Art of the Ancient Blog

Paul Chen’s Dragon Armour, named for the helmet crest (mon), is made for the connoisseur of Japanese armours. It faithfully replicates a “Byotoji Do Gusoku” from the Edo period which, like many fine armours, incorporates an earlier helmet bowl from the Momoyama period.

European influence on Samurai armour is discernible in the slight median ridge to the front section of the byotoji okegawa do (breastplate) which, by this period, was designed to deflect musket balls. The plates of the do, with waved edges, are fastened with elaborate shakudo rivets in the form of flowers with gilt centers.

This feature illustrates the Japanese preference for a more flexible style of armour than the typical European one-piece breastplate construction. The carrying chest/display seat (hitsu) is black lacquered with the Dragon mon emblazoned in silver on the front panel.

Overall, the antiqued patina of the gusoku gives a period appearance and provides a rich addition to any Japanese décor. Our full-sized suits of Samurai armour provide displays of outstanding quality for the den or the dojo.

Crafted by the armourers of CAS/Hanwei, the armour is authentically detailed and completely realistic. These very affordable pieces are made with traditional styling and materials and are wearable (within a reasonable size range!).

They are supplied in the customary black lacquered box which, along with an included wooden frame, provides the support for the display.

Go here to see Japanese Armor - Paul Chen Dragon Armor

The samurai used various weapons, but the katana is the weapon that is synonymous with samurai. Bushido teaches that the katana is the samurai’s soul and sometimes a samurai is pictured as entirely dependent on the katana for fighting. They believe that the katana was so precious that they often gave them names and considered them as part of the living. However the use of swords did not become common in battle until the Kamakura period (1185-1333), where the tachi and uchigatana (the predecessor to the katana) became prevalent. The katana itself did not become the primary weapon until the Edo period.

After a male child of the bushi was born, he would receive his first sword in a ceremony called mamori-gatana. The sword, however, was merely a charm sword covered with brocade to which was attached a purse or wallet, worn by children under five. Upon reaching the age of thirteen, in a ceremony called Genbuku, a male child was given his first real swords and armour, an adult name, and became a samurai. A katana and a wakizashi together are called a daisho (lit. “big and small”).

The wakizashi itself was a samurai’s “honour blade” and purportedly never left the samurai’s side. He would sleep with it under his pillow and it would be taken with him when he entered a house and had to leave his main weapons outside.
The Tant? was a small dagger sometimes worn with or instead of the Wakizashi in a daisho. The tanto or the wakizashi was used to commit seppuku, a ritualized suicide.

Go here to see more Samurai Swords