Bizarre Kabuto of Famous Samurai Lords

This is a part 2 to my video where I examined iconic Kabuto of Samurai Lords. In this video we take a look at some of the more strange looking helmets worn by Famous Samurai.

Check out Samurai headwear videos accompanying this one:

Timestamps:
Intro: 0:00
Strange Helmets of Famous Lords 2:32
Honorable mentions 8:07
Edo Period Designs 9:14
Closing 10:52

Music:
"Triptyque Aborigène" by Akira Ifukube

Artwork and Images:
Photographs from Museum exhibits
The Samurai Portraits used are from the "Nobunaga's Ambition" Series and are the property of Koei Tecmo.
Classical art, which in most cases can be considered public domain.
Art from Osprey Publications.
Other modern artist renditions and photos, if you see your work in this video please contact me so that I can give you proper credit!

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Social Media:

#Samurai #History #Japan

[TheShogunate]

Check out Samurai headwear videos accompanying this one:

[akechijubeimitsuhide]

These helmets are really good because whenever Sekigahara is shown in any movie/drama, you know who is who even if there are no subtitles :D

[Troupe_Master]

I like to think this was straight up a bling contest between these warriors. Showing up on the battlefield looking the freshest lol

[thatonescenefromamericanps]

I played of a lot of Nioh 1 & 2 and I always thought the helmets were dramatized for the sake of uniqueness but I guess they stayed very true to the original artworks

[Hilversumborn]

Props to the blacksmiths/weavers of these helmets.

They are works of art.

[MartinGreywolf]

Since I have experience in wearing helmets in combat, here are my thoughts.

First basic step is weight. About the most you can go with is 5-7 kg (if your helmet is partially supported by shoulders or straps to the chest it's 7, otherwise 5, varies by individual), and if you aren't conditioned to wear that, it will give you a killer migraine after about 30 minutes. The data I found on sengoku jidai helmets without decorations puts them at 3-4 kg with facemask (i.e. weight on your shoulders), so you have the room for about 2-3 kg of decoration. That's... quite a lot of spare weight, especially if you make the decorative pieces out of things that aren't metal.

Next is shape. Anything but the bare essentials for functionality is bad, but the question is how bad. Sure, the feathers can be grabbed and will brush against ceilings, but that is a price you may well be willing to accept for clear recognition by your own troops (and therefore, easier command). And the decoration serving as handles is a problem, sure, but it requires you to be in grappling range - if you are commanding shock cavalry or ranged troops, you may well decide that the increased recognition is worth the risk, because the chances of you ending up in close melee aren't great. Sure, someone could hook them with a polearm, but they could also hook any other part of you with a polearm, so again, increased risk, but not necessarily a dealbreaker.

Next is... extravagant shape. The Takatora helmet *looks like* it would have a lot of air resistance when you turn your head. However, 1) we will not know if that's a problem until someone tries it, and 2) you can't turn your head as quickly or as well in helmets anyway. The ears would get in the way of people standing next to you in a very close infantry formation, but if your position on the battlefield isn't one where that will come up... I've also looket at Takatora helmet specifically, and it looks like the ears are inserted and pinned into short, stubby slots on the side, so it was probably possible to quickly remove them, if necessary. That's... kind of a necessity, either have the decorations removable or have a second helmet, or you will be very unpleasantly surprised by the exsistence of low-ceilinged spaces in sieges/fights in villages/fights in forests.

In conclusion, I think the Takatora helmet isn't any worse than both (slope and horns) Nagamasa versions - and all three of them are much worse than Yoshitaka and Tadaoki helmets. Well, from a practical "I want to stab people" point of view, I don't feel qualified to comment on snegoku jidai swag.

[TheIlustrado]

Kanbei and Nagamasa's kabuto are surely useful during winter storms

[thedragonofechigo]

I think each Kabuto represents something personal for the daimyo. For Nagamasa, it was inspired by the Ichi-no-tani battle even though some people say it looks like a snow shovel which is quite hilarious as an observation for someone who doesn't know whom it belongs to and it's significance.

Sad though that I've never seen Ukita Hideies Kabuto or any armor examples and honestly, I wonder what he would've wrote down in a diary while he was in prison due to the fact that he was the last of all the major Sekigahara participants to die and the last sengoku Daimyo by the time Tokugawa Ietsuna reigned as Shogun.

One thing is for sure, I think we've seen more personalized armor in the Sengoku-jidai and Edo period than in earlier periods especially when the Hoshi and Akoda-nari Kabuto were still widely used by the Samurai.

[keveli]

I'm glad you mentioned Mori Yoshinari, was one of the important figures to change Nobunagas plans. Yoshinari prevented the Asai and Asakura from passing Mt.Usa at a cost also Kuro Oda, Nobunagas younger brother died with Mori, instead of surrender they striked back. Yoshinari Mori was father of two famous samurai Mori Nagayoshi and Mori Ranmaru, who was the page of Oda Nobunaga.

[BountyFlamor]

If worn by a known commander, these crazy designs would be useful to spot that commander on the battlefield by anyone.

[Akkarsollum]

Now I can imagine bloopers in the past showing Japanese men walking through doors and getting stuck with helmets like at 6:50. Would have he had to slant his head to enter some rooms.

[atamertkirtay]

My personal favorite "weird" kabuto's are Date Shigezane's caterpillar helmet and Ryuzoji Tadanobu's bear helmet. So many interesting animal motives.

[jimross]

Nice video. Commanders wanted to standout on the battlefield both to their troops and the enemy. Course once highly accurate long distance firearms were developed that changed the leaders from inspiration and rally points, to targets.

[jermasus]

I’m guessing the Brits would’ve loved that teacup helmet

[RobleViejo]

I hate how the stereotypical Vikings is portrayed using a Helmet with Horns when in reality they never did and
the ones who actually used wacky weird helmets with the purpose of intimidate were the Samurais

[ammarisrar]

I’ll be honest I’ve never been interested in Japanese warrior history, as a kid I thought samurai were the coolest kind of soldiers, but actually watching you explain the history and showing these awesome helmets really makes me interested in samurai history

[knightforlorn]

the ears on the helmets might share their origins in some other eastern headware, namely from India. some of their headgear have little flanges described to be for "hearing the voices of the gods"
seeing as buddhism traveled from india, it is possible that there was an overlap

[BuruIgeru]

Thanks again for these, I'm very happy you are continuing this series on kabuto

Just one note on Yoshitaka/Kanbei's. One angle pushed for by the 2014 drama *Gunshi Kanbei* about this helmet, if I remember correctly, was the idea that the Kuroda rose from the ranks and made themselves rich by being very frugal in normal times, but sharing and spending well when it matters most. The bowl is apparently supposed to be a rice-bowl--referring to how rice is the measure of wealth--which is basically Kanbei flexing how much his family saved and gained. Nagamasa of course went for the more 'heroically samurai themed one'

[hanchiman]

Personally, I think most famous samurai lords and warriors wore practical kabutos, the big strange one with alot of horns and decoration was probably only worn during war meetings or at their camp while they sit and give orders. Sorta like Toyotomi Hideyoshi Kabuto that looks like sun rays, he was wearing it after he become a Kampaku and only wore his armor as ceremonial purpose at his camp. He probably worn a normal helmet during his younger years like in Inabayama.

Some of the strange kabutos has some sign of "wear and tear"... so probably it was used in battles

[griffian]

Loving the recent crossovers between you, sengoku studies, and Antony Cummins. I would love to see Japan at war featured as well!