Early Japanese Armour
Not much is known about early armour in Japan. Few actual pieces remain, so the information about these styles and makes is gathered from haniwa, or clay statues placed at burial sites. From these statues, and remnants found well-preserved, it is surmised that early armour (dating around 2 AD) was intended for foot soldiers only. It was made of large iron plates attached by leather thongs. The earliest models only had an opening in the front which was sealed with cloth ties, but later models provided hinged front pieces to allow easier entrance for the wearer.
Plates also were tied to leather thongs to cover the upper legs and upper arms; the lower limbs were vunerable to attack. The only form of decoration on these early suits were a fancy lacing of the leather or perhaps peacock plumes in the helmet.
During the 10th and 11th centuries, horses became much more plentiful. The emphasis for warriors moved from foot combat to archery and swordfighting on horseback. The armour consequently went through some revisions. Not only was the armour more flexible and more comfortable, but it was also much more highly decorated in keeping with the Heian-period.
The armour was now made up of iron and rawhide scales (sane). They were lacquered before being tied to prevent decay. Eventually, since leather was in demand, the lacing was done with silk. Geometric patterns and flowers began to be used for decoration. At the time, the colors and patterns had nothing to do with family mons or symbols - it was merely the preference of the wearer.
When the Mongols attacked for the second time in 1279 (the first attack involved very little fighting; the second saw 150,000 troops launched against the Japanese), the Japanese realized their current methods of warfare were sadly lacking against outsiders. The Mongols had no qualms about shooting a horse from underneath a samurai, and once on foot the samurai´s armour was unwieldly and heavy. In addition, the crossbows and explosives of the Mongols far outperformed the bows and arrows of the samurai. From this point onward, archery became less important and the horse was placed back into a transportation position.
The shift toward a variety of weapons - naginatas, kumades, and kamas - necessitated an alteration in the way armour was made. The new weapons were all edged, so the scales in the armour became smaller and more rigid. The outside of each scale was embossed and bent outward. These scales were then superceded by flat scales which had a build-up of lacquer on their front. These scales were called kozane.
Soon, another improvement was made. The kozane were made a bit wider, and also the overlapped area was made much less. To provide the support originally given by the overlap area, the kozane were mounted on rawhide ribs. Lacquer work became more ornate and complex; numerous colors were used, often with over-glazes to add shine, miscellaneous materials to add texture and feel, and metallic elements to add a rich look.
Many changes were made to ease the new foot combat requirements. The lower part was now divided to make walking easier, more scales were added to protect the under-arm and other vunerable areas; areas once felt too difficult to reach if the defendant was on a horse.
Armour was also now a way to show wealth and prosperity. Ornamental copper plaques were added whereever possible, all pieces were decorated with some sort of design, rivets themselves often held the mons of the wearer.
During the Nambokucho period (14th century), mail began to be used solely under other armour. To prevent rusting, the mail was lacquered black. The mail’s purpose was to fill the gaps still left when the mounted armour was converted into footsoldier armour.
The next development in armour construction occured during the Ashikaga Shogunate. The Ashikaga led lavish and expensive lifestyles, often taxing the farmer for 2/3 of his intake to pay for them. The farmers revolted, enlisting the help of country squires, and actually got some concessions. One result of this uprising was that samurai now felt they should be prepared at any time for an attack. Armour had to be constructed which could be worn under normal clothing. The armour became tighter, more close fitting, less bulky and as a result less effective.
During the 16th century, the country was almost continually at war. As more and more samurai wore the traditional armour styles, its flaws became more noticeable. Having leather thongs in it, it was prone to damage in very hot or very cold areas. Also, if the thongs began to rot during a long campaign, the ensuing lice and insects would ensure foul health for the wearer.
The first problem addressed was that of quantity - a large number of outfits was needed in a short period of time. Various methods were used to cut down on production time - including a new lacing method which took less than half the leather. Another method dispensed entirely with the scales and instead sred a few large plates on a fabric lining with mail covering the holes. This new armour could fold and be carried to and from combat. This type of armour was called tatami do. It’s only drawback was it’s lack of rigidity; this was fixed by inserting metal backings after the suit was put on.
Master List of Japanese Articles
Lisa's Japanese homepage
| Follow @LisaSheaAuthor | Tweet |
You Can Get Free Gift Cards For Shopping, Searching and Discovering What's Online at Swagbucks.com