photo #1885875

Samurai Armor Higher-ranked samurai were expected to provide their own sets of armor, and each was made to suit the tastes and finances of the wearer rather than to provide any uniformity or show any allegiance. There were some clans, such as the Takeda and the Ii who preferred red lacquered armor, but it was not mandatory. One of the best ways of looking at this is, the samurai bought armor the way we buy cars. We buy the type of car we like, in the color we want, and with either cloth or leather interior, with or without GPS and multi channel stereos depending on our tastes and our financial situation. Those that can afford a Porsche 911, or an Audi will go for such vehicles,...then there are those that can only afford a Toyota Prius or Corolla, down to a small Nissan March or Suzuki Swift. By the mid 16th century, kachushi (armor makers) faced an overwhelming demand for armor, and so simpler, more practical armor came into being. The new styles, known as tosei gusoku or “modern armor,” featured improved do (body armor). This body armor was comprised of a shell of two pieces hinged on the left, and tied with cords on the right. To this was attached the gessan, also known as kusazuri. Among the most common tosei gussoku styles were the nuinobe do and mogami do types. Mogami do consisted of an average of five individually riveted or laced strips of horizontal steel with a further three strips covering the upper chest. These were shaped to fit the body better than the earlier types of armor known as yoroi, which were often squarish in shape and particularly cumbersome when it came to the energetic business of war. The waist of the tousei gussoku was tapered so that the bulk of the armor's weight rested on the hips rather than being borne on the shoulders.