The Kote (jap. 籠手, also 小手, 甲手 or 篭手) refers to the arm and hand armor of Japanese armor.
There are numerous versions of the Kote. These are sleeves made from leather or silk and equipped with various versions of armor. They are narrow at the wrist and widen towards the shoulder.
At the upper end, cords are attached with which the Kote is tied around the chest. There are versions that are equipped with chain armor or with various types of lamellar or plate armor.
A protective armor called "Tetsu-Gai" is attached to the hands. It protects the back of the hand as well as the thumb and is attached to the material of the Kote. The plate armor is exclusively on the outside of the Kote, the inside is not armored.
At the upper end, a plate (jap. "Kamura-Ita") is attached that protrudes over the edge of the Kote. This plate serves to protect the shoulder. It has three cords attached, two of which are tied around the upper body and the third to the same cord of the Kote of the other arm.
Directly below this plate, about at the level of the biceps, is a larger plate, or several smaller plates, connected with chain armor (jap. "Gaku-No-Ita"). In the area of the elbow, a plate (jap."Ikada") is attached for its protection and in some versions, parallel metal rails are attached to this plate, which are also connected with chain armor.
The previously mentioned "Tetsu-Gai" concludes the armor at the hand. The "Tetsu-Gai" is padded with leather at the edges, and has loops on the underside intended for the fingers.
For additional protection, leather gloves were worn under the "Tetsu-Gai". In older models, metal plates were also attached to the fingers, which were connected with chain mail. These were then sewn onto the leather gloves. There are different models of the Kote, named after their respective material selection.
Types of Kote:
- Yoshitsune-Gote: The Kote are bag-shaped. It was only worn as a single piece on the left arm. Armor with a wide rail that is interrupted by chain mail at the elbow.
- Bishamon-Gote: The plate armor is on a base of chain mail. The forearm is armored with rails.
- Oda-Gote also Kaga-Gote: Are studded with armor plates in the form of a gourd bottle (jap. Hyōtan). Here and there, small metal plates are irregularly inserted (jap. Ikada).
- Tetsu-Kote: Completely covered with chain armor. The upper and lower arm is armored with metal plates or rails.
- Tsugi-Gote: The upper arm is armored with a larger plate, which is connected to the Kote by chain armor. The forearm is covered with chain armor.
- Shino-Gote: The two versions Yetchiu-Gote and Awase-Gote differ only in the way they are attached to the body. They are protected all over with chain, rail, and plate armor, which are placed only a few centimeters apart.
- Oshi-No-Gote: The outside of the forearm is alternately worked with plate and rail armor.
- Hansho-Gote: Only the forearm is armored. The armor often consists of three long plates, which are connected with chain armor and padded with leather or fabrics.
- Tominaga-Gote: Two Kote (right and left arm) are connected by a collar of brocade or leather.
- Yu-Gote: Is made of silk or brocade and generally has no metal parts