How does a warrior dress for mortal combat? If he was a samurai of the XIV century, then a mandatory attribute for him was a kabuto - a helmet that was intended not only for protection, but also reflected the individuality of the person who owned it. These unique creations varied in shape and finish, depending on the wearer and the era, but they were always large, flamboyant and artsy. Historians today study war relics to learn the aesthetics of war in Japan. So let's take a look at this brilliant example of ancient fashion.
Due to their versatility and strength, kabuto began to appear in Japan as early as the 5th century, but reached their heyday thanks to the samurai. As high-ranking model citizens, samurai served the nobility and lived according to the "Bushido" ("way of the warrior") code. They did this for about 1000 years and managed to convey the militaristic thinking of the Japanese shogunate of the 10th century until the 19th century.
If someone has a question why people "bothered" to make such a complex headdress, just think about the following fact. The samurai were essentially the cream of the crop in high society. This can be compared, for example, with the courtier of Louis XIV, who was supposed to appear in public only in a powdered wig.
These helmets were examples of great craftsmanship, intended for the highest rank samurai, as well as the distinctive symbol of the clan that these warriors represented (hence the various symbols and animals on the helmets). Even in the heat of the hottest battle, it was difficult not to notice his brother-in-arms, if he had, for example, a giant squid on his head.
Even women, although they were formally known by the name not "samurai" but "onna-bugeisha", could fight alongside samurai in combat wearing kabuto helmets. As William Deal explains in A Handbook of Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan, "the helmets of the Warring States period began to reflect the grandeur of the Shogunate era in their size and intricate ornamentation."
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Not all kabuto helmets were intimidating. Very funny helmets with … rabbit ears, as well as helmets that painfully resemble Darth Vader's headdress, have survived to this day.
This speaks to how much the influence of the Japanese wars has had an impact on world pop culture today. Star Wars costume designers have always said that Nazi helmets were their inspiration for Vader's uniforms, but George Lucas once admitted that he drew inspiration for various Star Wars costumes from the classic 1956 film The Seven Samurai.
From the top of the artsy kabuto to the tips of the kegutsu (shoes trimmed with fur), the samurai has always attracted the eyes of all people. Of course, today it is difficult to imagine people who wore such hats, so let's talk about one unique kabuto and its owner.
This horned helmet belonged to daimyo Honda Tadakatsu, known as "The Samurai of the Samurai" and "The Warrior Who Surpassed Death" because he fought over 55 battles without serious injury. One has only to imagine how in the second half of the 16th century the fierce Takadatsu looked on the battlefield with horns that seemed to grow from his head.
And in continuation of the theme, a story about what armor was worn by European monarchs, Japanese samurai and soldiers of the First World War.
