Samurai Shin Guard

Left, splint-style, samurai shin guard (shino-zuneate or shino-suneate) of a pair. The base of the shin guard is of blue silk with gold brocade in a maple leaf pattern. The cloth is edged with orange leather. Seven vertical, iron splints (shino) are painted gold over top of red lacquer and sewn to the cloth. The central splint has a ridge down the middle to fit over the shin bone. The three inner splints are half-length to account for an unarmored panel (abumi-zure). The abumi-zure is a square of orange leather 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. The entire shin guard is edged with a trim (fusegumi) of decorative white and gray thread sewn in a herringbone pattern, as well as a blue and brown checkerboard leather strip.

At the upper edge of the shin guard, a panel of brigandine (tateage) protects the knee. Hexagonal iron plates (kikko) are sandwiched between layers of fabric with a top layer of leather. Orange thread sewn through the kikko creates a pattern of orange squares where the armor plates sit. Black and white twisted thread is then sewn around the kikko to create a visible honeycomb pattern. Two long, cloth ties, made from the same base fabric as the shin guard, are attached to the splints with red cloth at the top and bottom and serve to tie the shin guard behind the leg. The reverse is of undecorated blue cloth.