Japanese Shields: History and the Role of Shields in Samurai Warfare
Shields are used for protection all over the world. But when we look at Japanese wars, we don’t see shields as often as in the West. Is this true? Did the Japanese samurai even use shields? In this article, we’ll look at the history and details of Japanese shields.
History of Japanese Shields
Shields in Japanese are called 楯 (Tate). They have been used since the Yayoi period, serving not only as protective gear but also as ceremonial tools. By the mid-Kofun period, leather shields (革楯, kawadate) began to appear, made by stretching animal hide over wooden frames. At this time, the main type of shields used were hand-held.
During the Heian to Kamakura periods, warfare was dominated by one-on-one mounted archery. Hand-held shields were impractical because archers needed both hands to draw their bows. Instead, stationary shields (置楯, okidate), also known as 掻楯 (kaidate), became popular. These wooden shields were not held but fixed to the ground with support legs. They were often used to protect camps, guard towers, and naval ships during battles.
With the introduction of firearms in the Sengoku period, Japanese shields evolved to adapt to gunpowder warfare. Traditional wooden shields couldn’t withstand gunfire, so larger shields, acting more like protective walls for camps, were developed. A notable example is the 'bamboo bundle' shield (竹束, taketaba), which consisted of bundles of bamboo stalks tied together and arranged to block bullets.
Several shield variations also emerged during this time, such as cart shields (車盾), which had wheels for mobility, and shields with small holes for shooting, used in defense of castles. A specific type of hanging shield, called 槹木 (komoku), was used inside castle walls to block incoming projectiles from above.
In the peaceful Edo period, large-scale warfare declined, and hand-held shields became useful again. A type known as 手楯 (tedate) was used by armored soldiers. This rectangular shield was held in the left hand, while the soldier wielded a short spear in the right.
Did Samurai Use Shields?
Yes, samurai did use shields, although it’s rare to see them portrayed this way in movies or anime. However, as Japanese warfare evolved, especially with the rise of two-handed weapons like katanas, naginata, and yari, the use of handheld shields (手盾, tedate) declined. Samurai increasingly relied on their samurai armor for protection, and larger, stationary shields (掻楯, kaidate) or bamboo bundles (竹束, taketaba) were used to defend formations or camps. While shields were never fully abandoned, their role in combat changed with shifts in weaponry and tactics.
Samurai used shields more like barricades rather than handheld gear as seen in Western combat. In the early days, samurai primarily fought on horseback with bows(Yumi), leaving both hands occupied for archery and horse control, making handheld shields impractical. This led to the development of armor, like the large shoulder guards(Sode) on ōyoroi (大鎧) armor and pieces like the sendan no ita, which functioned similarly to shields by deflecting arrows.
As warfare in Japan shifted towards the use of firearms, shields became less significant. It was more practical to set up barricades while equipping ashigaru foot soldiers with matchlocks or long-range weapons like yari (spears). Though shields played a role in Japanese warfare, they were never as revered as the katana, which is why no physical examples of shields have survived. Additionally, there are no traditional martial arts schools that teach the use of shields.
