The Yamabushi Armor is the Japanese armor used by the Yamabushi or warrior monks (Sōhei).
This armor varies slightly from the armor of the Samurai. It consists of the following parts:
- Chest Armor (Dō)
- Shoulder Guards (Sode)
- Arm Guards (Kote)
- Thigh Guards (Haidate)
- Shin Guards (Suneate)
- Shoes (Tsuranuki)
The Yamabushi did not use helmets (Kabuto) or face masks (Mempō). Often, they wore a priest robe over the armor, hiding part of it (see picture in the infobox). Instead of a traditional helmet, they used a leather helmet called a Tokin, or they wore a white fabric hood that was part of the monk robe.
As for weaponry, the Yamabushi used swords, bows, and Naginata. A standard weapon was a type of priestly walking stick, known as Shakujō.
It was about 180 cm long, fitted with heavy metal rings at the upper end, making it a potent striking weapon. Many Yamabushi went down in Japanese history as famous warriors, including Musashibō Benkei.