This suit of armor was created by the Miochin family, leading armorers in Japan who demonstrated a high degree of skill and craftsmanship for generations. The imposing suit was made in the 1500s for the Daimyo of Arima, an important provincial lord who commanded a group of warriors known as samurai. It is decorated with the Arima family crest. The armor’s overlapping steel plates are laced together with colored cord and the silk arms are decorated with a dragon pattern. The boots are bearskin lined in silk. Both fierce-looking and functional, the armor is light in weight, essential for comfort in the hot humid weather of Japan.

Object Creator

Miochin Family (Japanese, 16th - 19th centuries)

Object Creation Date

16th century

Medium

Steel covered with lacquer; silk

Object Type

Armor

Dimensions

65 x 23 x 14.5 "

Credit

George Walter Vincent Smith Collection

Accession Number

17.23.1

On View?

Yes

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