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was a type of
File:Karuta tatami dou and zukin.JPG, Antique Japanese (samurai) karuta tatami dou (dō) and karuta tatami zukin (hood).
File:Karuta zukin.JPG, Antique Japanese (samurai)karuta tatami zukin (hood).
File:Antique Japanese karuta katabira 1.JPG, Antique Japanese (samurai) karuta katabira (jacket).
File:Karuta haidate.JPG, Antique Japanese (samurai) karuta haidate.
File:Karuta armor close up.JPG, Karuta armour close up view.
Anthony Bryant's online Japanese armour manual
{{Types of armour Samurai armour
was a type of armour
Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or f ...
worn by samurai
were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They ...
warriors and their retainers during the feudal era of Japan. The word ''karuta'' comes from the Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
word meaning "card", (''carta'') as the small square or rectangular plates that compose the armour resemble traditional Japanese playing cards.
Description
Karuta armor is a form of lightweight, folding armor known as "tatami". The "karuta" are small square or rectangle plates of iron or leather connected to each other bykusari
is an eroge visual novel by Leaf. It is a suspense adventure game dealing with psychological warfare as players are pitted against a cunning and powerful criminal while trapped in the open sea on a cruise ship.
Although this game produced Leaf, ...
(chain mail
Chain mail (properly called mail or maille but usually called chain mail or chainmail) is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh. It was in common military use between the 3rd century BC and ...
) or laced to each other, with the plates sewn to a cloth backing, individual karuta armour plates could also be sewn directly to a cloth backing without being connected to each other.
Chest armor was commonly made from karuta (''karuta tatami dō''). Karuta jackets (''karuta katabira'') were also made. Various other parts of armor were made from karuta including thigh guards (''karuta haidate''), shoulder guards (''karuta sode'') and karuta hoods (''karuta zukin''). Karuta armor was worn by all classes of samurai, even the foot soldiers (''ashigaru
were infantry employed by the samurai class of feudal Japan. The first known reference to ''ashigaru'' was in the 14th century, but it was during the Ashikaga shogunate (Muromachi period) that the use of ''ashigaru'' became prevalent by various ...
''). High quality armor was more elaborate and ornate, while the lower quality sets of armor were plain but offered basic protection.
Small amounts of karuta armor plates could be added in certain locations to different styles of samurai armor where extra protection was needed. If the majority of the suit of armor was made from karuta then it is considered karuta armor. Ian Bottomley, in his book ''Arms and Armor of the Samurai: The History of Weaponry in Ancient Japan'',Ian Bottomley & A.P. Hopson "Arms and Armor of the Samurai: The History of Weaponry in Ancient Japan" p.88 shows a karuta breastplate and a karuta helmet (''kabuto
' (兜, 冑) is a type of helmet first used by ancient Japanese warriors which, in later periods, became an important part of the traditional Japanese armour worn by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan.
Note that in the ...
'').
Gallery
See also
*Japanese armour
Scholars agree that Japanese armour first appeared in the 4th century, with the discovery of the cuirass and basic helmets in graves. During the ''Heian period'' (794-1185), the unique Japanese samurai armour '' ō-yoroi'' and ''dō-maru'' appe ...
* Tatami (Japanese armour)
''Tatami'' (畳具足), or ''tatami gusoku'' (from ''tatamu'' 畳む, "to fold") and ''gusoku'' (meaning full suit of armour), was a type of lightweight portable folding Japanese armour worn during the feudal era of Japan by the samurai class ...
* Kusari (Japanese mail armour)
''Kusari gusoku'' (chain armour)(鎖具足) is the Japanese term for mail armour. Kusari is a type of armour used by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan. When the word ''kusari'' is used in conjunction with an armoured item it us ...
* Kikko (Japanese armour)
* Plated mail
References
External links
Anthony Bryant's online Japanese armour manual
{{Types of armour Samurai armour