Kusazuri

The Kusazuri (Japanese: 草摺) are parts of the traditional Japanese Samurai armor.

The Kusazuri take the form of a belt, with sections of plate armor attached at intervals. They are fastened around the lower end of the chest armor (Do) and secured at the back. The number of plates can vary, and typically, the fewer the plates, the less expensive the Kusazuri.

Servants or lower-ranking soldiers usually wore Kusazuri with three or four plates, while higher-ranking samurai wore Kusazuri with five or, rarely, six plates. The individual plates are connected with silk ribbons or chain mail.

Often, a thick layer of fabric serves as the base. The color and design can vary significantly, with the color usually chosen to match the rest of the armor. Kusazuri can be considered the equivalent of the European tassets in armor design.

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