Armor Set with Hanada-ito Lacing

This is a helmet and armor set said to have been worn by Ashikaga Masauji, who was in charge of the Kita-Kanto branch (headquartered in present-day Koga, Ibaraki Prefecture) of the Muromachi Shogunate during the Sengoku Period (late 15th to late 16th centuries). The armor set has been preserved at the Kantoin, a Buddhist temple Masauji established in his later years located in present-day Kuki City, Saitama Prefecture. The do (cuirass) and the kusazuri (the four skirt-like panels hanging from the waist) are decorated with paulownia tree crests in maki-e (gold and silver lacquer). The paulownia tree crest is one of the family crests of the Ashikaga, who ruled the Muromachi Shogunate. Another Ashikaga family crest called the futatsu-hiki-ryo, which is made of two horizontal lines through a circle, can be found on the metal fittings. The armor in this set is lamellar armor constructed of small iron plates called kozane laced together in rows. The lacing used in this armor set is called hanada-ito, a light indigo lacing specially produced in Musashi Province (parts of present-day Saitama Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Tokyo), and its color is reflected in the black lacquer. Though this armor set is relatively plain, it is made of high-quality, durable materials that would hold up well in battle. Cultural Properties Designated by Saitama Prefecture.