Haramaki (armour)

Antique Edo period Japanese (samurai) 4 hinge 5 plate (go-mai) dou or dō that is opens in the back (haramaki).

Haramaki is a type of chest armour (dou or dō) worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan and their retainers.

Description

Haramaki were originally constructed with the same materials as the ō-yoroi but designed for foot soldiers to use as opposed to the ō-yoroi which was for mounted warfare.[1] Haramaki refers to any Japanese armour which is put on from the front and then fastened in the back with cords. Other types of dō open from the side (ni-mai dō, dō-maru, maru-dō) instead of opening from the back as the haramaki" does.

Armor (Haramaki). The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Modern haramaki refer to a thick cloth undergarment worn around the belly to increase body heat retention during the winter.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Samurai, warfare and the state in early medieval Japan (Google eBook), Karl F. Friday, Psychology Press, 2004 P.94
  • traditional Haramaki photographs
  • Anthony Bryant's web site about construction and history of Japanese armor
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