are cloth leggings which were worn by the
samurai
The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...
class and their retainers in feudal Japan. In
Japanese, the word is also used for Western soldiers'
gaiters.
Description
were worn as padding underneath the samurai greaves (). Some types of could be covered with mail armour ( or ); these were worn by foot soldiers () or by samurai as protection. were worn by ordinary travelers as protection from cold, insects and underbrush.
were often made of
linen
Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant.
Linen is very strong and absorbent, and it dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. Lin ...
, but other materials such as
cotton
Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...
were also used. components depended on the season. When tying , the inner cords are shorter than the outer ones; the cords are typically tied on the inner side of the legs instead of on the front or outer area, preventing discomfort when the stiff greaves are placed over the .
See also
*
*
List of items traditionally worn in Japan
References
Sources
* Turnbull, Stephen (1998). ''The Samurai Sourcebook.'' London: Arms & Armour Press.
eprinted by Cassell & Co., London, 2000.
External links
*
Japanese clothing
Ninjutsu artefacts
Samurai clothing
Japanese words and phrases
{{Samurai-stub