Page 253 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

by the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi runs both horizontally and vertically to
(1537-1598), this set is a representative form a gridlike pattern. The shins are en-
Momoyama-period example. The exten- cased in suneate of five silver-leafed verti-
sive use of silver leaf, white satin, red cal iron splints. Both the haidate and
woolen cloth, and white silk lacing gives it suneate are grounded on the same white
an overall striking visual effect, and details figured satin used in the kote. AMW
are rendered in maki-e lacquer. Hideyoshi
is recorded to have given the set in 1590 to 154 Tdsei gusoku armor
Date Masamune (1567-1636), daimyo of
Sendai, and it was passed down through iron, leather, lacquer, silk
subsequent generations of the Date cuirass h. 36.5(143/8)
family. Momoyama period, late i6th century
The tôsei gusoku cuirass took one of a Kunózan Tóshógü,
number of new forms: it was often divided Shizuoka Prefecture
into two (nimaidô) or five (gomaidd) hinged Important Cultural Property
sections; it could be made of large sheets
of iron, or tiers of lames or long horizontal This set of tôsei gusoku, said to have been
panels. The tiers in this set are made of worn by Tokugawa leyasu (1543-1616) dur-
large, notched silver-leafed leather lames. ing his great triumph at the Battle of Seki-
Typical of tdsei gusoku, the total number gahara in 1600 (cat. 104), was treasured as a
of tiers is greater by two than that of ear- symbol of Tokugawa dynastic power. Ac-
lier armor, and the system of lacing the cording to shrine records, leyasu had the
tiers together is greatly simplified. Reflect- armor made after a dream in which he saw
ing a debt to the earlier ddmctru type of ar- Daikokuten, a god associated with wealth
mor, though, the bottom portion of this and war. In Japanese the helmet shape is
cuirass is a continuous tiered section that described as being in the style of a head-
is tied on the right. The kusazuri, made dress traditionally worn by Daikokuten in
from five silver-leafed lamellar tiers, is di- sculptural and pictorial representations.
vided into seven sections. The armor became known as the "dream-
Helmets of the tdsei gusoku were of- inspired form" and served as the model for
ten fashioned in a wide range of idiosyn- many copies made by succeeding genera-
cratic forms. Here, the helmet is made tions of Tokugawa rulers, of which cat. 155
from sheets of iron, covered on the out- is one example. Following leyasu's death,
side with bear fur. A pair of gold-leafed the armor was transferred to Kunozan
wood fan-shaped appendages are attached Tôshôgû, a mortuary shrine dedicated to
to the front and back. The small shikoro, leyasu, in Shizuoka Prefecture. In 1647, it
the neck guard suspended along the sides was moved to a storage site within the Edo
and back of the rim of the helmet, consists Castle precinct and, in 1882, was returned
of two silver-leafed tiers, one a long hori- to Kunózan Tóshógü where it remains
zontal iron plate and the other a horizon- today.
tal plate divided into three sections. The The set is constructed from lamellar
top tier is bent up at the front to form tiers. It is distinguished as an early and
small fukikaeshi. A mask, the hohoate, is well-documented example of tôsei gusoku
beaten from a sheet of iron into the shape and by the overall high quality of its work-
of the lower jaw, lacquered red and at- manship. A sheet of cloth-backed chain
tached to the helmet, and from it is sus- mail, in three sections, is suspended from
pended a three-tier throat guard made of the underside of the shikoro, providing ex-
red-lacquered, narrow iron panels. Two tra protection for the neck and illustrating
tiers of silver-leafed leather lames, sus- the practical nature of this set. This qual-
pended below the iron throat guard from a ity is also reflected in the layer of chain
silver-leafed iron collar, provide further mail beneath the kusazuri (protective skirt)
protection for the throat. and in the construction of the substantial
Tdsei gusoku included a number of suneate (shin guards), each made of three
specialized protective parts such as the hinged sections of iron plate. The haidate
kote (armored sleeves), haidate (protective (protective apron) is made of card-shaped,
apron), and suneate (shin guards). Here, hard leather lames. A decorative element
the kote protect the arms with parallel iron for the front of the helmet, consisting of a
splints and the hands with gloves ham- gold-leafed leather fern wreath, a circle,
mered from sheets of iron. These silver- and a wood shigami (cat. 160), has survived
leafed parts are all connected with a with the armor, though the fittings neces-
latticework of iron chain mail, and the sary to secure it to the helmet are lacking.
whole is attached to a ground of white fig- The entire set was covered with black lac-
ured satin. In addition to the kusazuri, the quer, which has altered over time to its
legs are protected by two other compo- present brown hue. AMW
nent parts related to the rest of the set in
their materials and composition. The
haidate is made of silver-leafed, vertical
iron splints divided into three sections and
combined with iron chain mail, which

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