The Samurai Armour Glossary Ian Bottomley & David Thatcher The Samurai Armour Glossary www.nihon-no-katchu.com The Samurai Armour Glossary Nihon-No-Katchu.com Open Library Contributors Ian Bottomley & David Thatcher Editor Tracy Harvey Nihon No Katchu Copyright © January 2013 Ian Bottomley and David Thatcher. This document and all contents. This document and images may be freely shared as part of the Nihon-No-Katchu Open Library providing that it is distributed true to its original format. Illustrations by David Thatcher 2 The Samurai Armour Glossary www.nihon-no-katchu.com This glossary has been compiled for students of Japanese Armour. Unlike conventional glossaries, this text has been divided into two versions. The first section features terminology by armour component, the second is indexed in alphabetical order. We hope you will enjoy using this valuable resource. Ian & Dave A Namban gusoku with tameshi Edo-Jindai 3 The Samurai Armour Glossary www.nihon-no-katchu.com Contents Armour Makers! 6 Armour for the Limbs! 7 Body Armour! 9 Facial Armour! 16 Helmets! 21 Neck Armour! 28 Applied Decoration! 29 Chain Mail! 30 General Features! 31 Lacing! 32 Materials! 33 Rivets & Hinges! 34 Clothing! 35 Colours! 36 Crests! 36 Historic Periods! 37 Sundry Items! 37 Alphabetical Index! 38 4 The Samurai Armour Glossary www.nihon-no-katchu.com Armour Kabuto Mengu Do Kote Gessan Haidate Suneate A Nuinobe-do gusoku with kawari kabuto 5 Edo-Jindai The Samurai Armour Glossary www.nihon-no-katchu.com Armour Makers Bamen - A small but respected group of armourers that worked during the Muromachi period until the 1700s. Haruta - One of the oldest documented schools of armourers, they produced items in accordance with a centrally taught doctrine and were the first group of smiths to sign their armours. They were instrumental in the evolution of the Saika style and the establishment of the Unkai branch of smiths in Kaga. Iwai - Katchu shi commissioned by the Tokugawa Shogunate, their speciality being armours made from leather. Katchu shi - Armour maker, also know as yoroi shi. The highest skilled makers were graded as follows: Chu i - good Jo i - very good Jo jo i - excellent Sai jo i - superb Kiwame fuda - A certificate attributing the authorship of an armour to a particular maker. Mei - The signature of a master katchu shi, engraved or lacquered on an item of armour that they, or one of their protégé had produced. Translates as ‘name’. Miyata - Based in Saga in Hizen during the edo period, the Miyata were known for making yukinoshita do in the style of Myochin Hisaiye. Myochin - A renowned school of katchu shi, founded in the early sixteenth century by the master smith Myochin Nobuie and the largest and most prolific group of armour makers in Japan from the mid-sixteenth century onward. Nagasone - A short lived group of katchu shi that worked during the Edo period between 1647-1678. The founder Nagasone Okisato moved away from armour production to make swords. Neo - A group of armourers with little documentation but known to be based in Nara between the Momoyama and Tokugawa periods. Neo Masanobu was their best known smith, being held in high regard for his 120 plate kabuto. Saiga - Located in the province of Kii, the Saiga were renowned for their production of Saiga bachi kabuto. Sakonji - Located in Edo, with the exception of those members who worked for the Satake clan. Like the Iwai, the Sakonji were known for making armour from leather. Saotome - A group of katchu shi who came to prominence in the mid 17th century. They were renowned for their high quality workmanship and use of fukurumu tate hagi no ita. Unkai - An extremely talented group of katchu shi. Founded by Unkai Mitsunao during the mid Edo period, they were renowned for the highly artistic and excellent quality of their pieces. 6 The Samurai Armour Glossary www.nihon-no-katchu.com Armour for the Limbs Tekko Hiji gane Ikeda Matsuba wa Abumi zuri no kawa Abumi zuri no kawa - A leather patch on the inside of tosei do shin guards, designed to prevent chafing of the stirrup leathers. Bishamon gote - Armoured sleeves that have a small, integral sode covering the upper arm. Chirimen namban kusari - European type mail made with small, densely packed links. Etchu haidate - Haidate covered with only a sparse grid of mail and splints. Etchu suneate - Splint shin guards without a fabric backing. Fukube - A gourd shaped plate applied to armoured sleeves. Haidate - An apron shaped defense for the thighs. Hiji gane - The elbow plate of an armoured sleeve. Hiza yoroi - An old term for armour that covers the thigh and knee. 7 The Samurai Armour Glossary www.nihon-no-katchu.com Hodo haidate - Haidate that have the lower part of the armoured portion divided into pendant sections. Hyotan - A gourd shaped plate that forms part of an armoured sleeve. Ikeda - Small raft like plates set in chain mail. Ita haidate - Scale haidate. Kaihan suneate - Suneate without knee guards. Kawari haidate - Haidate of s-shaped scales that are overlapped like roof tiles. Kobakama - Abbreviated trousers worn under tosei do armour. Kobakama jitate - Thigh armour that is sown onto a pair of trousers. Kogake - Armour for the feet. Kote - An armoured sleeve. Kusari gote - A mail and plate kote. Kusari haidate - A mail and plate haidate. Kusari suneate - A mail and plate suneate. Kusazuri - Pendant sections of scales attached to the lower edge of the do to cover the thighs. Kyubi no ita - Defense for the left armpit, worn with o yoroi. Matsuba wa - Curved plates arranged in a ring around the elbow plate of an armoured sleeve. Oda gote - Kote with gourd shaped plates applied over the forearm and upper arm. Oda haidate - Haidate of mail, with ikeda and knee plates resembling those at the elbow of oda gote. O tateage suneate - Shin guards with large standing plate defenses for the knees. Sashinuki gote - A pair of kote that form part of a small jacket. Shino gote - Kote with splints over the forearm, sometimes connected by mail. Shino haidate - Haidate that consist of splints connected by mail. Shino suneate - Shin guards that consist of splints connected by mail. Suneate - A shin guard. Tekko - A plate covering the back of the hand which forms part of the kote. Tominaga sashinuki gote - Kote attached to a short jacket with an armoured collar. Tsutsu gote - Kote in which the plates over the forearm are hinged or sewn to each other. Tsutsu suneate - Shin guards in which three or more plates hinged or sewn together. 8 The Samurai Armour Glossary www.nihon-no-katchu.com Body Armour Eri mawashi Tate yeri Kesho eri Aibiki Do Urugi ito Gessan Oni damari no ita Kohaze Saihai no kan Tenugui no kan Hiki awase Kuri jime no kan Kawa koshi tsuke Koshi tsuke 9 The Samurai Armour Glossary www.nihon-no-katchu.com Gyoyo Watagami Gattari Boko no ita Mune ita Hidari waki do Agemaki no kan Mae do Waka ita Migi waki do Machi uke Inome Hishinui no ita Aida Kanamono Kiusho Kanamono Kanmuri no ita Kogai Kanamono Kake o Uke o Mizu nomi no o Ko Sode 10