Helmet (Suji-kabuto Akoda-nari)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This type of helmet is known as a suji-kabuto. The bowl is constructed of fifty-two ridged plates with a pronounced rise at the back. The overall shape is known as akoda-nari (akoda is a squashlike fruit), a style fashionable during the Muromachi period. It dates from the fifteenth century but was remounted for use in the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century. The bowl is inscribed with the character Kami (or Tatematsuru), used by the Haruta school of armorers in Nara. The badge on the turnbacks of the neck guard is that of the Sanada family, daimyo of Ueda.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art