Samurai Armor: Evolution and Overview
Vložit
- čas přidán 13. 02. 2020
- An overview and look into the evolution of the iconic armor of the Samurai. This video will dive into into early to later armor designs, while also going over each component present in a full suit. We will also look to understand how shields worked in feudal Japan.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sources Used:
"Samurai Battles" By Michael Sharp
"Samurai: The Way of the Warrior" by Stephen Turnbull
"The Samurai Warrior" by Ben Hubbard
"War in Japan: 1467 - 1615" by Stephen Turnbull
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music:
"Rhapsody for Twenty-String Koto" composed by Minoru Miki and Performed by Reiko Kimura.
Artwork/Images:
Classical art, which in most cases can be considered public domain.
Art from Osprey Publications.
Museum exhibits.
Other modern artist renditions, if you see your work in this video please contact me so that I can give you proper credit!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Social Media:
Facebook: / theshogunateyoutube
Twitter: / shogunatethe
Support the channel on Patreon! www.patreon.com/theshogunatey...
#Samurai #Japan #History
Small Correction at 7:16 the "Hoate" is actually the cheek/chin/neck guard underneath the face mask, while the actual mask is usually referred to as "Menpo".
The video was very useful and please share some yokai class and types to know better about Japanese yokai culture
If I may add a correction as well. The visual for the kote and yugake is a bit off. The kote would usually have protection for the back of the hand as well. It would usually go from the shoulder down to covering the back of the hand. The yugake glove it a separate piece. Sometimes it was worn and sometimes it was not. If it was worn, it would typically be put on before the kote. I am not aware of any form of yugake from the period being armored, although I might be wrong. So while what you said was right, what the visual showed as a yugake is actually a piece of the kote which was connected to the whole sleeve, with the yugake being separate.
@@SengokuStudies I actually just used a sketch pad to trace the image at 5:59
@@gentlementribetv2050 yes he can
Wait, “ keiko” adopted from Korea” is that what you just said,fucking unbelievable!!!! How people are educated these days
When I start to play Ghost of tsushima, my youtube recommended so many videos about samurai, including this
@Ken Penalosa no u
Same here. It always happens when I play a certain game. It might be because we linked our YT accounts to our PS4s, and Google's ninjas spied on us, as usual.
Omg same😂
@@Incog2k6 of course they do. It might also be because your PC/smartphone actually listens to you all the time and hears Ghost of Tsushima running.
Cool
My family has one set of helmet and armour handed down from our ancestors, which gives us a piece of pride.
That's so cool
Post a video of it
Your ancestors are honored!
Darth Vader's armor design was based on Date Masamune's armor.
helmet was actually based on german Stahlhelm
@@k_bean822 nope
@@k_bean822 dart vader helmet was designed on german helmet with gas mask
@@zielu6435 Ok.. I brought with wrong information. Sorry. So it looks like it was inspired by German gas masks. :V
@@k_bean822 meyby samurai too the shape of the helmet really looks like samurai helmet
I love how samurai armour is literally a work of art
To be fair, medieval armour is the work of art, and the blacksmith is the artist
I would call it survivorship bias. Only the good looking armour survived the time. Most of them would have worn far inferior armour but it wasnt preserved in the same way
All Medieval armor was a work of art. Especially Medieval plate.
A work of art that's swordproof, arrowproof, punchproof, and theftproof.
Samurai armour is unique as far as I have hitherto seen in that it served not only a practical function but attention was evidently given to the aesthetic dimension of not only each piece individually but the full, complete set as a whole, leaving us a legacy of artworks in their own right the creativity of which only added to, instead of compromising, their effectiveness and practicality vis-a-vis armour of the same period produced in other areas of the world
The craftsmanship is stunning, and to think warriors would wear something of this quality into battle shows the faith they had in its functionality as well as the innovation spurred on by the warrior culture in Japan, as well as a tangible link to the artistic standards and styles of the era. As for the lack of shields, I think it was perhaps a case of they were just not thought to be necessary; as mentioned the two-handed style of fighting did not lend itself well to a cumbersome additional piece of equipment that would likely only get in the way especially for a bow- or katana-wielding samurai on horseback with speed, precision and agility being preferable. Also as mentioned they did use large standing shields essentially a kind of movable wall that could be set up in the field as a type of fortification behind which ashigaru or other footsoldiers firing ranged weapons such as bows and muskets could take cover; in Europe these or something extremely similar were called pavises. Interesting how the same concepts were often reached despite the geographical distance. I suppose one could say effective strategies and tactics in warfare in history often developed along similar patterns regardless of where they took place.
Anyone else here because of Ghost Of Tshushima? Yeah me too
Yup hahahah
Dammit, I was about to post this! lol. this channel going to explode.
recomend to me...
Yep
lol yup
I work at a military antiques store in Australia the back of of the shop we run a museum half of the downstairs section is all samurai armour there are 12 full sets 10 Originals at the moment I am painting a Samurai bust for my boss and this video has helped me out a lot since I don't know as much as him and don't want to spoil his present thank you great video keep up the amazing work
I've got a question if it's not too much to ask the samurai armour that he pointed out that he is favourite was was a red one with the helmet painting all of it red or should it be black I'm not quite sure
Does that store have a website?
What part of Australia is the store located
Dude, what a cool job.
WHERE I NEED TO KNOW
Ghost of Tsushima take me here.and yiu know what... this game is giving us education. Thankyou Suckerpunch
I swear I looked up 3 ghost of tshuima secret armor locations and samurai and japan history have been all over my feed 😂
Bro me to
This is best game ever and forever best
Broooo sameme
It's a good game, but dont look to it as even close to a historically accurate representation of the events. Names of the clans are different/made up, the major players arent the people who were really involved (including the protagonist and his family/allies), the actual facts of the invasion (the game makes it seem like nearly all the samurai were killed at the beginning, which nope), weapons and armor arent right (they're more like the gear people associate with movies, especially the mongols as a lot of their weapons are straight out of big budget chinese historical fantasy movies a la the monkey king or something but much of the japanese weapons and armor used in the game dont match what was in use at the time, or ever, either, they went full on rule of cool). Obviously we all know that it wasn't one guy that basically repelled the mongol horde with only a little help from some friends but yeah, it's kind of just a movie inspired by... Japan... and that's about it. They do throw some interesting stuff in, like an Egyptian mask taken by a mongol soldier during a previous campaign that made it all the way to Japan in their trunk (which I dont honestly know is real or not but google produced nothing when I looked it up after finding it), and I guess if that's what gets people interested in history then by all means. Just dont go trying to school anyone with your knowledge of the invasion of Tsushima from playing the game, basically everything in it besides what stuff kinda looks like is a fabrication.
you can use water stance against shield-holding enemies. 10:43
Everyone’s here cause of got I swear 🤣
You can use stone stance against sword holding enemies.
"wind stance is more effective against spears"
Moon stance is effective against enemies larger than yourself.
Ghost stance hits them all
Watching this is just making me more exited for ghost of Tsushima 🤓
Edit: finished the game a few days ago and OMG it’s so fucking good, I hope they add NG+ so I can jump back into the story with all my shit. 😝GOTY for me!
Bulmas Lover: you know the score👌🏻 I have been wanting a game like this for soo long😅
🙌🙌
Yes i am so hyped for that game aswell ^^ !
I know right! I’m curious to see how accurate the armor and even just style and art will be accurate to the time period that is being portrayed
Same, I pre ordered it and I can't wait for it to release.
I made a full suit of haramaki armor in the mid-1990s, using hardened leather plates and several hundred yards of bulk red tennis shoe lacing. My wife sewed the undergarments I designed, and I lucked into an authentic 15thC style kabuto with face mask at an armor maker’s sale table, with the addition of long horsehair mustache, it was perfect for topping off my haramaki. Even today it is displayed on a stand in my home.
I conducted many months of research before starting the project, made demonstration pieces to discover what worked, and most importantly what did not. Using my spare time it took nearly a year to complete. A business trip to Paris allowed me to tour the amazing Japanese armor collection in the Musee de l’Armee. Despite owning at least a dozen reference books on Samurai armor, this video is by far the very best summary (and visually beautiful display) of the rise, development, and eventual demise of Samurai armor. Kudos! And thank you.
Thanks for sharing, Bruce, I'd love to see pictures of the armor! What a lovely project.
Amazing! Alright now get someone to shoot it. There's literally no authentic armor tests, and the only one involved some dweeb shooting at a traditional cuirass with a matchlock.
日本人だけど、外国人がこういう日本の伝統文化に興味を持ってくれるのって本当に嬉しいよね、僕の家でも先祖の日本甲冑と日本刀を代々受け継いでるよ
where my Ghost of Tsushima gang at?
@Ken Penalosa why?
Yuh
Hai.
YOYO GoT 4 life
Gang Gang!
Best video I ever saw about samurai armor! I'm a leatherworker and iaijutsuteka (sword student) who plans to make a suit of samurai armor. This will help me immensely! Domo arigato.
I love this video it’s full of very useful information. Please make a video on the history and evolution of the Ashigaeu, their armor, weapons, tactics, and how they changed over time.
That is definitely something I will do in time!
this channel is so underated , same for the video , This needs more views
It’s not underrated lol it’s just now well known yet.
Albino Alpaca Ghost of tsushima fans make more views
As someone with direct Japanese ancestry (my father is Japanese) I really appreciate your correct pronunciation of the Japanese language. Most of the videos I come across regarding anything Japanese tend to butcher the pronunciation but yours was spot on. I'll be sure to subscribe.
That means you are half Japanese? Then you are not "Japanese"
@@18890426 why does that concern you? Are you simply looking to start an argument? I'll not entertain idiocy.
@@18890426 No he is Japanese. Just because he isn’t “full blooded” doesn’t mean he isnt Japanese.
@@Mentor_Zeus I’m also half Japanese. I have some ancestors on my Japanese side that were blacksmiths who used to make katanas.
Love Samurai armour it just looks amazing
I’ve always enjoyed looking at the Kabuto and the Hoate. They were some of the most unique and coolest dare I say of the armor.
侍が馬上弓をメインウェポンにしてたことに触れてて嬉しい❤️
日本の鎧って、基本的に『対弓矢』用だもんね
Samurai armour is unique as far as I have hitherto seen in that it served not only a practical function but attention was evidently given to the aesthetic dimension of not only each piece individually but the full, complete set as a whole, leaving us a legacy of artworks in their own right the creativity of which only added to, instead of compromising, their effectiveness and practicality vis-a-vis armour of the same period produced in other areas of the world
The craftsmanship is stunning, and to think warriors would wear something of this quality into battle shows the faith they had in its functionality as well as the innovation spurred on by the warrior culture in Japan, as well as a tangible link to the artistic standards and styles of the era. As for the lack of shields, I think it was perhaps a case of they were just not thought to be necessary; as mentioned the two-handed style of fighting did not lend itself well to a cumbersome additional piece of equipment that would likely only get in the way especially for a bow- or katana-wielding samurai on horseback with speed, precision and agility being preferable. Also as mentioned they did use large standing shields essentially a kind of movable wall that could be set up in the field as a type of fortification behind which ashigaru or other footsoldiers firing ranged weapons such as bows and muskets could take cover; in Europe these or something extremely similar were called pavises. Interesting how the same concepts were often reached despite the geographical distance. I suppose one could say effective strategies and tactics in warfare in history often developed along similar patterns regardless of where they took place.
"We didn't really wear those horned helmets..."
~ Vikings
"Because you have no fashion sense!"
~ Samurai
Lol, that's just gold!
"Let me tell you a little something about fashion..."
~Winged hussars
The Celts did!!! LOL! Celts give no fuks!!!👍😆👌
i was searching this armor detail in google and not satisfied. this video is much detailed for sure. Thanks for the video man! this really helped me a lot on my characters design for a game.
Great presentation. I'm sure you've heard that red armor often signifies elite troops, which were frequently the first units to charge into the enemy. It's the opposite of camouflage and visible by your enemies. It used to be the case that wearing a Red Do (赤胴) in Kendo too was for strong fighters only; nowadays it's more of a fashion statement...
I wonder if that was the inspiration for Star Trek.....
One minute in and already I'm fascinated, beautiful stuff, thank you
It’s just so interesting to me how japans relative isolation throughout history, as well as it’s eastern-inspired take on armor, formed the conditions of such unique pieces of armor in use all the way into the 19th century. Crazy to think about really
Samurai armour is unique as far as I have hitherto seen in that it served not only a practical function but attention was evidently given to the aesthetic dimension of not only each piece individually but the full, complete set as a whole, leaving us a legacy of artworks in their own right the creativity of which only added to, instead of compromising, their effectiveness and practicality vis-a-vis armour of the same period produced in other areas of the world
The craftsmanship is stunning, and to think warriors would wear something of this quality into battle shows the faith they had in its functionality as well as the innovation spurred on by the warrior culture in Japan, as well as a tangible link to the artistic standards and styles of the era. As for the lack of shields, I think it was perhaps a case of they were just not thought to be necessary; as mentioned the two-handed style of fighting did not lend itself well to a cumbersome additional piece of equipment that would likely only get in the way especially for a bow- or katana-wielding samurai on horseback with speed, precision and agility being preferable. Also as mentioned they did use large standing shields essentially a kind of movable wall that could be set up in the field as a type of fortification behind which ashigaru or other footsoldiers firing ranged weapons such as bows and muskets could take cover; in Europe these or something extremely similar were called pavises. Interesting how the same concepts were often reached despite the geographical distance. I suppose one could say effective strategies and tactics in warfare in history often developed along similar patterns regardless of where they took place.
Very informative, but also doesn't feel heavy, difficult to watch. Your accent, voice, information, artwork are all amazing. Brilliant video!
I love how over time Samurai essentially became a mirror of european knights. Pretty interesting how so many similar technologies developed in parallel.
If it works it works
I have one of these. It’s called the “Sakai Armor”. Pretty dope let’s me kill 5 people in slowmo
HA, that’s lame, my ”Ghost Armor” can do 8.
@@RiBA__ those filthy low class samurai, they should know their place .
@@joyadeceren no you filthy
rofl
@@RiBA__ Nope it only does 5 in a standoff unless you count the ghost stance as well which allows you to do 3 more but separately from the stand off.
Anything related to the samurai is just fascinating.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge of these armor designs. It was enlightening, Osu!
I think the reason why samurais didn't use shield much conpare to european is geographycal reason. 75% of Japane is mountain. they needed to cross mountain when they attack or retreat. So they empasized on mobility for their tactics.
@Dodadeus which nations, I would like to know. Thanks in advance.
I think its more of a cultural thing than actually practical. Also as the guy in the video says their swords were double handed, too long and heavy to hold them with one arm.
Well, just like the knights, the samurai warriors weren't the main soldiers of their country. They rarely went into war. Most of the time they fought for the honor of their own and their family in the form of duel. So it's unlikely the reason for the lack of shield was due to tactical concerns. It's just a part of their uniform.
As far as i know, samurai didnt use shields as we know them because they were mounted archers, so they needed their both hands to use the yumi or, in case, a polearm. But really they used shields, although they were attached to the shoulders and are called sode, their function is the same.
@@steeltrue4068 The samurai were the main soldiers for a long time, from the war against the Jomon first to the end of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. That duel logic that you mention can be applied to the Edo period, when there was no war and samurai were just state paid soldiers who wanted to prove they were worthy to maintain (despite they wasted their time and money in booze and whores), and from them it comes the most ideas about honor and bushido.
Thank you so much. I'm writing a fantasy novel with samurai and I had trouble describing armor because it was so broad.
Hey I just found your channel, and I got to say it was very interesting and informative, thanks for uploading!
Im running a D&D campaign in a home brew land based around pre edo period. I found this very helpful, thanks so much!
I'm glad CZcams finally recommended me something remotely interesting. I've been binging your videos and love your channel.
Welcome!
If there is one thing I absolutely love about the samurai armor, it is the Hoate
That mask is just awesome looking
Great video thanks! 😀 I'm playing Nioh at the moment and I found all the stuff you have described
Fantastic video ! It is important to understand history in order to
understand where we are today. How things have changed and grown...and
in some ways not grown. Such a great video for martial artists or anyone
that loves history. Thanks so much - Martial Arts Life Style 🇨🇦
Amazing video, outstanding work, you just earned a subscriber. I love your style of videos great work.
Very thorough history lesson. Superb presentation.
Thank you for your work! I enjoyed this one a lot!
I'm brand new to your channel but o far I think it's great! Im learning a lot and I love the art work you use in your videos.
Good informative video! Just a couple of quick points though, the uwa obi was normally worn underneath the armor and a sarashi obi over the outside. One of the weakest points of Japanese armor was the abdomen since the only thing the armor offered was the strings (urugi Ito) attaching the do to the kusazuri (sectional skirt that surrounded the wearer - by the Sengoku period that was usually 7 sections, three to the front and four on the back and sides). The yugake were worn underneath the tekko (armored sections for the back of the hands). By the Sengoku period a nodowa was a popular piece to wear. It was a piece that tied around the neck to protect the throat between the top of the do and the bottom of the tare (sectioned plates that hung from the bottom of the mento which often left a gap). Sorry, just a little anally retentive on certain things. The study and classification of Japanese armor is exceptionally difficult, more so than kantei for swords.
Thank you for this video,I‘ve learned so much in 13 minutes!
It’s nice to see how ghost of Tsushima got a lot of people interested in samurais and their culture
Sir, what a great video and great channel. thank you very much for sharing this knowledge.
Best video on Samurai armor I've seen by far
No shields: angry Spartan noises.
(Angry au)
The Spartans were overrated and overhyped.
Change my mind
TheOTBS the same could be said about the samurais.
@@Revick_Revas unlike the spartans, i can actually name a battle the samurai won 😂
TheOTBS They got their ass kicked by the Mongols and it took a storm to save them. Also most of their wars where between them. The Japanese may have beaten the Russian but they got their ass kicked again by the United States.
The summary/overview is super useful! It gives all the basic overview I need for research!
Fascinating lecture! God, I love samurai!!
Well researched ! Concept of customised helmets during Sengoku Jidai was a stand out for each Daimyō. When are you putting up the episode on battle of Nagashino ?
Nagashino will be next!
I'm a big sucker for the Sengoku Jidai (thanks to beating Sekiro billions of times) so the Tosei Gusoku will always be my favorite. The Nanban Gusoku would be more periodically accurate, but I like the Tosei's more signature design
I am an indian and greatly inspired by fudeal Japanese culture the most liked periods by me are meji restoration , kofun era , tokugawa shogunate , IN ARMOURS tengu crested helmet , boar crested helmet , Nio guardian crested helmet , serpent crested helmet favourite Japanese weapons yari , teppo ( matchlock ) katana , naginata and the hand cannon.
Do you have any videos about the artistry that went into designing the armors and kabuto? There are so many ive seen that have basically little murals and gold molded embelishments that are artwork in itself. This video was awesome thanks for the info and visuals
Thank you for taking the time to pronounce everything correctly. Too many videos pronounce words wrong.
its just the accent knowing japanese u can adept a fairly accurate accent to pronounce words and i wouldnt be surprised if he could speak the language
Huh, it seems like the Japanese Tate is kinda analogous to the European pavise shield that mainly crossbowmen used.
Gabe M that’s exactly what I thought when I saw that barrier
The company that makes the best 15mm samurai troops, Two Dragons, actually sells pavises, too
Instant sub I always wanted to find a video like this and I am happy I did. This video is very accurate when it comes to samurai armor. I kind of knew how samurai armor was developed but I didn't know everything about it
Great video, excellent information, thank you for sharing your knowledge
Very informative. Excellent overview. Thanks!
Arigato watashi Yujin this is more accurate than any other vids or channels than I’ve seen this is great so Arigato
Dōitashimashite!
There is a theory that the shield did not keep up with the evolution of the weapon.
Japanese bows are long and strong, and the arrows have evolved.
The arrows have the same blades as katana and are heavier, and the wings are slightly oblique.
This arrow flies at high speed while turning with a large mass.
It was an arrow to penetrate a hard wooden shield or iron plate.
The arrow penetrates three pieces of 9mm thick wood.
The record shows that a 3 cm thick shield could no longer prevent the arrow.
There is a depiction of a Mongolian soldier being shot dead behind a shield.
For this reason, the samurai's armor has become a multi-layered steel plate.
The samurai was also a heavy bow cavalry who also trained bows.
T Nakajima Japanese war bows were very effective anti-armor weaponry. They may not be as compact or have the range of Steppe or Korean style bows, but had sharp precision and tons of power at close range.
@@adenyang4398 Japanese bows have a long range.
Don't lie.
Thank you for answering the question about the color of armor. I was thinking about that question for a while.
I don't even need to read the comments to know why this was in my recommended. All I'm gonna say is that its amazing
Everyone: I came here cuz of Ghost of Tsushima
Me: I came here cuz of Total War: Shogun 2
In other words you came here cuz you have taste
@@mphylo2296 Both would be correct
Why not both?
@@sainters7 No
I just came here cuz I like japanase story
I love the O-Yoroi better than any of the other armours that came before and after. Boxy or not, it looks incredible.
Wow you do an amazing job and seem very passionate, thanks for sharing this excellent vid and channel for us to learn
never knew there were so many varients but it makes sense you have to change and adapt for future conflicts and such
The question, "why didn't the Japanese use shields" (or rather, why did they _stop_ using shields) was not answered. Yes, weapons requiring two hands dominated in Japan - but that was not the reason they did not use shields. It could easily be the other way around: weapons that require both hands dominated because they didn't use shields. Similar weapons were used in Europe as well, by people who did not use shields. But shields and single handed weapons still dominated in Europe. So the question is: why did shields _and single handed weapons_ not play a part in Japanese warfare? After all, they seemed to rely on archery every bit as much as the West did.
Which puts things a bit in perspective as far as Western warfare is concerned, too: was the shield primarily a defence against arrows, or a defence in melée? It could be that protection against arrows was a secondary concern, especially since European shields transitioned from hand-held to arm-strapped - the latter of which would make one significantly more likely to take an arrow to the arm or head. And yet, it was the age of pike and shot which did away with the shield in Europe for the most part, suggesting that shields may have been dumped because they no longer provided missile protection. _But,_ at the same time this was an age where single handed weapons lost their dominating position to pikes, halberds and two-handed swords. So why did _that_ happen?
In short, I believe the shield fell into disuse for the same reasons in both Europe and Japan, and the unsatisfactory reason is simply that that's how warfare evolved: if it was found that the longer reach and better precision of two-handed weapons won more battles, then that's the path they'd take.
you raise a lot of good points. in europe things were a little different. knights in a full plate harness of the early 15th century and onward didnt use shields because they were wearing a shield all over their body. pole arms like halberds and pollaxes were the primary battlefield weapon for a knight. the best plate suits would deflect long bow shots with ease, and the breastplates would absorb gun fire just like we see in the video on samurai chest armor. with such top of the line protection all over your body, you could afford to use two hands on your weapon. this type of protection would mostly only be affordable by knights who were extremely wealthy. most, but not all men-at-arms wore just mail/brigandine, gambeson and helmet so shields were far more important to them. european shields were big enough to cover your torso and upper legs. a shield combined with a helmet would provide a very high level of defense if you were wearing medium to zero protection on your torso. even the celts and picts, a lot of them fought completely naked, but they had huge shields that covered almost their entire body. there may have been a lack of body armor with them but if the enemy cant even get around the shield with an attack your naked body is safe.
the viking age was a good example of this too. only wealthy norsemen would own mail, most of them wore thick woolen tunics which functioned just like gambesons. an iron or steel helmet kept your head safe and the round shield protected your entire torso and upper legs. norse round shields were even center gripped which allowed for tons of flexibility and were beneficial in protecting against both arrows and melee attacks.
you raise a great point about why didnt single handed weapons play a greater part in japanese warfare. the total emphasis on two handed weapons is actually surprising especially considering how prominent war bows were. you would think hand held shields and shield wall tactics would of been developed to counter this in the same way they were developed in many places in europe. shield walls were a staple of greek, roman and norse combat and im sure other cultures in europe adopted this as well
I kinda wish The Rotella survived into the 16hundreds as a even more bullet resistant weapon for defense in context with flintlock pistols.
Shields, no matter what part of the world, were primarily for defense against missiles. They stopped being used worldwide once armor got to the point that it could defend against any missiles that a shield could and then some. As for why the samurai generally didn't use them, it was simply because, during most of the period when shields would have still been worth using, they were mounted archers.
Just to put things in context. Only a few years after the Mongol invasions of Japan, Europe was already beginning to see the rise of shieldless pikemen such as at Bannockburn and Golden Spurs. And, by the time of the Sengoku period, plate armor and firearms had already caused shields to almost entirely fall out of use. And that was in Europe, where there was a long, continuous history of personal shield use. So it's not really all that surprising that the Japanese didn't go straight from horse archery to shield carrying infantry during this period.
The other guys gave lots of great thoughts about this, and they are all right, specially being the shield a main protection against missile weapons... My simply take on it, is that for the Japanese, shields were impractical to be carried around, because they have only seen tate or teidate around, and given that the kote and tekko already offered great protection to the arms and hands, they probably saw no reason to lug around personal shields.
Also, the warfare changed from heavy usage of artillery to small use of artillery and focus on closer combat. That by itself, made shields a bit more impractical, given that the shields would be a great addition while the platoon or the dettachment are running up the enemy, but once they engaged after the initial shock, the shield is more of a hindrance than a help.
Wonderful. Very nicely done!
PLEASE make another samurai armor video. This one is really good
Very nice video! Thank you for making it!
98% of viewers - "Ghost of Tsushima brought me here."
2% of viewers - "Total War brought me here."
Me - "Heritage brought me here."
Interest in general bought me here, the warriors of history are fascinating Thats pretty sick this is your heritage
I agree they are fascinating. I'd be interested in Samurai either way because I love history. The fact I'm descended from them is just icing on the cake.
I'm here because my dad beats me.
Me:.000000001% came for the amazing history and something else waaaay to embarrasing to say😂😂 (does not involve weeboo)😂😂
I’m here because I want to learn more about my Japanese heritage from my dad’s side, and my interest in history.
Amazing history video 🔥🙏
Nanban Gusoku had a strong fashion meaning and was not mainstream in actual combat.
Also, the reason shields are not used is because longbows have been used since ancient times.
Shields were becoming obsolete in Europe as well, and with the advent of guns, the timing of hand-held shields was lost.
It was used during the Nara period and was excavated through excavations.
Great video! Thanks for the content
This is the most complete japanese armor video ive ever seen ,no offense to the other youtuber and it was entertaining too because it was simple
I used to laugh at the 15th century samurai helm... But once i knew why neck armor was important i immediately fell in love with it
why did you laugh at it?
Great video, just wondering in a 1v1 duel would samurais wear the armour like full set or would parts be taken off or would they wear something completely different?
Samurai armour.. form and function perfectly combined. 👍
Yes! I love samurai armor!
I now see where the inspiration for the Saiyan armor came from.
Good observation
Dam good vid he did his research thank you for sharing your hard work with us i have learn alot n just to let you know i watch the whole video
The MOST informative I'd say.
12:26 Hand shields. This brings up the question of sword hilts and gauntlets. Protecting the soldier's hand and forearm became a key concern of armor technology in the West starting in the 11th century, which evolved from simple leather mittens reinforced with chain mail to fully articulated armored gloves in the 15th century. Protective sword hilts also date from the 11th century, starting with the basic cruciform hilt of the crusades, then developing gradually into the enclosed basket hilts of rapiers and broadswords. The reason for these elaborate hand defenses is obvious. The parts of the warrior's body closest to his opponent are his hands, consequently, they are more vulnerable to wounding than the head and torso. And since wounded hands can render the warrior helpless some effective form of hand protection is critical.
For some reason, the samurai ignored the vulnerability of the hands. Admittedly, when the samurai were fighting primarily as mounted archers, unprotected hands were probably necessary for rapid and accurate shooting. However, even after bows were supplanted by matchlocks the samurai typically fought with naked hands. The tsuba works well enough to protect the warrior's hands from his own blade but offers little practical defense against the opponent's sword. When the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century, the Japanese immediately recognized the advantages of European military technology, which led them to copy and adapt a variety of Western firearms, artillery, and armor -- but not gauntlets or protective sword hilts. In the Meiji era, traditional katana blades fitted with European-style saber hilts, kyū guntō, were often seen worn by senior officers of the Imperial armed forces, but this was more a matter of military fashion than a practical adaption to address a weakness of the Japanese sword. By the Showa era, the so-called Russo-Japanese hilts were disappearing, replaced by service swords with traditional tsubas.
Bro you didn't mention, that japanese used big shields something like wooden walls and for close combat they didn't use shield because in that way they'd be more mobile, besides the shields were often so heavy that carrying it would cause fatigue amongst soldiers or they were smaller and more breakable so using them in close combat would be problematic
My opinion for that, is that the kote already offered good protection for the most vulnerable part, which was the superior part of the arms, with laminar pieces of steel running from the elbow to the junction of the hands, and the upper part of the hands being already covered by the tekko (some had steel pieces fit into the upper part of the hand), leaving effectively, just a very small gap in the wrist junction as a target for a cut.
Chainmail was later added when the bushi adopted techniques to aim for the lower part of the wrists, where veins and arteries are more exposed, that used a pull of the sword to cut enough of the arms to make the opponent bleed to death.
It may he two years, so might as well put in my own thoughts.
Firstly, they did adopt European styles gauntlets to an extend. Namely mitten gauntlets, though this came down to the user's preference if he wanted them.
For sword hilts, I don't know. Japan is completely capable of making western styled sword hilts and implementing crossguards with their sword designs. Heck, the Japanese sometimes made hilts for westerners since they admired the lacquerwork they did. My only counter to this is that the tusba, aka the disc guard, is already adequate enough in protecting the hand. Especially before the Edo period, since they were a lot larger.
Now for some correction. Most aspects of western armor was mainly adopted to for fashion purposes. Japan already had solid plate cuirasses decades before the Portuguese arrived, and they did this often with their armors such as adding neck frills on their under armor or putting a central ridge on their cuirasses.
@The Shogunate, I was wondering what you call the hay "cape" of sorts, that some marksman wore. Can be seen around 9:03 in the video. Thank you!
Its a cloak against rain. google says its called a mino cape
@@carbonado2432 THANK! YOU! LORD! I made this comment 2 months ago and as you can see, you're the first to give me an answer! such a weight off my shoulders bro, thank you :)
Thanks for the vid. Very informative.
Very Good - Thanks !
😎👍
thank you for making this digital archive of history
Also the samurai would add a thick piece of cloth behind their armor so as to reduce the chance of being shot in the back with arrows. It actually has a high effective rate.
Fantastic video. Great work!
So I delved hard into ghost ot tsushima and now I'm getting these vids
I dont mind. More things to learn
What was the idea behind the gray beard style Hoate (face mask)?
Very educational even for Japanese people. Good video!
Thank You!
戦国時代の武士達って、とにかく格好良いです😆
Great information! Thank you.
Who else is here cuz ghost of tsushima
Kinda everyone
Hai
Me too👏
you know its neat how despite how it evolved over the years, the finger protection is still next to nothing.
Well given they are first and foremost archers, and later used matchlocks as one of their main weapons during the later half of the sengoku, pretty much means they needed their fingers to be free. Gauntlets simply won't work, and I assume the same reason why modern archers don't wear gloves, or at least only finger gloves, was why they didn't wear gloves.
Samurai did have chainmail gloves and hand protection, especially for winter.
@@samuraijackoff5354 Kusari didn't see much use until after the end of the Sengoku jidai. The surviving japanese armor pieces in western museums mostly dated to Edo jidai, when there were no longer any wars.
As for gloves, I can see them wearing it for winter. But they aren't really protection from weapons.
LCwavesAtYa
If you think about it, you really dont need gloves. There are gauntlets that protect the arm from attacks, the guard works well for protecting the hand from attacks. Not many would target the hands since those are hard targets.
@@samuraijackoff5354 Yup, I agree with that absolutely.
Another point is that the armors of the samurai don't have armored footwear equivelant to sabaton either. Those areas seem vunerable, but when it comes to it, fingers and feet are too small to be attacked effectively anyway.
I don’t know if you know him but I think you are like the Knyght Errant for Japanese armors. I loved this video instant sub.
Oh now I finally know how to pronounce all those armor pieces on Nioh lol. Thanks Shogunate!