Samurai Shin Guard

Right, splint-style, samurai shin guard (shino-zuneate or shino-suneate) of a pair. While this shin guard strongly resembles a tube-style (tsutsu) shin guard, it lacks key components that would define it as such. The base of the shin guard is of blue silk with blue brocade in a flower and animal pattern. The cloth is edged with green fabric. Five vertical, iron plates are painted with brown lacquer and sewn to the cloth. The armor plates are curved and especially wide, making them more form fitting around the leg. The central and outer splints are both separated into longer upper sections and shorter lower sections. The central splint also has a ridge down the middle to fit over the shin bone. The single inner splint is half-length to account for an unarmored panel (abumi-zure). The abumi-zure is a square of blue leather with a white, snowflake pattern attached to the lower, inner section of the shin guard to prevent abrasion to and from the stirrups. A mesh of mail (kusari) between each splint connects one to another.

At the upper edge of the shin guard, a panel of brigandine (tateage) protects the knee. Unlike the rest of the shin guard, the tateage is edged with green leather. Hexagonal iron plates (kikko) are sandwiched between layers of fabric with a top layer of blue leather. Tan thread is then sewn around the kikko to create a visible honeycomb pattern. A long, dark blue, cloth tie patterned with bamboo stalks, which is likely not original, is attached to the tops of the splints and serves to tie the shin guard behind the leg. A second tie, which would attach to the bottom of the splints, is no longer present. The reverse is of undecorated tan cloth.