The crest ornaments
Two flat blades rising from the helmet, to make the wearer tall and known at a distance on a field.
Media example
Read-only showcaseA samurai armour, piece by piece
A museum object on a plain ground: point at any part and the museum's close-up of it appears.
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Everything on this photograph
The same content as the picture, as text: every part and what it says when you open it.
The helmet
A bowl of iron plates riveted together, with a gilt crest at its front.
The turn-backs
Flaps folded back on either side of the helmet, faced in gilt and white, meant to turn blows aside from the face.
The face mask
A lacquered iron mask with a moustache of hair. It protected the face, and gave the helmet's cords something to tie against.
The neck guard
Rows of lacquered plates hanging from the back and sides of the helmet.
The throat guard
Laced plates hanging from the mask's chin, closing the gap above the chest.
The shoulder guards
Broad panels of laced plates hanging from the shoulders, which took blows meant for the arms.
The sleeves
Fabric sleeves armoured with mail and plates of lacquered iron, gilt at the elbow, ending in gauntlets for the hands.
The cuirass
The body armour: rows of small lacquered plates laced together with dark blue silk, flexible enough to bend at the waist.
The skirt and thigh guards
Panels of laced plates hanging from the waist to cover the hips and thighs. Seated, as it is displayed here, they spread wide.
The shin guards
Lacquered iron over the knees and shins, each knee carrying a gilt crest, tied on below the knee.
About this picture
The picture under this example is the museum's photograph of the whole armour. Armor (Gusoku), Japanese, 19th century, by Jo Michitaka. Iron, lacquer, silk, gilt copper. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Harald de Raasloff, 1915 (15.120.1a-o). Photograph CC0, via the Met's Open Access programme.
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