what is samurai armor made of
The samurai, Japan’s iconic warrior class, were not only known for their martial prowess but also for their distinctive armor. This armor, a testament to the samurai’s status and skill, was a marvel of design and craftsmanship. It was not a single, uniform type, but rather a collection of different styles, each with its own unique characteristics and purposes.
Among the various types of samurai armor, such as Haramaki, Haraate, and Tosei Gusoku, the most iconic and widely recognized is the Oyoroi. Each type, while bearing a resemblance to the others, has its own unique features that set it apart in professional terms.
A common misconception about samurai armor, particularly the Oyoroi, is that it is made of wood or bamboo. This belief likely comes from the armor’s color and texture, which can give it a wooden or bamboo-like appearance. But actually samurai armor parts are mainly made of two things, rawhide and metal (iron), no bamboo was used. In this article we will introduce the raw material and components of Samurai armor in details to help you better understand.
Table of Content
Raw Material of Samurai Armor:
Major Components of Samurai Armor
Raw Material of Samurai Armor
The primary materials for Japanese armor are metal, leather, lacquer and braided cords.
Metal
Metal used in Samurai armor included Iron, steel, gold, silver, copper, and copper alloys.
Metal, being the most strong component, plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of the Samurai armor. Iron and steel are the primary metals used for protection, providing essential defense for the wearer.
However, Japan was not very rich in natural iron ore resources, and the quality was often poor. That’s why Japan developed the special Tatara method to produce the high quality steel, the best was known as Tamahagane, which was mainly used for katanas.
Japan began using iron for armor in the latter half of the 5th century. The steel used in Samurai armor usually consisted of a mixture of low carbon and high carbon steel, also went thought the folding and forging process similar to that used in katana making, though steel for armor was folded fewer times—only 3-5 times compared to 10-15 times for katanas. And steel for armor were not heat treated.
Other metals like gold, silver, and copper were primarily used for decorative parts of the armor.
Leather
Leather used in Samurai armor included Rawhide, mainly cowhide, some might used deer, dogs, bears, boars, and ray-fish etc. Leather in Samurai armor serves both protective and decorative purpose.
The leather, mainly cowhide and deer, was soaked in a glue solution until the glue fully soaked in. Then, it was placed on a hardwood board and hammered thin. By layering and hammering several pieces together, they formed a single strong board. Sprinkling it with lime and letting it dry made it extremely sturdy and even capable of withstanding arrows. These hardened leathers were called "nerigawa" (練革). They were assembled with Iron and make the main body of samurai armor. Iron plates were mainly used on the front part for better protection.
Image: 黒桟革 source
Mobility was very important in Japanese warfare, and due to the scarcity of good iron resources in Japan, Japanese armor were mainly made of leather, especially in older times. Take Oyoroi for example, to make it lighter, roughly only 10% are iron. For example The Kozakura Neri Odoshi Yoroi (小桜韋縅鎧) in Sugata Tenjin Shrine has 2,066 kozane, of which 225 are iron plates.
There was even a time in late Nara period when Emperor Kōnin and Emperor Kanmu nationally commissioned the production of leather armor and helmets (according to "Shoku Nihongi”).
Other leathers are soft and used to cover the armor, or acts as cushion inside the armor. For example Ura-bari (裏張 Lining), it is leather placed inside the Kabuto (helmet) provide cushioning. Tsuru-bashiri-no-kawa (弦走韋 String-run Leather), a piece of leather attached in the front of Do (chest plate) to prevent the string of the bow (Yumi) from getting caught on the kozane. These exterior leathers are often dyed in various colors and with drawings on them, known as e-gawa (絵韋).
Lacquer / Urushu
The leather and iron scales were lacquered to prevent rusting and further increases hardness, this smooth and durable finishing is a significant part of the armor's aesthetic. Traditional Japanese lacquer is called Urushu (漆), it is made from the sap of the Rhus vernicifera tree. Urushi was commonly mixed with pigments to produce various colors, like black (Kuro 黒) color was created by mixing carbon dust or iron compounds with the lacquer. Red (Shu urushi 朱漆) was achieved using cinnabar.
Braided cords & textiles
Cords and textiles are used to connect different parts in Samurai armor, major material included: Silk, leather, hemp, cotton, velvet, wool, brocade, gold brocade and damask. Based on the material, they can be classified as:
Ito Odoshi (糸縅): Uses threads made of silk or other fibers like hemp or cotton.
Kawa Odoshi (韋縅): Uses cords made from softened deerskin.
Aya Odoshi (綾縅): This type of lacing uses silk fabric (aya orimono) with hemp cloth as the inner core. Some types of Aya Odoshi used brocade.
Major Components of Samurai Armor
There are 5 fundamental components for a samurai armor, they 小札(Kozane) scales, 縅毛(Odoshiito) cords, 金具廻 (Kanagu) Metal fixtures, 韋所 (Kawa) Leather parts and 金物 (Kanamono) Metal Parts.
小札 (Kozane)
Image: Kozane Source
Rawhide and iron were made into small scales, called Kozane (小札). Kozanes were laced together and form the armor. When making a samurai armor it was common to use around 3,000 small scales, especially in the 14th century for the haramaki style, it will need about 1,000 more kozane than what was used for similar armor in the 13th century.
Kozane were coated with lacquer for several reasons. First, the lacquer protected the kozane from getting wet. This was crucial because kawa-zane, or rawhide scales, could change shape and size if they got too damp before being lacquered. Even a little bit of change could cause small cracks in the lacquer on a kozane, and these cracks could let in more water. This could make the lacquer break even more.
Second, the lacquer made the kozane look like shiny black satin. This look was created by polishing the scale with a special mix of deer antler ash, charcoal dust, and a bit of vegetable oil after the lacquer was put on.
Lastly, putting lacquer on the kozane made the armor harder and stronger. This was really important for parts of the armor that needed to be strong and provide protection.
縅毛(Odoshiito)
Odoshi-ito is a kind of string or lace used in Japanese armor. It’s used to join the small scales, called kozane, of the armor.
Usually, odoshi-ito is made from silk or leather. The silk string is often colored in different shades to make the armor look more attractive.
There are many ways to lace the string, one of them is the shikime odoshi style. This style uses two different colors of odoshi-ito in short parts that switch colors back and forth.
Odoshi-ito comes in many colors. Some usual colors are red (aka ito), light blue (hanada ito), orange (hi ito), dark blue (kon ito), black (kuro ito), green (moegi ito), purple (murasaki ito), white (shiro ito), and light green (yomogi ito).
In the Sengoku period, the most common color seems to have been dark blue, also known as kon-ito odoshi. But the color of the odoshi-ito can change based on the time period and the specific style of the armor.
金具廻 (Kanagu):
Image source
Kanagu, or 金具廻 in Japanese, refers to the metal parts used in traditional Japanese armor. The creation of these parts requires a technique called “tankin”, which involves heating the metal and shaping it by hammering. These metal parts play both a functional and decorative role in the armor.
韋所 (Kawa)
Image source
All leather parts in a samurai armor are called 韋所 (Kawa). For example in a Yoroi, there are several parts that are made of leather. One of these is the tomegawa, which are leather thongs used to secure the sane-ita, or armor plates. Another is the kawa-odoshi-ge, or ‘leather lacing hair’, which are narrow strips of leather used to lace the armor together. Shikka-gawa, or deer hide, is also used in the construction of the armor.
金物 (Kanamono)
Image source
Kanamono is a term for any metal piece used in armor. These metal pieces, or Kanamono, are used for practical, structural, and decorative reasons. They are important for building the armor and making it work. Here are some examples of Kanamono:
Aida kanamono: These are fancy metal decorations in the middle of a do or sode. They also help keep the kesho no ita (化粧板) in place.
Agemaki no kan: This is a spinning ring on the back of a do, where a big agemaki is hung.
Kan: This is a spinning ring used in the armor.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the samurai armor is a fascinating blend of functionality, craftsmanship, and art. Each component, from the rawhide and metal scales known as Kozane, to the various parts like Odoshiito cords, Kanagu metal fixtures, Kawa leather parts, and Kanamono metal parts, plays a crucial role in the armor’s construction, functionality, and aesthetic appeal. The intricate design and the attention to detail reflect the samurai’s status, skill, and the cultural significance of the armor in Japanese history. The evolution of the armor’s design and materials over time also provides a glimpse into the changing tactics and technologies of warfare. The samurai armor is indeed a testament to the samurai’s martial prowess and a symbol of their honor and tradition.
Reference Source: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jinstmet/77/8/77_J2013009/_pdf
https://ameblo.jp/yasuharu-anayama/entry-12596641230.html
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/235584515.pdf
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