Paper festival armor

[Gaius Decius Aquilius]

I recently got my hands on an Edo period Japanese armor. The thigh armor (heidate) seems to be lacquered paper, and trimed in doeskin. It is old, and of robust and functional construction.

From another forum where I posted a question about this armor I learned of a festival in Japan where paper armor is constructed and worn: http://www.usagijuku.com/indexstart-head.html (Lots of cool pics, but not in English.) Contrast this with Halloween where we dress up as dead people and figures of horror. If we had a parade where we celebrated a cultural heritage and dressed children up in armor and gave them paper weapons, some group or another would throw a fit and we would never hear the end of it. Oh well...

An English link on construction: http://www.usagijuku.com/indexenglish.html This paper armor seems very accurate in appearance and design.

Ralph I.

[Magnus]

I wonder how strong it is?

[Narukami]

Great sites -- thanks for the links

This prompts several responses...

These festivals & parades are very popular in Japan with both adults and children dressing the part.

Here is Tomoe Gozen, the famous female samurai who served with Minamoto no Yoshinaka during the Gempei Wars (1180-85)



This armor does look great and is what I meant when I commented earlier that perhaps this item you have is an example of "parade armor." Perhaps the original owner was missing this piece and like many collectors used a reproduction to fill in the gap until an authentic example could be obtained.

Now, as to your idea concerning Halloween...

Heroes, ancient and otherwise, are a staple of our "end of October" celebrations. (Of course some creative imagination is needed when time, money and artistic skill are in short supply.) :oops:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZEDFeSXlls

Thanks again for the links.

:wink:

Narukami

[Iagoba]

That leaves me with a couple of questions that babelfish cannot cope with :|

I´ll try to do as a children (well, teenagers) workshop in my town´s Armoury Museum, be sure :o

Thanks

PS: Enjoy this more humble project:

[url:rvp7wpny]http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/global/entertainment/papercraft/seasons/05/index.html[/url]

[Gaius Decius Aquilius]

Here is Tomoe Gozen, the famous female samurai who served with Minamoto no Yoshinaka during the Gempei Wars (1180-85)



This armor does look great and is what I meant when I commented earlier that perhaps this item you have is an example of "parade armor." Perhaps the original owner was missing this piece and like many collectors used a reproduction to fill in the gap until an authentic example could be obtained.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZEDFeSXlls

Narukami

Reproduction metal armor is availabe in Japan, and I know it has been used in festivals. The early 4th - 7th century Tanko armors are available, even if they are on Japanese-language sites only. Considering the cost and lavish use of lacing, I would guess she might be wearing Usageti. A reproduction iron-laced armor like that would cost about about $20,000. I have also noticed that there seems to be an association with green lacing and women samurai, even though they are not common. There is a Sengoku armor that is also laced in green and has proportions that cannot easily fit a male body. The several modern Tomeo Gozen personifications that I have seen wear green laced O-Yori and no helmets, they also carry a naginata, a traditional women's weapon. In the Tales of the Heike, Tomoe threw away her helmet (in one translation) before killing Onda no Moroshige and taking his head, then rode off into the sunset. There are several different versions of what happened to her afterwards. In modern films, two versions of Takada's mistress Princess Yue wear no helmet either, although they wore red armor. Red in the context of the films is, I think, a visual convenience for Takada identity. (EDIT: I just did a quick and informal count of Tomoe Gozen woodblock prints, mostly Edo. About 6 out of 10 show Tomoe in green, and the rest red. She does wear a helmet in most of these. For whatever that is worth.) You are more expert than I am in traditional theater, so I defer to you in this matter.

My heidate is a bit drab, by comparison, and based on fabric, wear, and repairs, I believe it not to be modern. It is brittle, but with age. It would have had more tensile strength when made. The Chinese did use lacquered paper body armor. I believe it genuine, but for what purpose, I am not sure.
[attachment=1:3473cu82]<!-- ia1 armor4.jpg<!-- ia1 [/attachment:3473cu82]

With the kote for scale.
[attachment=0:3473cu82]<!-- ia0 armor5.jpg<!-- ia0 [/attachment:3473cu82]

It is also cool that you not only went to great effort for your grandson, but you also had informative signs up at your house.

Ralph