The Kusari (Japanese: 帷子), also known as Kusari-Katabira, Karuta-Katabira, or Kikkō-Katabira, is a type of armor from Japan.
The Kusari is a light chain (Kusari-Katabira) or plate armor (Karuta-Katabira, Kikkō-Katabira). Depending on the version, it consists of a more or less long jacket that either has long or short sleeves.
In addition, there is a hood, gloves, a thigh guard, shin guard, and Kusari-Tabi. The chain or plate armor is sewn onto a padded fabric backing or sewn between two layers of fabric in the style of a brigandine.
Both types of armor are very finely crafted in this design. The rings or plates are small and delicate compared to other armors. As a result, the armor could be worn under other garments, such as the Kimono, the heavier armor (Yoroi), or even the battle clothing of the Ninja. This provided almost invisible protection, which opponents did not expect.