Weapons There are many weapons in the armory of the Samurai warrior from the bow to the sword and many different weapons in between. For this project we have chosen to focus on three types of weapons used by samurai; swords, bows and pole weapons. Though these are not the only weapons used by samurai, they are the primary ones that were used and the ones most people think of when talking about the warriors. The skill of the swordsmith was one of great importance in medieval Japan, and today has evolved into an art form, and samurai swords made today are collected like art.
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Sword: “The sword is the soul of the samurai” (Wilson, 187), as would be expected of the primary weapon people think of when they hear the name 'samurai.' “According to Japanese legend a superior sword was strong enough to cut through a stack of seven bodies and sharp enough that when placed in a flowing stream it would cut through a water lily that happened to float past” (Louis, 133). The Japanese sword has changed over the centuries from the straight sword that was brought over from Korea to the curved katana that has become the symbol of the samurai today. The katana evolved to what it is today due to poor iron quality in Japan, so a technique was developed to make the best possible sword. The Japanese sword (Nippon-tō) with its signature curve came into use because of its superior qualities to the old straight swords (Ogasawara,100). The katana was used as a slashing weapon with two hands, which allowed the samurai to wield the sword with greater speed and force. This made it possible for the sword to slice through its target. Swordsmanship with the katana is called kenjutsu and this is probably what the samurai is best known for. The skill that was necessary to wield the samurai sword took a lifetime to become proficient at and only the best would live to an old age. The katana was both a sword and a shield for the samurai. The katana was not the only sword the Japanese used, with the differences being the length of the sword and what it was used for.
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The Nodachi: This was a long sword generally used by samurai on foot, very difficult to use on horseback (Louis, 140).
The Tachi: This sword predated the katana, and was usually 2inches longer and was more curved then the Katana. Was primarily used from horseback, its length was a bit of hindrance to draw on the ground (Louis, 140). Tanto: was a dagger type weapon varying from 6 to 12 inches. It could be used as a throwing or stabbing weapon. It was also used to commit seppuku, ritual suicide, before the wakizashi became popular (Louis, 142). Wakizashi: usually about 20 inches long, very similar to the katana, but much shorter and thinner. Came into use about the 16th century and replaced the tanto. When paired with the katana, the set was called daisho (Louis, 138). |
Pole weapons:
The samurai used a variety of pole arms during battle. They were called the Yari, Naginata, and Hoko. Usually these pole arms were long spears with different types of heads on the end of the shaft.
Naginata: This pole arm is probably the most interesting as it was used by the largest number of people. Not only the samurai used the naginata, but also warrior monks and women of the samurai class, as it was the women’s job to defend the home when the men went off to war. Its use is still studied today as a form of popular martial arts (Louis, 126-27). Hoko: this weapon was a basic spear with four prongs on the head. It was unwieldy and was replaced by the yari and naginata (Louis, 123). Yari: This pole weapon had a straight blade and could be from 3 to 20 feet long, and have a blade up to 3 feet long. The yari had many different types, based on the type of spear head on the end of the shaft. The different points had different purposes for use on the battle field (Louis, 124-25). |
BowYumi: The Japanese bow was the staple for military warfare in medieval Japan. Contrary to modern beliefs that the sword was the standard weapon, like the knight’s sword was, the bow was the primary weapon of a samurai. "The Way of the Horse and Bow," Kyba no Michi, was the primary way of doing battle for the samurai. the yumi was used along with a horse for greater mobility and range. The samurai longbow was a difficult weapon to master. It took a great amount of strength to draw the bow, and it took years to become a master of the bow. Used while on horseback, a samurai would chase down their opponents while firing arrows, which took great skill to fire from one moving target to another. They would shoot at small wooden targets to practice. This martial art is called yabusame, and is still performed today (Louis, 117-18).
Crossbow: The Japanese had crossbows as hand held weapons and siege weapons. It was mostly used by foot soldiers, and as conscription declined so did the use of the weapon (Wilson, 120) . Other Weapons: The weapons above are not the only weapons that were used by samurai, but these weapons have counter parts that were used in Europe so the weapons and their uses could be compared between the worlds of knights and samurai. Other weapons used by the samurai were the arquebus, an early black powder weapon used by foot soldiers which could defeat most armor and kill from a distance much like the bow, but needed less skill to use. There were other types of melee weapons, like axes and blunt weapons, but they were not as commonly used (Louis, 149).
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Armor
The most valued piece of a samurai's armor was his helmet. Thus, the majority of sources focus their discussions on the helmet and few sources go into detail about the rest of the warrior's armor. As a result, this armor section contains more information about the samurai's helmet and its attachments than about the rest of his armor. Also, the majority of sources use the Japanese names for the pieces of samurai armor so this section provides the Japanese name in "quotes" with the English equivalent in [brackets].
Since samurai armor involved many different tasks other than metalworking, like applying lacquer or stringing the laces, it was not unusual for the construction of a complete suit to involve sub-contractors for performing the various tasks, and it would take about 2 years to complete (Absolon, 19). Also, despite the common perception of rawhide being a cheap substitute for metal armor, rawhide armor was only available to high ranking samurai since it was expensive and difficult to work with (Absolon, 30).
There is some evidence of steel being used in samurai armor, but mainly in the pieces protecting the head and chest. Steel was in short supply so it was combined with layers of iron. A steel layer would be on the outside of the armor since it was stronger, and a layer of iron would be on the inside to help deaden the impact of a blow or projectile since the iron was softer (Absolon, 16). Interestingly, some later pieces containing steel have an impact crater as a result of the smith firing a gun at the armor to test if the metal was bulletproof (Absolon, 17).
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"Kabuto" [Helmet]
The samurai helmet was made from hundreds of plates, usually metal, that were riveted together to form a bowl. Because a smith had to make a round bowl shape using flat plates, the helmet was the most difficult piece of armor to produce (Absolon, 18), which also made it the most expensive piece (Bardon, 11). As a result of the helmet being so costly, a high quality helmet would be passed down through multiple generations and incorporated into newer sets of armor (Absolon, 20). Most helmets had a "tehen," which was a hole in the top of the helmet. The tehen allowed a samurai to pull his topknot to the outside of the helmet (Turnbull, 17).
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"Kawari-bachi" [unique bowl]
The third category of helmets was kawari-bachi. This category contains the various helmets designs that strayed from the traditional form of a hemispherical bowl. A reason for the straying forms was that later helmets were designed to be built quickly and economically (Piva: Armors-Kabuto), because there was a demand for armor during the Sengoku civil war (Absolon, 22). In the late 15th century, the "zunari-bachi" [head-shaped bowl] was created. To make this design, 3 plates were joined in a trapezoidal formation without raised edges or rivet heads so the surface would appear smooth. The zunari-bachi offered more protection than the traditional hemispherical bowl, since the zunari-bachi conformed to the shape of a samurai's head (Bardon, 12). Another type of kawari-bachi was the "uchidashi" [embossing], which was a helmet built of 1 or 2 plates. This helmet was manufactured using a complex process which weakened the iron, thus the uchidashi was more common during the Edo period due to an increase in peace (Piva: Armors-Kabuto). After Japanese were introduced to the Western styles of helmets by the Portuguese, in the 16th century, the Japanese showed more interest towards alternative bowl designs (Absolon, 22). One of these inspired designs was the "momonari" [peach-shaped], which consisted of 2 plates tied at the center.
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Kawari-bachi were the flamboyant and decorative helmets that are thought of when thinking of the samurai today, and were most common during the Muromachi period from 1333 to 1573 (Bardon, 11). These helmets could be modeled after different animals or inanimate objects like shells or leaves. The more decorated kawari-bachi were reserved for the higher ranking samurai to make them stand out (Bardon, 12), which was important since most kawari-bachi had a basic shape so it inspired a samurai to decorate his helmet in order to fill his own ego (Absolon, 23).
Helmet Decoration The 4 main types of helmet decorations were named for where the decoration was placed. "Maedate" were placed on the front of the helmet and were either two metal horns, "kuwagata", or a coat of arms. Sometimes there would be a triple-horn crest called a "mittsu-kuwagata." "Wakidate" were side decorations and were usually large horns. "Ushirodate" were decorations placed on the back of the helmet, and "kashiradate" were decorations on the top of the helmet. The most common decoration was a large superstructure, called a "harikare", which was mounted to the upper vault of the bowl. A harikare could be made from either papier mache placed over a delicate wooden frame or leather that had been dried over a wood mould. Because harikare consisted of lightweight materials and were hollow, artisans could create different and fanciful shapes almost without limits (Piva: Armors-Kabuto).
Kuwagata, large "fukigaeshi" [winglets], and a wide "shikoro" [neck-guard] were common features of the early o-yoroi style. These features disappeared or shrunk in the late 16th century due to changing tactics and weaponry (Absolon, 28). Later during the Tokugawa peace, the old o-yoroi features reappeared as samurai tried to imitate their ancestors (Absolon, 28).
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"Shikoro" [neck-guard]
The shikoro was also attached to the helmet. A shikoro was made from 1 or more round "lames" that conformed to and wrapped around the sides and back of the helmet bowl. At first, the lames consisted of dozens of individually lacquered scales that were bound together. In the late 15th century, lames began to be made of iron or rawhide and would undergo "kiritsuke ko-zane", which was a surface treatment using lacquer to imitate the look of the older, scale lames. Besides having lames of different materials, shikoro also varied by the style of lame. Some lames were composed of small square plates, and other lames were divided into pendant sections, which were made by stitching mail to cloth backings. The pendant sections would then be placed underneath other conventional lames.
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"Mengu" [facemask]
Similar to how the helmet decorations were used to intimidate enemies, the mengu was used to unnerve an opponent besides protecting the face. A mengu could be made from iron, leather, or a combination of the two, and had a chin strap to attach it to the helmet. Some mengu included a throat guard or a hole for perspiration to fall through. A mengu ranged in appearance from a demon to a woman. Other designs were animals, children, or old men. One disadvantage of wearing a mengu was that it restricted mouth movement, which made it hard to speak or drink. There were 4 main types of mengu, each protecting different parts of the face at once. The "menpo" was the most common type. It covered from the cheeks and nose to the chin. The "hanpo" was similar to the menpo, but it did not cover the nose. The "happuri" covered the forehead and cheeks, while the "somen" covered the entire face.
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Body Armor
The early style for samurai armor was "o-yoroi," which was designed for battle between cavalry forces. This style of armor was composed of small iron plates that were laced together with silk or leather, mading it resistant and flexible. Because the armor was composed of small plates fastened together, it is categorized as being a lamellar construction (Turnbull, 17). Attached to the main portion of the armor were 3 large "kusazuri" [tassets], and a separate plate covered the warrior's exposed right side. This separate plate was attached with a 4th kusazuri.
Other than o-yoroi armor, many styles of samurai armor evolved during the medieval era. "Do-maru" armor was based on o-yoroi, but this style was meant for fighting on foot instead of on horse. During the Muromachi and Momoyama periods, some armor was hinged on the left side and closed on the right side like a clamshell. This clamshell armor was called "nuinobe-do," and became the standard style by the 16th century. After the Portuguese introduced firearms to Japan, "tosei-gosoku" armor was created in order to resist bullets. A variation of nuinobe-do was "okegawa-do," which remained like a clamshell but was riveted instead of laced. Okegawa-do could also be made shot proof (Windrow: Samurai, 51).
Besides multiple styles of armor, there was also different construction techniques used to make the armor. "Hon-kozane" was an older technique and involved lacing together small vertical, leather plates to form a lamellar structure. "Iyo-zane" was made from wider plates, and the plates could vary in shapes, like stone or feather shaped plates, between different suits of armor. "Kiritsuke-zane" used long plates while simulating the use of individual plates. "Mogami" was a simple technique of lacing long plates together.
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Tactics
The samurai orders of battle in medieval Japan was usually with the opposing armies assembling into position, their leaders reciting their deeds to their enemy, a general exchange of arrow fire and then close in for individual combat (Grant: Warriors, 95). In Japan, there was no central figure coordinating the entire force, but minor cooperation between local units that fought smaller engagements that summed up the battle (Friday: Samurai, 112). This is most present in the "Scrolls of the Mongol Invasion of Japan." |
Samurai’s cavalry outmaneuvered the opponents and struck them with arrows "in a manner that bore an intriguing resemblance to dogfighting aviators" (Friday: Samurai, 107). There were no tight formations for cavalry attacks during the medieval Japan, and every individual samurai traversed on the battlefield to place himself in the best position possible to kill their opponent. According to Japanese military scientist Muro Naokiyo, "…to use strategy to control enemies without being controlled by enemies, to maneuver enemies without being maneuvered by them, is the art of war" (Cleary, 106). |
In Japan, there was nothing that resembled European castles; the fortifications of Japan were of the same design as any settlements of rural elites, only larger. Any additional earthworks were temporary for times of war, the small moats utilized were designed only to deter cavalry attacks and the vulnerable wooden gates were given the extra protection in the form of more men with arrows. Unlike European castles, where the defending force can only remain stationary, Japanese fortresses always included an escape route (Friday: Samurai, 119-122).
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Samurai’s were not above utilizing deception in warfare. Ambushes, surprise attacks and breaking truces were conducted without any misgivings provided that these tactics achieved the intended endgame (Friday: Currents, 63-64). During the Go-Daigo’s Rebellion, when the Kamakura’s troops of the Eastern Province began to wear down his forces at Akasaka Castle, Kusunoki Masashige escaped by faking a suicide. His opponents bought the act and dispersed, only for Kusunoki to attack the Eastern Province three months later, when the Kamakura’s troops were scattered (Sato, 164-166). |
Japanese commanders would regularly look for ways to strike their opponents where they were most vulnerable. At the battle of Ichinotani, 1184, when Minamoto Yoshitsune fought against the Taira, Yoshitsune set up his main force against the Taira and opened up with customary reciting of his ancestor’s deeds (Grant: Battle, 102). But while the Taira was facing Yoshitsune, his brother Noriyori led a small detachment behind the Taira’s position and attacked where they had no defenses in place, driving the Taira to the sea (Grant: Commanders, 95). |
References
Weapons:
Nobuo Ogasawara, Japanese Swords, (Japan: Hoikusha Publishing, 1970).
Thomas Louis and Tommy Ito, Samurai: the code of the warrior, (New York: Barnes and Noble, 2006).
The Way of the Bow and Arrow. The Japanese Warrior in Konjaku Monogatari Author(s): William Ritchie Wilson Source: Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 28, No. 2 (Summer, 1973), pp. 177-233 Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2383862
Armor:
Absolon, Trevor and David Thatcher. The Watanabe Art Museum Armour Collection. Vol. 1 of Samurai Armour. Victoria, B. C. : Toraba Samurai Art, 2011.
Bardon, Jeffrey. "The Virtual Armory." Worcester Polytechnic Institute Electronic Projects Collection. Last modified June 25, 2013. http://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/Available/E-project-072413-160550/unrestricted/Project_Report.pdf
Guiseppe Piva Arte Giapponese. Guiseppe Piva. Accessed November 9, 2014. http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/
Turnbull, Stephen. The Samurai Swordsman: Master of War. Tuttle Publishing, 2008.
Windrow, Martin, ed. The Samurai. Vol. 23 of Elite Series. London: Osprey Publishing Ltd, 1995.
Tactics:
Cleary, Thomas. Training the Samurai Mind: A Bushido Sourcebook. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2008.
Friday, Karl and Thomas Conlan. Currents in Medieval Japanese History: Essays in Honor of Jeffrey P. Mass. Eds. G. M. Berger, A. E. Goble, L. F. Harrington, and G. C. Hurst III. Los Angeles: Figueroa Press, 2009.
Friday, Karl. Samurai, Warfare and the State in Early Medieval Japan. New York: Routledge, 2004.
Grant, R.G. Battle: A Visual Journey through 5,000 Years of Combat. New York: DK Publishing, 2005.
Grant, R.G. Commanders: History’s Greatest Military Leaders. New York: DK Publishing, 2010.
Grant, R. G. Warriors: A Visual History of the Fighting Man. New York: DK Publishing, 2007.
Sato, Hiroaki. Legends of the Samurai. Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 1995.
Suenaga, Takezaki. Scrolls of the Mongol Invasions of Japan, scrolls, 1300 (Bowdoin College, Brunswick). http://www.bowdoin.edu/mongol-scrolls/
Additional References
Weapons:
Mol, Serge. Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts. New York: Kondansha International, 2003.
Wilson, William The War of the Bow and Arrow. The Japanese Warrior in Konjaku Monogatari. Edited by Stephen Turnbell. Vol. 1 of The Samurai Tradition The Age of War. Wiltshire: Antony Rowe Ltd, 2000.
Yamada, Shoji. Shots in the Dark. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2009.
Mol, Serge. Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts. New York: Kondansha International, 2003.
Wilson, William The War of the Bow and Arrow. The Japanese Warrior in Konjaku Monogatari. Edited by Stephen Turnbell. Vol. 1 of The Samurai Tradition The Age of War. Wiltshire: Antony Rowe Ltd, 2000.
Yamada, Shoji. Shots in the Dark. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2009.
Image References
Header (left to right):
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/warsinasia/p/SamuraiProfile.htm
https://medievalotaku.wordpress.com/2013/12/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MuromachiSamurai1538.jpg
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/warsinasia/p/SamuraiProfile.htm
https://medievalotaku.wordpress.com/2013/12/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MuromachiSamurai1538.jpg
Weapons:
Samurai sword set:
http://www.weapons-universe.com/Brands/Shelter/3pc_Stainless_Steel_Mini_Samurai_Sword_Set-SHD-RB071.shtml
Nodachi:
http://www.bleachanime.org/forums/showthread.php?t=107309
Set of tanto, wakizashi, and katana:
http://www.real-sword.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=657
Men with yaris:
http://daitodaito.blogspot.com/2011/05/yari-japanese-spear.html
Yumi:
http://www.archery-sila.ru/stati.html?=42
Samurai sword set:
http://www.weapons-universe.com/Brands/Shelter/3pc_Stainless_Steel_Mini_Samurai_Sword_Set-SHD-RB071.shtml
Nodachi:
http://www.bleachanime.org/forums/showthread.php?t=107309
Set of tanto, wakizashi, and katana:
http://www.real-sword.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=657
Men with yaris:
http://daitodaito.blogspot.com/2011/05/yari-japanese-spear.html
Yumi:
http://www.archery-sila.ru/stati.html?=42
Armor:
Labelled samurai armor
http://medievaljapanalyssa.weebly.com/knight-vs-samurai.html
Steel impact craters
http://imgur.com/gallery/MWZxA
Hoshi-bachi
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/435934438901164682/
Suji tate-bachi
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/menpo-myochyn.html
Dragonfly kawari-bachi
http://rebloggy.com/post/art-japan-japanese-artwork-history-armor-culture-samurai-historical-helmet-armou/64099513295
Demon kawari-bachi
https://www.pinterest.com/jalka/samurai-and-warrior-artifacts/
Mittsu-kuwagata
http://fudosama.blogspot.com/2014/10/kabuto-helmet.html
Wakidate
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/kabuto-kuroda.html
Kabuto with fukigaeshi
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/byotoji-do-gusoku.html
Shikoro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabuto
Shikami demon menpo
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/shikami-menpo.html
Angry Somen
https://www.pinterest.com/nihonnokatchu/fukutake-ichiro/
Hishitoji Izoyane Gusoku
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/armatura-tokubetsu.html
Do-maru Tosei Gusoku
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/domaru-gusoku.html
Mogami-do Tosei Gusoku
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/mogami-do-gusoku.html
Okegawa-dô Tosei Gusoku
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/okegawa-do-gusoku-kariya.html
Labelled samurai armor
http://medievaljapanalyssa.weebly.com/knight-vs-samurai.html
Steel impact craters
http://imgur.com/gallery/MWZxA
Hoshi-bachi
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/435934438901164682/
Suji tate-bachi
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/menpo-myochyn.html
Dragonfly kawari-bachi
http://rebloggy.com/post/art-japan-japanese-artwork-history-armor-culture-samurai-historical-helmet-armou/64099513295
Demon kawari-bachi
https://www.pinterest.com/jalka/samurai-and-warrior-artifacts/
Mittsu-kuwagata
http://fudosama.blogspot.com/2014/10/kabuto-helmet.html
Wakidate
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/kabuto-kuroda.html
Kabuto with fukigaeshi
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/byotoji-do-gusoku.html
Shikoro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabuto
Shikami demon menpo
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/shikami-menpo.html
Angry Somen
https://www.pinterest.com/nihonnokatchu/fukutake-ichiro/
Hishitoji Izoyane Gusoku
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/armatura-tokubetsu.html
Do-maru Tosei Gusoku
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/domaru-gusoku.html
Mogami-do Tosei Gusoku
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/mogami-do-gusoku.html
Okegawa-dô Tosei Gusoku
http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/en/okegawa-do-gusoku-kariya.html
Samurai armor in display case:
Pitts River Museum, University of Oxford, England. Taken on July 28, 2014. Courtesy of Anne H. Davis.
Pitts River Museum, University of Oxford, England. Taken on July 28, 2014. Courtesy of Anne H. Davis.
Tactics:
Lance battle print
http://weaponsandwarfare.com/?attachment_id=19982#main
Samurai firing bows from horseback
http://en.academic.ru/pictures/enwiki/84/Tagezaki_Suenaga%2CEkotoba5.jpg
Himeji Castle
http://medievalcastles.stormthecastle.com/japanese-medieval-castles/himeji-castle.htm
Kusunoki Masashige portrait
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140214234157/totalwar-ar/images/thumb/8/84/Kusunoki_Masashige.png/500px-Kusunoki_Masashige.png
Battle of Ichinotani
http://sites.asiasociety.org/arts/japanesescreens/scr01.html
Lance battle print
http://weaponsandwarfare.com/?attachment_id=19982#main
Samurai firing bows from horseback
http://en.academic.ru/pictures/enwiki/84/Tagezaki_Suenaga%2CEkotoba5.jpg
Himeji Castle
http://medievalcastles.stormthecastle.com/japanese-medieval-castles/himeji-castle.htm
Kusunoki Masashige portrait
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140214234157/totalwar-ar/images/thumb/8/84/Kusunoki_Masashige.png/500px-Kusunoki_Masashige.png
Battle of Ichinotani
http://sites.asiasociety.org/arts/japanesescreens/scr01.html