面鎧, also called 面頬 or 面具,[ Arms and armor of the samurai: the history of weaponry in ancient Japan, Authors Ian Bottomley, Anthony Hopson, Contributor Anthony Hopson, reprint, Publisher Crescent Books, 1993, Original from the University of Virginia, Digitized August 26, 2008, P.77,178, 186][ The Watanabe Art Museum Samurai Armour Collection (Kabuto & Mengu, Volume I Trevor Absolon (Author), Brian Snoody (Illustrator), Barry Till (Preface), Anthony J. Bryant (Editor), Trevor Absolon & Dave thatcher (Photographer), Ian Bottomley (Introduction), Ian Bottomley & Anthony J. Bryant (Foreword) Publisher(Toraba), 2011 P.234][ Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior, Author Clive Sinclaire, ,Publisher Globe Pequot, 2004, P.30,138] are various types of facial armour that were worn by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan. These include the sōmen, menpō, hanbō or hanpō, and happuri.
Description
The
men-yoroi, which covered all or part of the face, provided a way to secure the top-heavy
kabuto (helmet). The
Shinobi-no-o (chin cord) of the kabuto would be tied under the chin.
[ Samurai 1550-1600, Anthony J. Bryant, Angus McBride, Osprey Publishing, 1994 p.28] Small hooks called
ori-kugi or posts called
odome located on various places would help secure the chin cord. The
men-yoroi was constructed from iron, leather, or a combination of both. It had a
or rusted type of finish and included a variety of facial details, such as a
moustache, fierce teeth and a detachable nose.
[ Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior, Author Clive Sinclaire, Publisher Globe Pequot, 2004, P.30,138][he Watanabe Art Museum Samurai Armour Collection (Kabuto & Mengu, Volume I) Trevor Absolon (Author), Brian Snoody (Illustrator), Barry Till (Preface), Anthony J. Bryant (Editor), Trevor Absolon & Dave thatcher (Photographer), Ian Bottomley (Introduction), Ian Bottomley & Anthony J. Bryant (Foreword) Publisher(Toraba), 2011 P.234]] With the exception of the happuri, a
men-yoroi had a small hole underneath the chin for sweat drainage.
History
Face armour in Japan begins with the
happuri, which is depicted in Heian- and Kamakura-era
yamato-e paintings and is thought to have appeared during the 10th or 11th centuries.
[ Oriental Armour Robinson, H. R. United States: Dover Publications. 2013 pp. 194] It is depicted as being worn with or without a helmet by both mounted warriors and foot retainers. By the 14th century, the hōate appears, and according to Tom Conlan,
[ State of war : the violent order of fourteenth century Japan Thomas Conlan. United States: Center for Japanese Studies, University of Michigan, 2003 pp. 65] this development is behind decreased facial wound statistics. However, others, such as Yamagishi Sumio, believe that the hōate was not widespread at that time,
[ Nihon Kachu no Kisoteki Chishiki Yamagishi, M., Miyazaki, M. Japan: 雄山閣. 1997 pp. 118-20] as it—and the later menpō—restricted the vision of the wearer.
Hōate are also portrayed in art and literature of the period, most notably the Aki no yo no Nagamonogatari scroll
and Taiheiki. The menpō (half-mask with detachable nosepiece) and the sōmen (full face mask) are believed to have been introduced around the mid to late 15th century, and the hanbō (chin guard) in the second half of the 16th century.
Types of men-yoroi
Sōmen
Sōmen covered the entire face.
Menpō
Menpō covered the face from the nose down to the chin.
Hanbō (hanpō)
Hanbō covered the lower face from under the nose to the chin.
Happuri
Happuri covered the forehead and cheeks.
===Parts of the men-yoroi===
See also
Notes
- 1.See http://digital.princeton.edu/heijiscroll/ or Heiji monogatari.
External links
