Byotoji-do tosei gusoku

This authentic samurai armor is rated juyo katchū (important armor) by the Nihon Katchū Bugu Rekishi Kenkyukai of Dr. Sasama Yoshiko, author of many books on Japanese armor. The origami is dated 1989.

The helmet is a very heavy and high-quality kabuto of suji-bachi type with 62 plates, decorated with gilt-metal borders and fitted with a neck protection (shikoro) with large fukigaeshi. The mask is a rare etchu-bo menpo of Iwai school: Iwai Yozaemon was the armorer for Tokugawa Ieyasu during the Momoyama period and was appointed official bakufu armorer when he became shōgun. His school has then been active in Nara for many decades, producing two main styles of masks, the oie-bo, and the etchū-bo. This second one featured very well defined facial treats and the surface was covered with parallel lines called yasurime ("file marks"). In the Meiko Zukan there is a drawing which illustrates the main features and it is reported that this shape was the favorite of Hosokawa Sansai. On earlier masks like this one the nose is not detachable, while on later ones, around 1700, it can be unmounted.
The cuirass is built of horizontal riveted plates (byotoji-dō) finished with fine shakudo heads.
This samurai armor is originally Japanese and for sale, in excellent condition. It is a collector's item and not a reproduction.
If you would like to know the price, please contact us.