What kind of armour did samurai wear

As in Europe, a sword was the primary weapon of the feudal nobility. The katana was a single bladed longsword with a slight curve. The samurai wore them on their left hip. The best katana were the creations of master craftsmen with blades of incredible strength and sharpness. They were usually worn with the edge facing down.

A shorter sword than the katana, the wakizashi was often paired with it, enabling the samurai to own a decorative set of swords. Together with the katana, it became the iconic weapon of the samurai. The naginata, a long-bladed polearm, was a traditional weapon throughout the history of feudal Japan. It was especially popular with the sohei, a sect of warrior monks. It was also common among infantry and sometimes used by samurai, giving them extra reach. Being somewhere between a katana and a naginata in design, a no-dachi was an incredibly long sword, sometimes as tall as a man.

It was wielded with two hands and carried across the back in a long scabbard. At the opposite end of the scale from the no-dachi was the tanto. Most samurai carried one of these short, sharp daggers. Some carried two. The bushido was now seen as a code for living a moral and spiritual life, and their armour became just a reminder of their historic role. The main body section is a do or cuirass.

It is made from a series of plates or lamellae , little oblong-shaped pieces of steel linked by strips of leather and covered with layers of lacquer. Diplomacy - different countries or groups communicating with each other. Lacquer - a kind of varnish that provides a shiny protective coating. They actually wore a special type of body armor known as yoroi.

Historians believe that yoroi was derived from an older type of body armor known as lamellar armor worn by Japanese warriors. Lamellar armor features rows and columns of individual scales. The scales were often made of leather rawhide, iron or steel. When stitched together, they formed a large place that could protect the body of Japanese warriors from physical injury.

The yoroi armor worn by samurai warriors features a similar design as traditional lamellar armor. Like lamellar armor, yoroi armor was made of individual scales, typically consisting of steel, iron, bronze or leather rawhide patches. The scales were patched together and bound together using leather or silk lace, this forming a protective piece of body armor. A fully armored samurai would include a helmet, sleeve shields, lower armor below waist , a sword, and an arrow quiver.

The body armor was made of thick leather, and it was lacquer covered to help the samurai with the humid climate. One suite of samurai armor consisted of yards of silk and over pieces of leather. The armor, being light in weight, was ideal for fighting and riding on horses.

The armor was beautifully made, with patterns of colors woven into it. It was so nice, that it was even worn in the post victory celebrations.