National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

European armor was brought into Japan through trade with Spain and Portugal in the 16th century. Later the Japanese would imitate them and began producing them in Japan, which were collectively called Nanban Dogusoku (Nanban Armor). This armor was given to Sakakibara Yasumasa by Tokugawa Ieyasu right before the Battle of Sekigahara (1600) and has since been handed down to the Sakakibara family.
A Japanese shikoro (a neck guard that hangs from the bottom of a helmet) and hikimawashi (decoration on shikoro) made of white yak hair are attached to the hachi (crown) of a helmet that seems to have been brought into Japan from abroad (hakusaihin). On the back of the crown, there is ushirodate (a standing decoration on the back of a helmet), which was modeled after the crest of a European helmet. The cuirass made of iron has the same form as that of a European cuirass: It has shinogi (a peak made by cutting metal or wood diagonally on each) in front and both sides of the waist are cut up to make the length of the back cuirass shorter. However, considering the use of hinges on the right side and the quality of the overall finish, this must have been produced in Japan. Hoate (face guard), kote (arm guard), haidate (a guard to protect the thigh and knee) and suneate (shin guard) accompany the armor. On the helmet, the family crest of the Sakakibara family, "Genjiguruma," is represented by makie (lacquer sprinkled with gold/silver powder) on the front and on the right and left sides. However, since it is unlikely that these crests had been applied before Ieyasu gave the suit of armor to Sakakibara Yasumasa, they were probably applied after.