Our Katchu is precious, elaborate, wearable and authentic
reproduction which is fully handcrafted
Katchu Armor - Japanese traditional protective gear worn by Samurai
Samurai. For almost 800 years, they were both warriors and political leaders of Japan. At the end of their time, the armor that had protected their lives was no longer used in actual combat.
However, because of its high decorative and cultural value, it still holds a special place among Japanese people as a work of art or a cultural asset. All of our armor is made by Marutake Sangyo Co. Each piece of armor is handmade by skilled craftsmen, and is a rare gem of artwork based on the original armor of the time.
Look at it, put it on, wear it.
Traditional culture and the spirit of the Samurai are yours. The Samurai's Soul
In today's Japan, there are no more samurai with swords.
However, the armor in which the samurai entrusted their lives has a different meaning today. Armor has a great presence. It has various uses such as cosplay, events, and interior decoration, and will surely make its impact in each place without regret.
Imagine, a life with armor.
To wear armor is to wear traditional Japanese craftsmanship, and to wear the spirit of the samurai.
Wearing armor will take you back to the excitement of the days when the samurai fought their battles.
To put on armor is to put on art.
To look at armor is to enjoy art.
Let's enjoy the armor!
Armor, as a modern art craft, has been used not only in movies and TV dramas, but also in corporate PR, festivals, showrooms of hotels and restaurants, tokonoma (alcove) and reception rooms, and as a decoration for Dragon Boat Festival. Recently, they are also used as wedding costumes.
Our Commitment
The armor we offer is made by the craftsmen of Marutake Sangyo. Our skilled craftsmen and women faithfully reproduce and meticulously finish each piece of armor according to the design of the real armor worn by the samurai in battle. Everything from cutting out a single piece of iron sheet is done by our craftsmen. There are no blueprints, and each piece is 100 percent one-of-a-kind, non-symmetrical, and aesthetically pleasing. Here we introduce a part of our manufacturing process.
Kabuto (Samurai Helmets)
Cut steel plates are bent and shaped by hand one by one, and then laminated one by one to form the shape of a helmet. There are various shapes of helmets, and as many as 62 pieces of steel plates are laminated together. There are many different types of parts for the decoration of the helmets, and they are carefully finished one by one.
Yoroi (Samurai Armaor)
Samurai armor can be divided into two main types: "Dai-armor" (large armor) and "Domaru" (body armor), which date from the 10th to 15th centuries, and "Tosei-guzoku" (armor of the day), which dates from the 15th to 16th centuries. These differences are strongly influenced by the changes in the Samurai's fighting styles. We invite you to see, place, and wear them to feel the differences. Marutake Armor Koubou can accommodate both of them.
Ito-odoshi (Lacing)
The threads are carefully threaded by hand through the holes in the tag board. There are many different ways to do this. There are more than 20 different types of threads, including silk and cotton threads.
packaging
All the finished pieces are collected at each workshop, packed, and carefully placed in an armor chest. Finally, the armor is packed in a cardboard box and shipped to the customer.
We hope you will enjoy your armor as much as we do. We accept orders according to your needs and budget.