Chain mail - Chain mail

It is also called kusari-kigome (chain armor). It is a type of armor thought to have originated in the late Muromachi period. It was worn under clothing when going out or in the camp as a precaution, or worn under armor during battle, or sometimes over armor for added protection. It appears in articles such as "Muromachi Tono Nikki," "Oshu Eikei Gunki," and "Yoshimitsu Monogatari." In addition, a letter dated January 24th (Kan'ei 15) from Hosokawa Tadatoshi, the lord of Kumamoto who fought in the Shimabara Rebellion, states, "There are several sets of armor and chain armor," suggesting that they were widely worn at the time.

The general shape is a vest with sleeves and a thick hemp core (nakagome) made of indigo or light blue hemp, to which a chain is sewn. It may also be used in conjunction with ikadane, or there is also a type in which the front and back of the core, to which the chain or tortoise shell metal is sewn, are covered with cloth. Another type of vest that has a similar purpose to chain mail is the shitamanchira. It is made of cloth with chains and tortoise shell metal sewn into it, and is worn under armor and also serves as a collar, shoulder pad, small fin, and armpit pad.

[Motoo Yamagishi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎖着籠(くさりきごめ)ともいう。室町末期の発生と推測される防具の一種で、出行の際や陣中において非常に備えて衣中に着用し、あるいは戦闘時に甲冑(かっちゅう)の下に着籠め、ときには甲冑の上に着用して防護力を強化した。『室町殿日記』『奥羽永慶(えいけい)軍記』『義光物語』などの記事にみえる。また、島原の乱に出陣した熊本藩主細川忠利(ただとし)の正月24日付（寛永15）書状に「一たゝみ具足、又くさりかたびらは数可有之候」とあり、当時盛んに着用されたことをうかがわせる。

　一般的形状は、筒袖(つつそで)の胴衣で、紺麻や浅葱(あさぎ)麻などに厚地の麻芯(しん)（中籠(なかごめ)）を入れ、これに鎖を綴(と)じ付けたものである。筏金(いかだがね)を併用することがあり、また鎖や亀甲金(きっこうがね)を綴じ付けた芯地の表裏を布帛(ふはく)で縫い包んだものもある。なお、鎖帷子に類似した用途のものに下満智羅(したまんちら)がある。布帛に鎖や亀甲金を縫い込んだもので、甲冑の下に着籠めて、襟回(えりまわり)、肩当(かたあて)、小鰭(こひれ)、脇当(わきあて)をも兼用した。

［山岸素夫］

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