How effective was samurai armor

Thought out world history, the Samurai of Japan stand out as some of the most respected and intriguing warriors. They were famous not only for their steadfast honor code but also for their unique armor. Samurai armor is famous for its vibrant and beautiful colors. The armor was often lacquered in bright colors and fitted with extravagant crests.

Samurai armor's aesthetic value often cause people to questions about it's effectiveness, but the truth is, Samurai armor is highly effective in providing protection, a good example is, samurai armor was capable of stopping and deflecting a ball fired from a tanegashima matchlock at a distance of just 15 meters. 

Table of Content

• Basic Knowledge about Samurai Armor
• Samurai Armor VS Arrows
• Samurai armor vs bullet
• Samurai armor vs Katana
• Samurai armor vs knight Armor

Basic Knowledge about Samurai Armor

This article will delve into how different Samurai armor types held up against various weapons, including the razor-sharp Katana, the swift arrow, and the powerful gunfire. To begin, let's introduce the types of Samurai armor to help you better understand them.

We often see people calling samurai armor by different names, they are actually different types of samurai armor:

Oyoroi: This is an old type of armor, used mainly when Samurai were fighting on horseback. It was big and heavy, but it gave good protection. However, it wasn’t easy to move around in, especially for fighting on foot.

Doumaru: This armor was popular among the Samurai of old clans. It was lighter than the Oyoroi, making it easier to move around in. This made it a good choice for foot soldiers, who needed to be able to move quickly.

Tosei Gusoku: This is a “modern” type of armor that came into use around the 1500s. It was made from iron plates, which gave great protection. This armor became popular because of the introduction of firearms and new fighting tactics. One good example type of Tosei Gusoku is the Okegawa Dou, which has a tub-like shape for extra protection.

Samurai Armor VS Arrows:

The Oyoroi armor was made especially for warriors who fought on horseback using bows and arrows. It was perfect for high-ranking samurais. The armor had a special design that covered the back, left, and front parts of the body, giving good protection against arrows.

In Oyoroi, There are many armor parts designed to protect from arrows, for example fukikaeshi (吹返) in the kabuto, it was attached to the sides of the helmet and bent to cover the face, preventing arrows from hitting directly.

The sode (shoulder armor) of Oyoroi is larger than other armors, they act as a mobile shield to protect the wearer from arrows.

Also the armor had a shape like the letter “C”. This design covered the body well, leaving fewer places where an arrow could hit directly. There was also an extra piece called the waidate that protected the right side. The armor was made of strong material that could absorb the hit of an arrow, making it even better at protecting the warrior.

Samurai armor vs bullet

The Tosei Gusoku, also known as the “modern armors,” were crafted from iron plates and rose to prominence in the 1500s. This was due to the introduction of firearms (hinawajū) and the increased need for better protection. These armors were deemed more than adequate in providing defense against firearms. In fact, it was quite rare for samurai wearing full Tosei gusoku to be killed by firearms, indicating the effectiveness of the Tosei Gusoku against bullets. There’s even a story about the famous daimyō and later Shōgun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. After a battle, he took off his cuirass to find several bullets inside. The bullets had made their way into the armor, but their impact was so greatly reduced that Ieyasu was unscathed and hadn’t even realized he’d been shot.

Samurai armor vs Katana

We often see movies showing samurai in armor wielding katanas in battle, but how effective is samurai armor against the katana in reality? Let's explore this in detail.

First of all, it is important to note that the katana was not the most popular and effective weapon on the battlefield. According to military reports from 1563 to 1638, about 45% of casualties were caused by firearms, 21% by spears (Yari), 17% by arrows(Yumi), 9% by stone projectiles, 6% by Tachi(太刀) and Uchigatana(打刀), and 2% by other means.

Only about 6% of injuries were caused by katanas. Does this mean samurai armor was effective against katanas? The answer is yes, samurai armor provided excellent defense against katanas.

While katanas are incredibly sharp and even capable of cutting into a samurai helmet, cutting through armor is extremely difficult. Take the Tosei Gusoku, for example: it provides extensive protection to most body parts, making it very challenging for a katana to penetrate the armor. In real-world combat, the strategy was often to incapacitate the armored enemy first and then use a Tanto to stab through the gaps in the armor.

Samurai armor vs knight Armor

Both samurai armor and knight armor are renowned in the world, often people will make comparisons between the two. However, given that each type of armor was designed for distinct purposes and suited to different kinds of warfare, it’s important to recognize their individual strengths and weaknesses rather than making direct comparisons. In this discussion, we will examine various aspects of both samurai and knight armor to provide a clearer understanding of their unique characteristics and functionalities.

The type of Samurai armor we will use to compare with knight armor is Tosei Gusoku, we will compare the defense ability, weight and maneuverability. We will use an A, B, C grading system for this comparison.

Samurai armor VS Knight Armor Defense:
Tosei Gusoku: "C"
Plate Armor: "A"
While the defensive capabilities of samurai armor are not bad, samurai armors are typically made of leather and steel to reduce weight. There are numerous gaps between different parts, which means the protection is not as good as knight armor. Knight armor, made entirely of steel plates, covers the entire body from head to toe, leaving no weak spots. Additionally, knights often carried shields, making it nearly impossible for samurai to surpass knights in terms of defense.

Samurai armor VS Knight Weight:
Tosei Gusoku: "B"
Plate Armor: “C"
Tosei Gusoku weighs around 20 kg. For high-ranking samurai, their armors were custom-made to fit well, reducing the sensation of weight. The Tosei Gusoku is relatively lightweight, but not largely lighter than knight armor as you might think. Yes there are heavy knight armor that could weight around 40 kg, but there are many lightweight plate armor, the weight can be close to Tosei Gusoku, making the difference small in some cases.

Samurai armor VS Knight Maneuverability:
Tosei Gusoku: "A"
Plate Armor: "C"
The gaps we mentioned before as defensive weakness, are now advantages in maneuverability. Tosei Gusoku is undoubtedly easier to move in. Its joints are quite free, allows for almost unrestricted movement, enabling prolonged combat. In contrast, knight armor is more restrictive. Although it allows for necessary combat movements, visibility is poor with the visor down, and even lighter versions of plate armor have limited joint mobility.

Samurai armor and knight armor each have distinct strengths and weaknesses. Samurai armor, made primarily of leather and steel, is lighter and allows for greater maneuverability, making it easier to produce and wear in prolonged combat. This design is logical for Japanese warfare, especially given Japan's limited iron resources. On the other hand, knight armor, made entirely of steel plates, provides superior protection but is heavier and more restrictive in movement. Knights' armor, covering the entire body and often accompanied by shields, is optimal for defense but more challenging to produce and move in. The differences in design reflect the distinct warfare styles and resource availability in Japan and Europe.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the effectiveness of Samurai armor is undeniable. It provided the necessary protection that these warriors needed in the battlefield. What’s truly remarkable is how the armor evolved over time, adapting to the changing weapons of each period. From the heavy Oyoroi designed for mounted archery, to the lighter Doumaru for foot soldiers, and finally to the Tosei Gusoku, which was crafted to withstand bullets, the evolution of Samurai armor is a testament to the ingenuity and adaptability of these warriors. It’s a fascinating journey that reflects not just the changing face of warfare, but also the enduring spirit of the Samurai.