft belt has given way to a wide (up to 30 cm) brocade belt with rich embroidery, which also began to be tied on the back with lush decorative knots and bows.
Japanese traditional clothing during the reign of the military aristocracy (shogunate)
Armor do-maru, haramaki-do and haraate
Even in the Kamakura era, the Japanese began to understand that it was necessary to create simpler clothing options; not every warrior had the opportunity to dress in expensive, richly decorated armor, the cost of which was equal to the price of a herd of cows. Simple samurai wore do-maru, translated “around the body,” which also consisted of plates, but was a more simplified version with ties on the side on the right. It was easier and faster to put them on. Instead of bulky shoulder pads, sode used thin plates with short cords for attaching to the shoulders. The kusazuri hip “skirt” was also lightened and 7-8 plates were left so that the fighter could move faster. Do-maru is a lighter version of o-yoroi, designed for infantrymen. Soon the nobility began to use such armor. After some time, gunsmiths made it possible to disassemble the do-maru into several parts for ease of storage, and for cleaning there was no need to untie all the cords.
In the 15th century haramaki-do appears, which translates as “winding around the stomach.” These armors had no fundamental differences from the do-maru; they also did not have solid metal parts, but they were fastened not on the side, but on the back, where there was a gap between the plates. It was covered with a special seite plate. And as in the case of do-maru, this armor of ordinary infantrymen was later chosen by the samurai nobility, adding to them o-yoroi shoulder pads and beautiful lacing.
The simplest samurai armor was haraate - “belly protection”. This is the cheapest infantry warrior outfit. One or two rows of upper plates protected the chest, while longer rows were intended to protect the sides and abdomen. Instead of expensive silk lacing, regular fabric lacing was used. The back remained unprotected. The thigh kusazuri were shortened as much as possible. Such armor provided little protection, but for poor infantrymen it was better than nothing. By the way, rich samurai also often wore haraate, but wore them under regular clothes in peacetime to protect against surprise attacks.
Sewing a kimono
Finish the edges of the fabric with an overlocker. First of all, you need to connect the two back elements. Now you can cut out the neck. When marking, do not forget about the seam allowance.
Sew front and back along the shoulders. Don't forget to stitch the extensions to the right and left shelves.
Fold the sleeves in half. Focus on the dotted line. Sew the fabric from shoulder to wrist. You will get two pipes. Sew in the sleeves. To do this, you need to connect the middle to the shoulder seam. Sew the sides.
Place the kimono on the model. Spread the product over your shoulders and back. Wrap up a stylized robe. Now you need to bend the triangles for the collar on the shelves. It will start from the back of the neck to the bottom (set the level as you wish). Remove the suit from the model and secure the sewing elements with pins. Sew three parts of the gate into one strip. Roll it lengthwise and sew it. Next, you need to turn it out and iron it. You will receive a ribbon whose width is 5 cm.
Sew on the collar, cut off any excess. Now you need to hem the entire product at the bottom. Using this pattern, you can sew both a samurai suit for a boy and a beautiful kimono for a girl or woman. Mothers can make themselves a delicate, feminine robe using this template. A kimono can be used as a samurai New Year's costume for a children's party in kindergarten or a carnival at school.
"Modern armor" XVI-XIX centuries.
In the 16th century Japan began to establish ties with Europe, and new trends gradually emerged. By the middle of the century, firearms had appeared in the country, and it was necessary to improve armor. The ancestor of modern armor was the tosei-gusoku, the chest and back of which consisted of solid strips of metal with a leather lining. Later, okegawa-do armor arose, where the plates were connected not by lacing, but by metal rivets. The armor was made with vertical (tatehagiokegawa-do) and horizontal (yokohagi-okegawa-do) plates.
The Namban-do and Hatamune-do armor were created similar to European ones - they consisted of a solid shell and a traditional kusazuri skirt.
A cheaper variety was tatami-do and kawara-tatami-do, made of fabric or a base on which either steel or leather was sewn.
Lacing and its colors
The plates of Japanese armor were connected to each other with cords made of leather, silk or fabric. In Heian, leather cords were often imprinted with a design of cherry blossoms. There were scarlet or black flowers on a yellow-orange or white background. A pattern in which each subsequent stripe was darker than the previous one was considered more expensive. Checkerboard weaving was often used. If desired, the family signs of the owner of the armor were depicted on the lacing. The imagination of the masters of the Land of the Rising Sun was inexhaustible.
Natural permanent dyes were used to dye the cords. The most common colors were red, blue, green, orange, white and brown. Often the samurai's equipment looked like a real work of art.
Hand and foot protection
In addition to the torso, armor is designed to protect the warrior’s limbs. However, the first kote - bracers - appeared in the 12th century, and then only for the left hand, which held a bow. It was a special sleeve, covered on the outside with a metal shell; it was attached to the hand with loops to the middle and thumb. In the 13th century Kote began to be worn on the right hand, since in addition to the bow, warriors more often used spears, knives and short swords.
Essential protection for the feet of warriors until the 12th century. there were none - they were only wrapped tightly, which was ineffective. Later, suneate leggings appeared, which consisted of three leather or metal plates. First, the legs were wrapped in cloth, then suneate was put on and laced at the back, and shoes were worn from bear skin. In the 14th century In addition to suneate, plate knee pads began to be used.
How did samurai dress?
Putting on all the elements of ammunition was not an easy task for the samurai; servants or his wife helped him with this. Japanese clothing was multi-layered. First, the man put on a loincloth (fundoshi), followed by a long sitagi shirt. Then he girded himself with an obi belt and put on wide trousers. A brocade jacket was worn under the armor, and protective kote was worn on the sleeves. The feet were protected by suneate, the shoes were trimmed with bear fur. Kusazuri plates covered the groin and thighs.
After this, the servant helped the samurai put on all the remaining parts of the armor and secure the lacing. An additional belt was tied over the armor, behind which they carried swords. The quiver was also attached to this belt using a silk cord. Lastly, the face was covered with a mask, and the head was protected by a helmet. After all these manipulations, it was possible to go into battle.
Samurai warriors were a unique and original phenomenon in the history of Japan. They had their own laws, their own code of honor, which had to be followed strictly. The samurai's armor also had no analogues, and was significantly different from European ammunition, even centuries later.
DRESS AND EQUIPMENT: SAMURAI
- Peaceful time
- War
The form of clothing that a samurai wore, unless he was preparing for battle, that is, unless he was wearing armor, depended on the degree of solemnity of the event. The main dress for men was the kimono, a long robe with wide sleeves covering the knees, which was sometimes worn over white underwear of the same cut. The kimono was secured with a long belt, which was wrapped around the waist two or three times and tied at the front. The samurai carried swords behind this belt.
A samurai wore a kimono if he was going out for fun on a summer evening, and the only thing he could wear under the kimono was a fundoshi, or loincloth. In other circumstances, he might have paired this suit with wide hakama pants. Hakama looked more like a split skirt. They were stiffly starched, had wide slits on the sides and were tied with two sets of cords at the front and back, which were then wrapped around the waist. The hakama reached to the ankles, and when the samurai put them on, he tucked the swords into the belt of the kimono, but over the hakama.
Daisho (two swords) were the calling card of the samurai. The long one, called a katana, was a standard fighting sword; The katana of a successful samurai was distinguished by exceptional finishing and was often a family heirloom, passed down by inheritance. The blade of the sword was slightly curved, which enhanced its cutting properties and made it an ideal weapon for hand-to-hand combat. Along the blade there was a wavy line connecting the hardened, cutting part of the blade and the softer strip of the sword - this combination gave it hardness and elasticity. The wooden hilt of the sword was covered with same, the skin of a giant stingray, and then tightly wrapped with a dark blue silk cord to prevent the hand from slipping. A small round tsuba, or guard, was attached at the junction of the blade and the handle. The scabbard could be varnished and tied tightly to the belt using sageo, a silk cord passed through small protrusions on the scabbard.
The short sword (wakizashi) was made in an identical style. Both swords were carried with the cutting edge up, so that a fatal blow could be delivered directly from the sheath.
The samurai was ready to repel an attack at any moment, and when such a threat arose, he quickly straightened his wide and uncomfortable clothes so that they would not interfere in battle. The hakama was pulled up and tucked into the waistband from the inside, and the sleeves were tied up using a tasuki, a narrow sash that was pulled from the front through the sleeves and connected at the back. An experienced samurai could perform both operations in a matter of seconds.
On his feet, a samurai could wear socks with separated toes, called tabi, which will be described in the section on armor. Tabi in "civilian clothing" were usually white; in the summer they might not be worn at all, but a samurai never went outside barefoot. He usually wore straw sandals, or even geta, wooden shoes with a high platform. Geta were never worn if there was a threat of danger, as they were very uncomfortable and did not allow you to move quickly.
In a more formal setting, when performing guard duty, for example, a samurai could wear hakama with kataginu - this combination was called kami-shimo (high-low). The kataginu was a curious type of sleeveless vest, the shoulders and back of which were quilted and starched, causing them to stick out like wings. The kataginu was the same color and pattern as the hakama. The decorative element of the kami-shimo was the mon - the heraldic badge of the lord, which was located on the front lapels of the kataginu, in the middle of the back, on the sleeves of the kimono, if it was worn under the kami-shimo, and on the top of the back of the hakama.
A samurai in a defensive outfit typical of the Momoyama period.
Standard combat sword, or katana.
On special occasions during the Edo period, such as presentation to the shogun, high-ranking samurai wore naga-hakama, very long pants that trailed along the floor behind the samurai and completely covered his feet. The owner of such pants had to be distinguished by extraordinary dexterity and excellent coordination. It was believed that wearing such pants was impossible to commit a murder or, at least, to escape after one.
A warrior wearing a kami-shimo, a combination of hakama (pants) and kataginu (sleeveless vest).
The samurai changed his dress when he went on a journey, such as on one of the regular trips to Edo for an audience with the shogun that became traditional in the early Edo period. Hakama were ideal for riding, which was not the case with kataginu, which was replaced by a haori, a riding jacket. Those who traveled on foot wore a haori over other pants, which were narrower than the hakama and tucked into leggings. The half haori was wrapped around the sheath, which gave the figure of the walking samurai a characteristic outline.
The headdress consisted of a large straw hat called a kasa, similar to that worn by modern Japanese peasants, which served as protection from the sun and rain. Another version of this hat completely covered the entire head, only there was a slit in front through which one could look. This was a useful thing for someone who wanted to remain unrecognized, for example, during a secret visit to one of the cheerful quarters of Edo. A bandage or hood could also be worn on the head, indispensable in cold weather.
A samurai who lost property rights in the event of the death or ruin of his master was called "ronin", which means "man of the waves", since such people moved from place to place in search of work for their swords. Thousands of ronin defended the walls of Osaka Castle during the great siege of 1614–1615, hoping to avenge the Tokugawa for their former masters. In the famous film by A. Kurosawa “Seven Samurai” all the main characters are ronin.
Ninjas, specially trained spies and assassins used by daimyos, were usually draped in black from head to toe. The jacket was reminiscent of the cut of a modern judoka's jacket, and the black hood completely covered the head, leaving only a gap for the eyes. Tight trousers were tucked into leggings over black socks, and even straw sandals were black with special soft soles that did not make noise when walking.
The most important element of the appearance of any samurai was his hairstyle, the care of which was given a lot of attention. Even a ronin could feel a certain pride in this part of his toilet, and for an ordinary samurai it was considered a disgrace if at least one strand of his hair was not in place. At the beginning of the 16th century. Samurai began the custom of shaving the front of their heads. Initially, this was done so that the hair would not interfere with wearing a helmet, but by the Momoyama period this hairstyle had become simply fashionable. The shaved part of the head was called sakayaki, and the remaining hair was braided in a braid (motodori). There were two ways to weave a braid. One was called a tasen-gami because the braid resembled the bamboo tea whisk used in the Japanese tea ceremony. This method involved wrapping string around the bottom of the motodori until it looked like a shaving brush. Another method, a simpler one, was to gather oiled hair into a long narrow braid at the back of the head, bend it forward, then back and tie it. This method, called mitsu-ori, or triple, was very popular during the Momoyama period.
A warrior dressed in a kami-shimo and armed with two swords.
A variation of this style was called futatsu-ori, when the braid was laid only forward on the sakayaki. However, the tip of the braid was always carefully treated with a razor.
Samurai hairstyles with motodori - with the front part of the head shaved (sakayaku) and not shaved.
Young samurai, however, did not shave their heads. The hair in this place formed a triangular bang, which was considered a special chic among young samurai. The picture on page 25 shows Honda Tadakutsu (1548–1610) as a young man with his hair styled in this style.
Some samurai did not shave their heads at all, but combed their hair back and braided it. Tokugawa Ieyasu was a strong opponent of this practice, as he believed that such a hairstyle would not give a good appearance to the head if it were cut off. Ieyasu was an expert on severed heads and forced his men to fumigate their hair with incense before battle.
When the armor was put on, the braid was untied and the hair was combed back: in romantic engravings of the 19th century. samurai are depicted with hair flying in the wind.
Samurai, who were also Buddhist monks, completely shaved their heads.
The main samurai costume during the war, which spanned most of the Momoyama period, was defensive armor. Since this was an era when the nature of war was rapidly changing, the structure, design and quality parameters of defensive equipment also changed.
Until the 13th century. There were two types of defensive armor: the yoroi, a heavy, box-like, ornate armor designed for mounted samurai, and the do-maru, a defensive armor for the foot warrior that was wrapped around the body and fastened at the side. Both consisted of small metal plates called kozane, which were connected by means of a leather strap. The plate strips thus formed were varnished to protect against rust and laced with silk ribbons to form a lightweight but stable defensive section. The do-maru could well consist of one such large section, a bifurcated skirt (kusazuri) and cords supporting the entire structure, passing over the shoulders.
During the XIV century. The samurai were faced with the need to defend forward posts, and military operations had become such that horses were required only as a means of transport, so everyone began to switch to lighter and more convenient defensive armor, preferring them to the heavy and clumsy yoroi. Thus, the do-maru simultaneously became samurai armor, and a variety called hara-maki appeared, with a slit at the back.
During the XV - early XVI centuries. warfare began to become increasingly protracted, so samurai were forced to wear armor for very long periods of time without interruption. Then the master armorers, when making armor, began to pay special attention to such an important quality as convenience, which directly depended on a more even distribution of the weight of the armor, since the do-maru, although lighter than the yoroi, had a significant drawback - all its weight rested on the shoulders . The configuration of the armor was modified by tapering towards the waist, with the main weight now resting on the hips rather than the shoulders. Tachi-do style armor gained widespread popularity during the Momoyama period.
Young warrior with fashionable hairstyle
Then the gunsmiths thought about changes in the design of the armor itself. The kozane style, in which horizontal stripes were assembled from many small plates, had one serious drawback - each plate had at least fourteen holes, which led to weakening of the metal. Also, the system of lacing horizontal stripes itself, called kebiki-odo-shi, had several shortcomings that manifested themselves on the battlefield. In rainy weather, silk lacing absorbed water, which significantly increased the weight of the armor. In winter, the wet do-maru froze, turning into an ice frame, and during long summer hikes, the lacing became dirty, smelled bad and attracted myriads of ants and fleas, which negatively affected the health of its owner. Finally, the tips of enemy spears got stuck in the abundant lacing of the do (do is a general designation for the body of the armor), instead of sliding off the plates without causing harm.
Haramaki style armor (with a slit at the back)
Armourers' response to the above shortcomings was the development of various styles of armor, which were widely used during the Momoyama period. First, the numerous plates were replaced by solid strips, each of which consisted either of a separate piece of metal or of plates riveted together rather than laced together. The number of support cords was also greatly reduced, leading to a style known as sugake-odo-shi, where the support cords were arranged in pairs, or the even simpler hishi-nui style, where horizontal plates were joined by cross lacing. Kusazuri (short plates) also decreased in size and in new styles were placed around the waist symmetrically with the body of the do, the lower circumference of the kusazuri being identical to the upper circumference of the do.
The two styles of this tosei-gusoku (modern armor) were called Nuinobe-do and Mogami-do. Nuinobe-do consisted of two parts (front and back), which were fastened on the left, and horizontal plates with rounded upper edges. A popular variety was mogami-do. It was a multi-plate design with lacing in the sugake-odoshi style, characterized by the presence of protrusions on the edges of the horizontal plates. The sections were attached to each other by means of hinges.
Kebiki-odoshi was not completely forgotten and was used in limited quantities for decoration. Dangae-do, consisting half of do and half of kebiki and nuinobe, was distinguished by unusual “mixed” lacing styles.
As firearms proliferate in Japan, gunsmiths face another challenge. As a result, Okegawa-do appears. This armor, somewhat reminiscent of European armor, included an all-metal do. The horizontal plates were riveted, rather than laced, with the top and bottom plates to form a surface that was believed to be able to withstand a direct hit from an arquebus bullet and arrow. There were two main types of armor, depending on the method of attaching individual plates - horizontal (yokohagi-do) or vertical (tate-hagi-do). The best tatehagi-do armor was invented by Myotin Hisai (1573–1615), who lived in Yukinoshi-ta, from where the style took its name. The Yukinoshita-do had a smooth, unlaced surface that perfectly deflected bullets and arrows. The manufacturers of the armor were so confident in its reliability that they allowed them to be shot from arquebuses so that buyers could see for themselves its protective properties. The best confirmation of the high quality of Yukinoshita-do was the order of Date Masa-mune (1566–1636) to produce armor of this type for his entire army - the only difference between the armor for high-ranking samurai and ordinary ashigaru was the degree of finishing and configuration.
One of the varieties of okegawa-do, which also gained wide popularity, was hotoke-do. Here, the joints between the plates were closed or completely eliminated by using one large plate, forming a completely smooth, rounded surface.
The smooth surface of the hotoke-do served as an excellent place to apply the artistic abilities of the gunsmith, who decorated it with drawings or embossing.
Two styles of tosei gusoku (modern armor): tachi-do and mogami-do.
The latter (uchidashi-do) was carried out with the necessary care, since chasing led to the weakening of the metal components of the armor, as evidenced by the proud inscription on the surviving copy of the armor, dating from 1681:
“not of thin metal... carefully crafted using the divine method of forging against arrows and bullets that will not penetrate it. That is why it is a treasure for the brave warriors of the samurai clan."
The Momoyama period was characterized by strengthening trade ties with Europe. Particularly brisk trade was conducted with the Portuguese, and it is not surprising that European armor imported to Japan acquired features of Japanese styles. The medial rib of European armor inspired the Japanese to create the hatomune-do, or "pigeon-breasted" do. Some examples of Japanese armor included details of a real European armored suit or copied them so well that they were completely indistinguishable from them. Thus, the sharp-chested Spanish cuirass could be equipped with a kusazuri, and the morion helmet accompanying it was supplemented with elements of neck protection and a pommel of a rather original shape.
Armor in the Nuinobe-do style.
The armor, made on the basis of hotoke-do (consisting of back and front plates) in the form of a naked human torso with protruding ribs and the flabby chest of a mountain hermit, looked very unusual.
The armor of the Momoyama period looked no less colorful than ancient armor, mainly due to the colored lacing in the kebiki-odoshi style. The armor itself was usually coated with black or brown varnish and finished with reddish iron (formed by a controlled corrosion process). Red and yellow varnish was less commonly used. The latter was used mainly for finishing the armor of the samurai Ni clan, who preferred bright, brick-red colors with deep, rich varnish. The lacing was often dark blue or cornflower blue, sometimes it was supplemented with multi-colored lacing on white in the outer rows of the chevron and this lacing was called “woodpecker thread”. The armor, finished with red lacquer, could have ocher, gold and white lacing.
The defensive armor of the Momoyama period was thus very practical. It was reliable, lightweight and uncomplicated in design; It can be said that during the Momoyama period, the skill of gunsmiths reached its apogee in providing samurai with defensive armor that allowed them to move completely freely and protected them as much as possible from bullets, blades and arrows.
The samurai's defensive suit consisted of torso protection (do and kusazuri, described above) and a number of other elements that provided protection for other parts of the body. Together they constituted a defensive kit, which, where possible, was distinguished by the unity of style and color of all its individual components. The illustrations on pages 25–27 show a Momoyama period samurai donning a defensive suit. He starts with a fundoshi, or loincloth. The best material for it was white linen or cotton fabric; the winter fundoshi was lined. He then puts on a sitagi, or shirt. Shitagi was similar to a regular kimono in civilian dress, only shorter. It was fastened at the chest and secured at the waist with an obi (belt). It was wrapped twice around the waist and tied in the front.
Putting on armor - from the loincloth to the suneate (leggings).
Putting on armor - from haidate (hip protection) to uwa-obi (belt).
Putting on armor - from sode (shoulder pads) to kabuto (helmet).
A pair of haidate (thigh protection) and one suneate (flow) - the latter has no fastening cords.
Kobakama, as the name suggests, were shortened hakama pants worn under armor. They were narrower than hakama and shorter - they fell about 12 cm below the knees. First, the samurai put on the left trouser leg, then pulled the back and front cords together, tying both legs in front.
Now the samurai shown in the illustration crouched down to put on the tabi, a pair of socks with separated toes, such as are still worn in Japan today. Then kya-khan (gaiters) were wrapped around the ankles, into which the kobakam trouser legs were tucked. It becomes clear why the samurai wore socks with the toes separated when we see him move on to the next piece of equipment - the waraji, or straw sandals. The sandals have woven soles and two fixed cords that run between the big toe and the next toe. Along the perimeter of the sole there are loops through which the cords are passed and tied. Additionally, it was recommended to tie sandals on the inside of the foot when crossing mountainous terrain, snowy or muddy roads, or when crossing swamps and rivers. A samurai was always required to carry a pair of spare sandals or a person to carry them.
Having put on sandals, the samurai, in the same sitting position, puts on the first element of the actual defensive set - suneate, or leggings. Page 28 shows the most common suneate at that time. They consisted of vertical plates connected by hinges or chain mail on a fabric backing. The leggings had special leather protection, attached at the points where the leg came into contact with the stirrup.
Haidate was used to protect the hips. The haidate closely resembled a forked cloth apron, the lower part of which was lined with overlapping metal or leather plates. They were attached at the waist, and some varieties had additional attachments with two rear sections that prevented them from rising. Since the haidate was intended mainly for protection on horseback, it was sometimes removed on foot, especially before the start of fierce hand-to-hand combat. It also caused inconvenience when crossing the swamp, so during the march it was worn, but the fastening cords were not tightened, so that if necessary, it could be easily and quickly removed.
Yugake (gloves) were made from tanned leather, sometimes decorated with patterns. The right glove was always put on first.
There were many varieties of kote, or bracers, but they were all made of thick fabric, onto which chain mail or small metal plates were sewn. The chain mail was invariably coated with black varnish, and the metal plates were coated with varnish of the same color as the rest of the armor. A long fastening cord was passed from the inside through the sleeves of the kote. In some kote the sleeves were joined, in others they were attached to loops on the do, and in others they were tied at the chest. Sometimes they were integral with waki-biki - fabric or chain mail protection for the armpits.
Now the samurai must put on the main element of armor - the do with the complementary kusazuri. Whatever the style, it was always attached in the same way - by means of internal supporting cords passed over the kohire, or small shoulder pads in the form of hexagonal pads that softened the pressure of the cords on the shoulder bones - and was fastened on the right side, or, if it was a haramaki, - behind the back. The main weight of the cuirass fell on the hips and was softened by the already mentioned belt. After making sure that the do fits properly, the samurai wrapped the uwa-obi tightly around his waist.
Now the samurai was fully equipped from his feet to his neck. At this stage he should have donned the sode, or pauldrons, if any were part of his defensive kit. The improved do and kote types did not need sode at all. The yukinoshita-do kit, for example, included two metal semicircular plates that protected the upper parts of the kote. If sode were included in a defensive set, they were usually small and slightly curved and had a fabric lining on the inside that reached the level of the bottom plate.
A pair of kote (bracers) with fastening cords.
Before putting on the neck and head protection, the samurai must attach his weapon, which usually consisted of a sword (katana) and a dagger (tanto). Armored samurai never carried a short sword. There were various ways to attach the sword - it was either tucked into the belt, or tied to the scabbard using a silk cord, or hung from the belt (in the Tachi style) with the cutting edge down.
Armor in the Nuinobe-do style with a helmet in the Zuna-ri style with a rich forehead decoration.
To protect the neck, a nodova, or plate necklace, was used, which consisted of several metal plates connected by cords. Before donning the face mask, or mempo, the samurai wrapped his head in a headband, or hachimaki, which served as the inner lining of the helmet. It usually reached a length of five feet and was traditionally white in color. To put on a hachimaki, a samurai had to untie his hair, comb it back and, placing the hachimaki at the back of his head, wrap it around his head and tuck its ends in front.
The face mask (mempo) is the most recognizable component of Japanese defensive armor. There were different varieties of mempo - from a simple metal plate covering the chin (hoate) to a real mask covering the entire face (somen). The most popular variety was a half mask covering the chin and cheeks, sometimes with an element of nose protection, and with an opening for the mouth. The mask was traditionally coated with red varnish on the inside and had a small ventilation hole. Since the mask also served to support the helmet, it was equipped with hooks through which its fastening cords were passed. The mask was often given the features of a human face with a mustache.
If the armor of the Momoyama period was distinguished by a rather modest decoration, then in a helmet, at least, the samurai could well express his individuality.
As if to mock the monotonous styles before, helmets of that period were often strange and wonderful creations of human imagination. The main helmet (kabuto) consisted of a crown (hachi) with a neck protection element (shikoro) attached to it, which was made in the same style as the rest of the armor plates. The crown itself had many varieties. A simple and common version was the zunari - round, strong with a good reflective surface. The inside of the crown was covered with red varnish, the reflections of which on the samurai’s face gave him an even more terrifying appearance.
Helmets began to acquire extravagant shapes due to additional elements made of wood and paper. An excellent example is Kato Kiyomasa's naga-eboshi-no-kabuto, whose crown, covered with silver paint and a red sun on each side, was made of paper on a wooden frame. Catfish tail helmets were made in the same style - gold for Maeda Toshiie (1538–1599) and silver for Hori Hidemasa (1553–1590). One of the varieties, which looked especially impressive in combination with armor made in the form of a human torso, was called a “hairy helmet” - horse hair was combed so that it resembled a head, and for greater effect a pig tail and a pair of pink ears were sometimes added.
Yamamoto Kansuke, a subject of Takeda Shingen, wore a helmet decorated with large wooden horns. A similar helmet was also worn by Kuroda Nagama-sa (1568–1623), who also had another unusually shaped helmet called ichi-no-tani-kabuto. The helmet owes its name to the famous battle of 1184, when the samurai Minamoto Yoshitsune fell on the enemy from a steep mountainside.
The shape of the helmet supposedly resembled the outline of that steep slope. Honda Tadakatsu (1548–1610) wore a pair of stylized wooden horns on his helmet. Ii Naomasa and his son Naotaka wore zunari-kabuto with gilded metal horns and horsehair plumes.
On the other hand, helmets could be decorated with various badges. Date Masamune (1566–1636) favored an asymmetrical golden crescent, small badges of which were worn by his samurai. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536–1598) wore a huge crest in the shape of a rising sun with rays on the back of one of his helmets. Tokugawa Ieyasu decorated the foreheads of several simple helmets with beautiful crests in the form of a golden fern leaf.
The helmet was securely tied with a long cord, usually red or blue, regardless of the color of the rest of the armor lacing. The picture on page 30 shows how this was done.
Now the samurai was ready for battle, but, despite all the uniformity of equipment, which extended to the helmets of ordinary samurai, he needed to have some distinctive signs with him, by which both comrades and enemies could identify him. One of these signs was the sashimono, attached to the back of the armor. Often for this purpose a small vertical flag was used with the image of the coat of arms or badge of its bearer, if he occupied a sufficiently high position, and if he did not, then his owner, but other objects, such as feathers and various objects, also served as distinctive signs. For fastening the sashimono, which was fixed on the shaft, there was a socket on the back part up to the level of the lumbar, and a bracket at the level of the shoulder blades. The lower end of the shaft was inserted into the socket, and in the middle it was secured with a bracket. Wearing a sashimono must have caused some inconvenience; at least, a drawing has survived depicting how the subjects of one high-ranking samurai take off his sashimono and hold it while their master is engaged in sorting out relations with the enemy.
Various ways to attach a helmet.
It is necessary to mention additional equipment accessories. Some had a fabric pocket. It was intended to store a scarf, but could also be used to carry other small items. Sometimes a leather pouch was put on the left side to prevent the sword sheath from rubbing against the metal cuirass. Other accessories include a towel, provision bag, head bag, purse, rope with grapple, roll of rope and medical supplies pouch. Bags and rope were attached to the saddle during horseback riding, but in most cases these things were carried by samurai servants.
In between battles, the samurai preferred to wear a jinbaori, a long fur cape worn over the armor. It was often distinguished by rich embroidery, especially on the back. Maeda Toshiie's wife embroidered an image of Shoki, the mythological demon slayer, onto her husband's jinbaori.
A very strange piece of equipment was the horo, which looked like a cloth bubble and consisted of cotton fabric stretched over a wooden frame. Initially it served to “catch arrows”, but by the Momoyama period it acquired a purely ceremonial meaning.
Which of the items of equipment described above were actually used in any given period depended on the circumstances. The mask and haidate were not worn if desperate hand-to-hand combat was expected, as were the greaves if the enemy occupied higher positions. Sometimes there was simply not enough time to gradually put on the armor, as described above. If a samurai was caught by surprise, he could quickly don a do, located in an armor box or suspended from the ceiling. In this case, it would be nice if the bracers were already attached to the do.
Samurai who were also monks, such as the famous Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin, could wear a monastic kesa over their armor under a fur cape. Kesa resembled a scarf with an ivory ring on the left side. He is shown in the drawing on page 32. Uesuchi Kenshin was usually depicted in drawings without a helmet on his head, but wearing a white monk's hood.
During the Momoyama period, defensive armor for horses was not made. But the animals were often decorated with long ribbons and ribbon fringe. The wooden saddle was varnished, and the metal stirrups had an unusual design. During the war, horses were used to transport bags of rice and fodder. The bags were attached to the saddle. During the Edo period, when matchlock pistols appeared, a leather holster with a pair of such pistols was attached to the saddle. In the camp, the horses were kept on a leash, and to prevent them from running far, their front legs were tangled with silk ribbon. An almost obligatory decorative element was a large saddle blanket with a coat of arms embroidered on it or made from animal skin. In those days, horses were not shoed, and another interesting detail: the samurai always sat on the horse on the left side.
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