Samurai Thigh Guard

Armored samurai thigh guard (kawara haidate) of overlapping plates. The two joined panels hang below the cuirass to protect the thighs. The exterior fabric is of white flowers with green and purple leaves and the interior fabric is light blue. The upper sections have strips of reinforcing stenciled 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. Two flaps on the sides of each panel secure the thigh guard around the wearer's thighs. The entire guard is edged with patterned, blue leather with white flowers. The upper edge is closed with blue fabric that extends to form straps that tie around the wearer's waist. A short, green cord is attached at the center, between the two panels, to attach the thigh guard to the rest of the armor.

On the lower section of each panel, the armored portion is made up of five rows of overlapping, black-lacquered tiles. The tiles are connected to one another with dark blue cross laces at the top and bottom of each row, with a row of horizontal lacing in between.