Samurai Thigh Guard

Armored samurai thigh guard (haidate) of overlapping scales. The two joined panels hang below the cuirass to protect the thighs. The exterior fabric is of blue silk with gold brocade in a maple leaf pattern. The upper sections have strips of reinforcing blue and white patterned leather (chikara-gawa) from the upper edges to the mid-point, then a horizontal strip from one side to the other. Large holes toward the inner sides of the thigh guards (muchisashi-no-ana) are surrounded by the same reinforcing leather and serve to hold the wearer's riding crop. Each section of reinforcing leather is also edged with strips of orange leather. The upper edge is closed with the same base fabric as the rest of the thigh guard, which extends to form straps that tie around the wearer's waist. A short, orange cord is attached at the center, between the two panels, to attach the thigh guard to the rest of the armor. The entire guard is edged with tan leather and the interior is undecorated dark blue silk.

On the lower section of each panel, the armored portion is made up of three sections of five rows of iron lames made up of many small, true scales (hon kozane) meticulously bound together. The scales are lacquered red and then painted gold. Lames are connected to one another with orange lacing in the kebiki-odoshi style. The bottom lames are trimmed with black bear fur. The first lame of each section of armor is also adorned with a metal plate decorated with orange blossom crests and each plate is attached with two chrysanthemum rivets.