User:Samuraiantiqueworld/Japanese karuta armor

Japanese karuta armor is form of portable folding armor known as "tatami". Karuta are small square or rectangle plates of iron usually connected to each other by chain mail with the plates being sewn to a cloth backing. Chest armors were commonly made from karuta "karuta dou". Karuta jackets "karuta katabira" were also made. Various armor parts were also made from karuta including thigh guards "karuta haidate", shoulder guards "karuta sode" and karuta hoods "karuta zukin". Karuta armors were worn by all classes of samurai from high ranking samurai to low level retainers and foot soldiers "ashigaru" with the high ranking armor being much more elaborate and ornate, the lower level armors were just plain 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 armor was made from karuta then the armor is considered to be a karuta armor. Ian Bottomley in his book "Arms and Armor of the Samurai: The History of Weaponry in Ancient Japan" shows a karuta tatami do and a karuta tatami kabuto p.88

Gallery

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  Edo period Japanese suit of armor with a folding type chest armor "tatami dou" the tatami dou is made from small lacquered iron plates connected by mail "kusari" which are sewn to cloth.
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  Edo period Japanese tatami helmet "tatami kabuto" small lacquered iron plates connected by mail "kusari" and sewn to cloth.
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  Samurai karuta katabira or jacket made with iron plates.
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  Karuta Tatami-dō.
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  Edo period samurai karuta tatami dou in the hara-ate style.
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  Edo period samurai karuta tatami dou.
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  Edo period samurai karuta tatami dou ( from the back).
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  Edo period samurai karuta tatami zukin.
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  Edo period samurai hara-ate style karuta tatami dou (inside view).
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  Edo period samurai karuta tatami dou (shown folded up).
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  Edo period samurai karuta "sashinuki" style kote.
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  Edo period Japanese ( samurai ) karuta tatami dou. This is a rare armor as the karuta armor plates are connected to each other by leather lace instead of kusari (chain).

Also See

• Tatami-dō
• plated mail
• Commons:Category:Plated mail
• Chainmail
• Commons:Category:Japanese chain mail

References

Category:Personal armour