Japanese armor

"Yoroi," or armor, consists of equipment and clothing designed to protect the wearer from attacks using arrows, swords, etc. with an emphasis on protecting the torso and chest areas. In some cases, armor was created to protect not only people but animals such as war horses and elephants. The defining characteristics of Japanese armor and helmets include the wide variety of materials used, sturdiness, functionality in ease of movement and defensive capabilities, and the dignified and almost delicate beauty of the "kozane"* and "odoshige"* construction.

*Kozane

"O-yoroi," (literally "great armor") consisted primarily of small, narrow scales of iron or leather, called "kozane." Each kozane had "Yoroi," or armor, consists of equipment and clothing designed to protect the wearer from attacks using arrows, swords, etc. with an emphasis on protecting the torso and chest areas. In some cases, armor was created to protect not only people but animals such as war horses and elephants. The defining characteristics of Japanese armor and helmets include the wide variety of materials used, sturdiness, functionality in ease of movement and defensive capabilities, and the dignified and almost delicate beauty of the "kozane"* and "odoshige"* construction. Japanese armor Kyoto and armor small holes, and the front side was lacquered. They were layered horizontally to create rows, and the rows were laced together vertically to create the armor. This structure made it easier to move when wearing it. In many cases, primarily leather kozane were used with iron kozane only in critical areas to reduce the overall weight.

*Odoshige

This term refers to the braided silk or leather cords used to lace the kozane together. The act of lacing together the rows vertically with colored silk or tanned leather was called "odosu," and the linked rows were called "odoshi." A variety of colors and materials were used, resulting in colorful armor with a Japanese flavor such as "kon ito odoshi" (navy blue odoshi), "nioi odoshi" (a gradation of dark color at the top to light color at the bottom), and "kozakuragawa kigaeshi odoshi" (small cherry blossom pattern on yellow leather). These artistic touches are seldom seen in armor from other countries. The variety and brilliance of the odoshi colors are one of the main visual attractions in war epics and art depicting historical battles. Rather than just military gear, armor developed into an art form born from the history of the Japanese people and refined by an unending pursuit of function and beauty over the centuries. As a result, examination of armor gives us insight into the pulse of the era—its trends, culture, technological standards, and the tastes and motivations of its people.