User:Samuraiantiqueworld/Japanese kikko armor

Kikko is a type of Japanese (samurai) armor made from small iron or hardened leather hexagon plates. Kikko is a lightweight portable folding (tatami) armor and is the Japanese version of brigandine. The kikko was attached to clothing by sewing the kikko to cloth through holes drilled in the kikko, or the kikko could be sewn between two layers of cloth and hidden from sight by sewing around each individual piece of kikko and enclosing the kikko in individual compartments. The kikko could be attached to each other by links of chain (kusari) through holes drilled in the kikko. Kikko was used in traditional armor (kikko gusoku) and kikko armored clothing was also made. Kikko armor was made for every class of samurai, from high level to low level.

George Cameron Stone in his monumental book "A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor: in All Countries and in All Times" p.150 referred to kikko as "brigandine" he said "In Japan brigandines were often used", "They were generally small hexagons", "The plates were of steel or hard leather", and that "Occasionally they covered the whole body".

Ian Bottomley in his book "Arms and Armor of the Samurai: The History of Weaponry in Ancient Japan" p.88 pictures a forehead protector "hitai ate" with a kikko hood. and calls the kikko chest armor or "kikko gane do" a form of "tatami" or folding armor.

Also See

• Tatami-dō
• Brigandine
• Chainmail
• Japanese armor
• Commons:Category:Japanese chain mail

Gallery

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  Edo period samurai kikko katabira
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  Japanese (samurai) Edo period kikko vest. Kikko is the Japanese form of brigandine. Kikko is made from iron or leather hexagon plates sewn to cloth, the kikko can be covered with cloth or left exposed.
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  Edo period samurai "kikko katabira" or jacket made with hexagon armor plates. The kikko is sewn between 2 layers of cloth. The helmet is a chochin kabuto or collapsible helmet.
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  Samurai kusari and kikko kote or chain mail and hexagon armor gauntlets.
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  Edo period samurai kikko haidate, thigh guards made with hexagon iron plates sewn between two layers of cloth.
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  Edo period samurai chochin kabuto with kikko shikoro or collapsible helmet with a neck guard made with hexagon plates.
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  Second armor from the right (kikko dou and kikko haidate)
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  Edo period samurai kikko katabira and hachi gane with kikko shiroko. The kikko armor is hidden between layers of cloth.
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  Close up of samurai kikko armor.
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  Close up picture of Japanese (samurai) Edo period kikko armor from a kikko katabira or kikko jacket, sewn between two layers of cloth and hidden from view. ( leather or rawhide )
• 
  Close up picture of Japanese (samurai) Edo period kikko armor from a kikko katabira or kikko jacket, sewn between two layers of cloth and hidden from view. ( leather or rawhide )

References

Category:Personal armour