The helmets of a Japanese suit of armor were made in many styles, shapes, and with different features. However, there are five elements that we can almost always find throughout the centuries of Japan's history. They certainly had many variations but were never abandoned. The...
Various types of ornaments could be mounted on the kabuto, called tatemono (literally "things that stand out"): among these, the maedate ("frontal ornament") was the decoration that can be found most commonly, so much so that in the collective imagination it's hard to imagine a...
When we say “menpō” we generally refer to the mask of the samurai armor that covers half face. The technical name would be me-no-shita-men, meaning “mask for the face under the eyes”. There are other types of menpō, like the sōmen for the whole face...
When we buy an original samurai armor, we usually begin to evaluate the kabuto (samurai helmet), which can give us an initial indication of the general quality of the yoroi. The eyes then move on the menpō (samurai mask) and finally on the dō (cuirass),...
Most samurai suites of armor on the market are assembled with elements from other armors. On older Japanese armor, the association of different parts can be part of the samurai armor's history, while for those made during the Edo period, it would always be better...
Those who want to start collecting original Japanese swords, often ask me the classic question: "how much can an original katana cost?". By now, I have developed a standard answer which, without wishing to be offensive, states: "more or less like a painting". After creating...
The Saotome school takes its name from the village in the Hitachi province where it originated in the early 17th century. According to the Meiko Zukan, the most important antique manuscript about samurai armor, it was founded by Saotome Chikara, a samurai at the service...
Looking for an original samurai suite of armor for sale can me a hard work. And a dangerous one.Many japanese armor for sale on the internet are in fact later items, not original. This often happens just because the seller is not aware of some...
The Iwai school is one of the oldest documented schools for the construction of samurai armor, kabuto and menpo. The first known Iwai armorer is Iwai Yozaemon, who lived between the Momoyama era and the early Edo period. Thanks to his abilities, Yozaemon managed to...
5 things to know about samurai helmets1. Bachi and kabutoA samurai helmet is called kabuto. Its main part is the iron bowl, called hachi or bachi. This is the most important part of the helmet, the one protecting the samurai’s head. Original antique samurai suits...