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........It has always been upon arms and armour that the craftsmen of Japan have lavished their choicest workmanship. The Japanese sword-blade is proverbial for strength and sharpness, and whilst in many countries the sword has been highly regarded and richly adorned, the spiritual and symbolic qualities with which the Japanese blade has always been invested in the country of it's origin, as well as its beauty of form and its terrible effectiveness, makes it unique among the weapons of mankind. It was therefore natural that the highest craftsmanship and the most tireless skill should be employed in the making of all its mounts and accessories. It was the Japanese sword too which largely dictated the peculiar form and construction of Japanese armour. To western eyes the latter may appear at once clumsy in design and frail in texture; but the innumerable overlapping strips of steel, iron, and toughened cow-hide of which it is composed, firmly and closely laced with silk or leather, give it the maximum lightness and flexibility, and constitute the only effective protection against the two-handed stroke of a Japanese sword.......
From Victoria & Albert Museum Arms and Armour of Old Japan by B.W. Robinson |
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