All text and information in this series is copied from the exhibit and its supporting material, not my writing.
All photos are by Brenna Reistad.
Japanese armor is striking, refined, and highly functional. The techniques used by Japanese armorers to create the works throughout this exhibition evolved over centuries. Most of the Japanese schools of armor were formed in the mid-16th century. Nine main schools were established in the provinces throughout Japan, at which masters and artisans created distinctive styles.
Often founded by prominent artists, the workshops trained generations of artisans who transmitted their craft from father to son. In the Edo period (1615–1868), armorers were elevated to the rank of artists. Wealthier warriors, including the shogun, had their own armorers, each designing a different component of a single suit of armor and proudly signing their contributions.
The Myōchin School, well represented in this exhibition, still exists and Samurai Armor has been maintained by the same family for the past four hundred years. A complete suit is the product of the labor of many artisans. Blacksmiths created the metal pieces; leatherworkers designed the protective leather elements; weavers and embroiderers wove and embellished the textiles; and metalsmiths created and applied the gold and copper ornamentation. The artisans found inspiration in many sources to create pieces that reflected folklore, nature, and samurai values.
Samurai Japan: A Brief History
In the early Heian period (794–1185), the imperial court controlled the military and the production of armor. By the 10th century, the centralized system collapsed, and provincial landowners had to rely on their private forces for defense—a development that gave rise to the samurai class.
For nearly seven hundred years, beginning in 1185, Japan was governed by a military regime, led by the shogun, ruling in the name of the emperor. Samurai warriors were loyal to individual daimyō—provincial lords with large hereditary land holdings. Depending on the period, there were fifty to 250 daimyō who governed provinces in Japan.
In 1600, after periods of clashes between these rival clans, the Battle of Sekigahara paved the way for Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616) to unify Japan and establish a new shogunate. Fifteen shogun from the Tokugawa family ruled over a period of peace, lasting some 250 years until 1868, when the emperor gained control of the government.
The samurai class was officially dissolved during the Meiji period (1868–1912), and as the country opened itself to the world, modern Japan emerged.
Saddle (kura), Stirrups (abumi), and Robe Box (hasami bako),
ca. 1750
Iron, silver, wood, crushed seashell
Each element in this set is ornamented with lacquer and crushed seashells. Coiled dragons, inlaid in silver, decorate the front of the stirrups.
The Mōri Clan
This exceptional set of armor—the only known one of its kind outside of Japan— belonged to the Yoshiki branch of the Mōri clan, a prominent daimyō family whose origins can be traced back to the 12th century. It includes a complete suit of armor, several surcoats, equestrian equipment, and weapons. Most of the pieces bear the family’s identifying paulownia-leaf crest.
The set reveals the many sophisticated components of a samurai’s outerwear. This armor is believed to have been offered to a member of the Mōri clan by the great warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536–1598).
Long Bow (yumi)
17th–mid-19th century
Bamboo, lacquer, feathers, leather, wood
Storage Box
17th–mid-19th century
Leather, wood, lacquer, cord, metal
This type of box would have stored the arrows of a palanquin bow or possibly archery gloves. Bow for Palanquin (kago‑hankyū), 17th–mid-19th century Bamboo, lacquer, leather, silver On their annual round-trip journeys to the capital city of Edo (present-day Tokyo), daimyō often traveled by palanquin—small, enclosed carriages borne by porters that allowed privacy, if not comfort. If the procession was attacked, the daimyō could use small bows such as this one for defense in the confined space
Armor of the Nuinobedō Type, from the Mōri Family
Chest armor, helmet bowl, and shoulder guards
ca. 1600
Iron, lacquer, gold, bronze, silver, leather, wood, horsehair, hemp, brocade, steel
Ujitsune
Japanese
Dates unknown
Sword (handachi),
16th century
Steel, brocade, lacquer, shakudō, gold.
The jewel of the Mōri set, this nuinobedō armor features a chest piece made in two parts that hinges under the left arm and closes with lacing on the right side. The frontal ornament on the helmet represents two paulownia leaves with an imperial chrysanthemum in the center. The lateral ornaments also bear the paulownia crest (kiri mon) of the Mōri family. A war fan and a command baton complete the set.
Flat Military Hat (ichimonji jingasa)
19th century
Iron, gilt copper, shakudō, lacquer, bronze, gold
The jingasa, with its shallow bowl and wide brim, was originally designed as headgear for foot soldiers. Because it was more comfortable than regular helmets, especially in warm weather, commanders also adopted it. This high-end example is embellished with a repoussé (for which designs or patterns are formed by hammering on the reverse side) dragon with inlaid gold eyes and claws.
Attributed to Myōchin Munenori armor
Japanese
active 18th century
Attributed to Myōchin Yoshimichi
helmet bowl
Japanese
active 15th–16th century
Armor of the Nimaitachidō Type, with the Matsudaira Family Crest, armor,
18th century
helmet bowl
ca. 1400 Iron
shakudō, lacing, silver, wood, gold, brocade, fur, bronze, brass, leather
Nimaitachidō armor features chest armor that is made in two parts and curves slightly at the waist.
A lacquered-wood Chinese lion extends out from the front of the helmet. Each sleeve is adorned with a dragon coiled around a double-edged sword, an attribute of the Buddhist deity Fudō Myōō—the Immovable One.
Chinese lions and peonies— symbols of imperial authority— embellish the thigh protection and shin guards. A hollyhock crest, indicating that the armor was made for the Matsudaira family, decorates the top of each hand.
Armor of Ōyoroi Type
mid-Edo period
18th century
Iron, leather, gold, bronze, copper
Ōyoroi means “great armor,” which features two main chest pieces, hinged on the left and closed on the right. This armor reached its peak during the Kamakura period (1185– 1333).
Worn by warriors on horseback, it became a traditional image of the samurai, as seen in paintings and screens. In the 18th century, inspired by the Kamakura design, Japanese armorers revived the ōyoroi armor style, like this set, for wealthy members of the samurai class.
The Competition to Be First at Uji River
early 18th century
Six-panel folding screen
Ink, color, and gold on paper
This folding screen depicts a famous scene from the Genpei War (1180–1185) between the Taira (Heike) and Minamoto (Genji) clans. Here, two warriors from the Minamoto family challenge each other to see who will make it across the tumultuous Uji River first, while their commander Yoshitsune looks on. The horses’ harnesses are adorned with fringe and tassels, which are characteristic of 12th-century gear.
Samurai Armor Exhibit:
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