Momonari Kabuto

The Momonari Kabuto, also known as the "peach-shaped helmet" in Japanese, is a helmet worn by Japanese samurai as part of their armor (yoroi).

The Momonari Kabuto is made of iron. It features a high, rounded bowl that is reminiscent of the European cabasset helmet. After the arrival of the first Europeans, this kabuto was designed based on the style of their helmets.

The form of European armor gained great popularity in Japan and was incorporated into traditional items such as armor (Hatomune-Dō).

However, the traditional elements of the kabuto were still retained and combined with the European helmet shape.

The additional ornamentation of the helmets can vary greatly. Generally, the helmets are equipped with side guards (Fukigaeshi), a neck guard (Shikoro), a helmet crest (Maedate and Wakidate), and a fastening band (Shinobi-O-Noh) to secure the helmet to the head. Face masks (Menpo) were often worn with this type of helmet.

The helmets were often painted in different colors in Japan. This served both decorative purposes and to protect the metal of the helmet from the effects of weathering.

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