opinion on (kabuto?)

[vlado]

Greetings.

At the local antiquemarket I Noticed some strange (Kabuto), I asked the dealer if he can tell me something about the helmet but he did not know answer.

So please if you can tell me anything about it. I wonder where and who should use it.

thank you,

Miha G.

[kusunokimasahige]

That is not a Kabuto but a Jingasa.

 

Jingasa were often worn by Ashigaru soldiers. Sometimes iron, sometimes leather, sometimes even paper maché with lacquer.

This one is interesting because of its shape and its construction of iron.

 

Some say that they were sometimes used as cooking pots when on campaign.

 

What clan the Kamon is from I do not know at this moment

 

KM

[Baka Gaijin]

Good morning Miha,

 

The Kamon may be known as Chigai Yamagata.

 

Cheers

[vlado]

Thank you for your reply,

I Noticed That the jingasa is iron made ​​16 plates. It looks like it was pretty well made​​, I will try to teach some of the lower-ranking warriors and ther armour.

 

Miha G.

[IanB]

Miha, I did a bit of reading up on jingasa a while ago and found to my amazement how recent the majority of them are. During the Sengoku Jidai, ashigaru were equipped with armours that normally included a steeply conical jingasa of iron or rawhide, being cheaper and easier to produce than a more regular helmet. No doubt these continued to be produced for a while during the early Edo period, but demand for them would lessen as peace became established - armour is accumulative and old material could be re-lacquered and re-furbished for the lower ranking troops. The next phase arose out of the need for some form of headgear to wear during the long marches of the daimyo gyoretsu. Initially the ordinary hats of reeds were worn, the almost flat lacquered jingasa being adopted around the middle of the Edo period. Apart from the various lacquer finishes, these are very standardised in shape as you would expect; being in effect parts of uniforms. What are now called bajo jingasa, shaped like a bowler hat with the front of the brim turned up were officially adopted during the late Edo period for wear by higher ranking samurai, particularly when riding, many having eyelets fitted under th ebrim for a cloth hood. The colour of the interior being supposed to indicate rank, being red, red flecked with gold or gold in ascending order. I assume all the multitude of fancy shaped jingasa and those made of iron rather than lacquered paper and cloth date from the very late Edo period. A lacquered iron jingasa would be a sensible thing to wear when travelling around during these turbulent times, despite it being somewhat heavy.

Ian Bottomley

[vlado]

Thank you for a very well written reply Ian B. Even now I understand and see it much better but I still must to do my homework and read a lot of material.

GentlemenS yours opinion means a lot to me.

Thank you all.

 

Miha G.

[Viper6924]

Not much to add after Ian:s answer. These iron jingasas was meant for the teppo-tai (meaning the ashigaru using the guns) This particular shape is by no means the most common one.

On the inside it would have been fitted with either two elongated pads or a single U-shaped pad for some comfort to the wearer. The Japanese term for this is zabuton or makura. Also of course the chinstrap called ago himo.

Most jingasas was outfitted with a mon or a kind of unit-sign. There´s about one million different Yours has the "double mountain" sign which can be both a family crest or a unit-sign.

Jingasa is a rather unappreciated part amongst collectors of Japanese armor due to the simple construction. But I find the them quite interesting. Specially from a historical point of view.

 

Jan

[estcrh]

These iron jingasas was meant for the teppo-tai (meaning the ashigaru using the guns) This particular shape is by no means the most

Not all iron jingasa were made for ashigaru, just those of a particular style.

 

This tetsu bajo jingasa is certainly not an ashigaru jingasa.

[vlado]

Hello

Very nice Tetsu bajo jingasa, I guess that weight and protection was very important factor, I was wondering what kind of style was the armor for riding and traveling that comes with that kind of jingasa.

 

 

Miha G.

[kusunokimasahige]

Eric is of course right, but I did not want to get into Ashigaru ranks and Samurai who led ashigaru troops (Teppo Ko-gashira etc.)

 

 

KM

[estcrh]

Hello

Very nice Tetsu bajo jingasa, I guess that weight and protection was very important factor, I was wondering what kind of style was the armor for riding and traveling that comes with that kind of jingasa.

 

 

Miha G.

Miha, we can look at some period photographs which show this type of jingasa being worn. In my opinion, if we are speaking about the Edo period it is likely that the armor in use would be a form of tatami armor, in other words, a light weight, portable style of armor, capable of being worn on top of or under clothing. This can take may forms, I will show some examples.

 

Don Cunningham in his book "Taiho-Jutsu: Law and Order in the Age of the Samurai" describes the types of armor worn by samurai police,

the high ranking yoriki would "oversee an arrest from the saddle of his horse while wearing body armor and his jingasa".

 

The lower ranking doshin "wore chain-mail undergarments as well as heavy cloth hand and shin wraps with metal strips sewn into the cloth. To protect their heads they wore hachimaki (head band) with either metal wires sewn between the cloth layers or a metal strip placed strategically over the forehead".

 

This photo is described as being a samurai escort officer, his duties were to ensure the safety of visiting foreigners.

ESCORT OFFICER.

THE photograph represents one of the Tycoon’s body guard, selected for their courage and reliability as an escort for foreigners. In Japan, the opposition offered by many of the leading princes to the admission of foreigners, had the effect of creating among the retainers of these daimios a hostile feeling that was always dreaded by the government; and which exhibited itself on several occasions in the murder of individuals, and in attacks upon various legations in Yedo. From the first opening of the ports, therefore, cavalry officers were appointed to escort foreigners not only in Yedo, but in any part of the interior to which they were permitted to go, and in which special precautions were thought to be necessary.

 

Under the jingasa an armored hachi-maki (hitaiganemaki) could be worn, this one has small hexagon armor plates (kikko) sewn between layers of cloth.

 

Over or under the kimono a yoroi katabira, an armored jacket, this one is a long kusari katabira, chain armor sewn to a long wool coat which is split up the back for wearing while on horse back.

 

Kikko tatami dou, a light weight body armor made of small hexagon armor plates sewn between layers of cloth.

 

Yoroi hakama, armored pants, these are kusari hakama with chain armor sewn to the front and back of the thigh.

 

Kyusho-ate (abdomen protector), a cloth belt with chain armor sewn between layers of cloth.

 

Kusari han kote, gauntlets with chain armor sewn between layers of cloth.

 

Kusari yugake, gloves with chain armor.

 

Kusari suneate, shin guards with chain armor.

 

Kusari tabi, leather socks with chain armor.

[vlado]

Thank you Eric T. to showing some nice examples and good explanation.

 

Best regards.

 

Miha G.