The Jingasa (陣笠) is a Japanese military helmet used to protect the heads of Ashigaru during battles and more broadly as a daily headgear for the Samurai.
Etymology
The word Jingasa is attested as early as 1657 in the history of Zôhyô Monogatari. The term developed from the words "jin" (陣), which means "military," and "kasa" (笠), meaning "hat."
History of the Jingasa
The Jingasa as protection was used by the Ashigaru from the 15th century. Cheap and easy to produce compared to the Kabuto, the Jingasa was the ideal headgear to equip the thousands of infantry units that are the Ashigaru.
During the Edo period, the heavy and expensive Kabuto became unnecessary during this time of peace, which is why the Samurai adopted the Jingasa. In addition to protecting the head from blows, the Jingasa also served as protection against the sun or rain.
By the end of the 19th century, with Westernization, Jingasas became less popular as the army then adopted firearms and Western uniforms. But the Jingasa was still worn by forces loyal to the Shogun, notably by the arquebusier corps of the Aizu clan during the Boshin War.
From 1890, the Jingasa was no longer worn at all.
Jingasa Parts
The Jingasa is usually composed of three parts:
- The main part made of steel, leather, paper, wood, or bamboo, with lacquered wood being the most common.
- The zabuton, a cushion that lined the inside of the helmet.
- The chinstrap, known as ago-himo.
There are three main forms of Jingasa:
- The ichimon-gasa or hira jingasa: Very flat, it was worn as headgear to protect from the sun or rain.
- The toppai jingasa: Conical in shape, it was worn by the Ashigaru.
- The bajô-gasa: Fairly rounded, it was worn by the riders.