Yoboro gane of Samurai Armor
膕金 Calf Metal or Yoboro gane
What is Yoboro gane of Samurai Armor
This is a long, thin iron plate used to fill the gap on the backside of the ""Tube Shin Guard"" (Tsutsusuneate: a shin guard made by arranging vertical plates in a tube shape) in the early Muromachi period. It was attached to protect the calf. Protecting the backside is associated with turning one's back to the enemy and running away, so it was called ""Coward Metal"" (Okubyougane). From the Nanboku-cho period onwards, as the battles became very intense, shin guards needed to protect the calves along with the kneecaps, and the Coward Metal was born. It was generally called Coward Metal, and the term ""Calf Metal"" (Yoborogane) was not used.
See more terms related to samurai armor in this samurai armor glossary