Ceremonial Samurai Armour

This armour was made for Shishido Tamaki, a prominent member of the Mōri clan of Hagi. Although the long peace of the Tokugawa period followed Japan’s age of civil war, the art of armour-making did not disappear.

Protection gradually gave way to ceremony and display. Iron plates, lacquer, silk lacing and copper fittings were assembled into a suit that was strong, flexible and instantly recognisable. Colour and detail proclaimed the wearer’s lineage and rank as eloquently as a coat of arms.

Let your eye travel upwards, from the intricate guards for the legs to the helmet and its ornaments. Even motionless in a museum case, the armour retains a sense of discipline, readiness and controlled movement.