Symbols
of the Warrior: Arms and Armor
Here suits of armor are displayed as they would have been in a Daimyō household, evoking the deep reverence and admiration the samurai class felt for military equipment.
Portrait of Tokugawa Ieyasu as a Shintō Deity Tōshō-daigongen (Edo period, 17th c.) by Traditionally attributed to Kano Tan'yuThe Tokugawa Art Museum
Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) was the founder and 1st shogun of the Tokugawa bakufu, and father of Tokugawa Yoshinao (1600-1650), the first head of the Owari Tokugawa clan.
Helmet and armor (Momoyama-Edo period, 16-17th c.) by unknownThe Tokugawa Art Museum
Owari Tokugawa clan, the warrior class regarded arms and armor as the most symbol of the samurai spirit,and therefore regarded as the most prestigious item.
This is an extraordinary suit of armor and helmet, entirely covered with bearskin.
Long Sword (Tachi), known as Tsuda Tōtoumi Nagamitsu (Kamakura period, 13th c.) by NagamitsuThe Tokugawa Art Museum
Sword, as "the soul of the warrior", was a highly prized symbol of the samurai spirit, and therefore regarded as the most prestigious item. In our collection, 8 of them are National Treasures.
Sword Guard (Tsuba) (Edo period, 17th c.) by Gotō 8th Sokujō MitsushigeThe Tokugawa Art Museum
In addition to swords and armor, a daimyo family possessed various weaponry, including sword fittings, bows and arrows, matchlocks and falconry equipment.
Sword Guard called Tsuba, served to protect the user's hands when holding a sword, whilst helping to balance the blade and the hilt.
Matchlock (Southest Asia, 16-17th c.)The Tokugawa Art Museum
Introduced by the Portuguese in 1543, the matchlock transformed warfare in Japan.
A standard matchlock had a barrel of about a meter in length, weighed around 4 kilograms, and used lead bullets of about a centimeter in diameter.
Its effective range was about 100 meters.
Six fold screen of The Battle of Nagashino (Edo period, 18th c.) by unknownThe Tokugawa Art Museum
It was most famously used in the Battle of Nagashino of 1575, the combined forces of Oda and Tokugawa vs Takeda.
This work illustrates the battle scene of Tokugawa Firing Squad and their matchlocks.
Exhibit created by the Tokugawa Art Museum.
