Sucker for a nice suit of armour

[Lewis B]

 

What makes me curious is the length of the shikoro. Doesn't seem to offer much neck protection even if the kabuto is sitting slightly proud on the stand.

[Gakusee]

2 hours ago, Lewis B said:

 

What makes me curious is the length of the shikoro. Doesn't seem to offer much neck protection even if the kabuto is sitting slightly proud on the stand.

That is why you have the tare, throat protector. Sometimes even a nodowa additionally. 

[Matsunoki]

22 minutes ago, Gakusee said:

That is why you have the tare, throat protector. Sometimes even a nodowa additionally. 

Maybe Lewis is referring to the yawning gap that appears to exist below the shikoro to the back and sides where tare and nodawa offer no extra protection?

Lewis …..anything else you can tell us? Location, age etc? Looks in near perfect condition

Edited December 29, 2025 by Matsunoki
Typo

[Lewis B]

36 minutes ago, Matsunoki said:

Maybe Lewis is referring to the yawning gap that appears to exist below the shikoro to the back and sides where tare and nodawa offer no extra protection?

Lewis …..anything else you can tell us? Location, age etc? Looks in near perfect condition

Sure, currently exhibited in the Tokyo National Museum and purportedly once owned by Matsudaira lenori (1575-1614), a Samurai lord from Central Japan

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0TZLMDpUss/?hl=en&img_index=3

 

And you're correct it's the gapping gap to the sides and rear that caught my attention. Looking at other high level suits it's not uncommon. Perhaps because these leaders were unlikely to see combat so maybe its a case of comfort over protection.

[Gakusee]

1 hour ago, Lewis B said:

Sure, currently exhibited in the Tokyo National Museum and purportedly once owned by Matsudaira lenori (1575-1614), a Samurai lord from Central Japan

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0TZLMDpUss/?hl=en&img_index=3

 

And you're correct it's the gapping gap to the sides and rear that caught my attention. Looking at other high level suits it's not uncommon. Perhaps because these leaders were unlikely to see combat so maybe its a case of comfort over protection.

Samurai did not fight from behind. That is against the chivalrous spirit  

 

That is  why you protect the front (mendare and nodowa). 

[Hokke]

3 hours ago, Lewis B said:

........Perhaps because these leaders were unlikely to see combat so maybe its a case of comfort over protection.

Yep, that would be my guess.....looks over function

[uwe]

I don’t think this armor fits in the category “form over function”!

A certain gap between the shikoro and upper the edge of the sode is almost unavoidable. In this case, the uppermost plate of the sode (kanmuri no ita) is executed as ori-kanmuri no ita (angled). That should add some additional protection. We also have to keep in mind that the neck of the wearer was often covered by an armored collar (eri-mawashi). 

Lovley gusoku, BTW!

[Bugyotsuji]

Museum displays sometimes need a little tweaking here and there.

 

This is a high zunari. The kabuto pole section is usually adjustable, and in this case maybe could be lowered a notch, or they have inserted too much stuffing in support of the ukebari.

(Possibly they've lifted the kabuto higher to give visitors a better view of the menpo.)

[Shogun8]

Lewis,

 

This style of shikoro is called a manju or o-manju, which was mainly used in the late Muromachi/early Momoyama (although of course, there are Edo examples too). It was in the Momoyama that the hineno jikoro came into being, with the shikoro having a more downward slant and the last lame being shaped to the shoulders, which ostensibly offered better protection. 

 

I also agree that Pier's observation is another partial explanation - the kabuto probably sits a bit higher than normal. This armour is a very well-known and often published example - it's a high level armour (as is evidenced by its being on display at the TNM).

[Baka Gaijin]

Samurai did not fight from behind. That is against the chivalrous spirit  

 

Scene set:  a cold and misty Moor in March.....

 

The thoughts of one young man.........

 

Hmm.....That one there on the Horse,  he's in armour, I'm wearing a three day old Fundoshi which is fresher than my last meal, and all I've got is a pointed stick and a pet rock................

 

But so are the rest of us at the back, who were pressed into service by our various Lords............... 

 

Here's an idea lads:

 

下克上  Gekokujō !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Kinoshita Tōkichirō (木下 藤吉郎) aged 17................

 

AKA not so very much later as Toyotomi Hideyoshi

 

Happy New Year Katchu Bunnies

 

Edited January 1 by Baka Gaijin