User:Samuraiantiqueworld/Japanese karuta armor

Japanese karuta armor is form of portable folding armor known as "tatami". Karuta are small square or rectangle plates of iron usually connected to each other by chain mail with the plates being sewn to a cloth backing. Chest armors were commonly made from karuta "karuta dou". Karuta jackets "karuta katabira" were also made. Various armor parts were also made from karuta including thigh guards "karuta haidate", shoulder guards "karuta sode" and karuta hoods "karuta zukin". Karuta armors were worn by all classes of samurai from high ranking samurai to low level retainers and foot soldiers "ashigaru" with the high ranking armor being much more elaborate and ornate, the lower level armors were just plain basic protection. Small amounts of karuta armor plates could be added in certain locations to different styles of samurai armor where extra protection was needed, if the majority of the armor was made from karuta then the armor is considered to be a karuta armor. Ian Bottomley in his book "Arms and Armor of the Samurai: The History of Weaponry in Ancient Japan" shows a karuta tatami do and a karuta tatami kabuto p.88

Also See

 * Tatami-dō
 * plated mail
 * Commons:Category:Plated mail
 * Chainmail
 * Commons:Category:Japanese chain mail