This armor is a full reproduction of haramaki – a type of Japanese chest armor – and has a height of 150 cm. It is distinctive of the Muromachi period. The armor suit was made by Miura Hiromichi, one of Japan’s five remaining armorers who has mastered the techniques of manufacturing and restoring both armor suits and helmets.
The term “Mogamido haramaki” comes from the high quality iron in the helmet that used to be extracted in the Mogami area in northern Japan.
As it could be spread open and folded over, this kind of armor had the advantage of not requiring a lot of space for storage.
The suji-kabuto helmets were made from twelve hemispherical iron plates with the front displaying the warrior’s new moon insignia.
To accommodate the movement of the body, the trunk plates were hinged in four places. Cloth was used to secure the iron plates for the hands to the rest of the armor suit.
The full armor ensemble had lacquer coating which was waterproof and protected the iron against rust. At the same time, it was shock absorbing, and all the parts were joined together with deer hide thongs.
The display was part of “The Spirit of Budo Expo: The History of Japan’s Martial Arts” held in 2012 at G23 Art Gallery in Bangkok, Thailand. Watch the video below for details:
