A samurai warrior must not only be strong mentally and physically, but also look beautiful. That's why his clothes are a special outfit that was chosen carefully.
Samurai casual wear
The appearance of the samurai was different, based on the situation. For example, for daily wear, clothes were used, consisting of 3 main elements:
kimono: shoulder robe;
hakama: belt element;
haori: a cape that had the same straight cut as a kimono.
All these parts of clothing were made in dark or black.
Khakami were worn over the kimono. These are trousers of a special cut, which were very similar to wide trousers. At the same time, these pants were sewn in different lengths. The length of the product depended on the status of the samurai. For example, ordinary samurai wore short khakami pants, but upper-class warriors wore elongated khakami. The pants were so long that they dragged across the floor.
In military campaigns, so that long clothes do not interfere, they were tucked into the belt or greaves.
And the final touch - haori: put on a kimono and khakami on top. Haori were sewn from dark fabrics, and were decorated with a white bow in front. A distinctive feature of such clothes was a special cut: a small cut at the bottom of the back.
Thus, khaki, complete with haori, created the composition of the solemn attire of a samurai warrior.
Formal samurai costume
When a samurai attended an important event, his outfit had a different look. So over the “haori-hakama” a tight cape without sleeves was put on. An important feature of such a cape was well-starched shoulders of large sizes. Such a cape was referred to as a "kataginu". The hakama and katagina formed the samurai's formal dress for a special occasion.
Samurai headdress
In many drawings, samurai are depicted without headdresses. However, when visiting the palace of the feudal lord, the samurai without fail put on a hat. In everyday life, many samurai wore cone-shaped straw hats. Such a hat completely covered the face of the samurai, and thus the warrior remained unrecognizable in public places.
The samurai also used the amigaso straw hat, which had the appearance of a low wide cone and a small window in front. It was through this window that the samurai could see others.
The original form was the headdress of the members of the so-called Komuso brotherhood. It was a closed fraternity of itinerant monks, where samurai were also accepted. The headdress of the members of this brotherhood resembled a beehive.
The straw hat is not the only accessory that the samurai used in their daily lives. For example, an important accessory was a wide umbrella made of bamboo and oiled paper. The umbrella was used during bad weather or active sun.
Samurai shoes
What did the samurai wear? Classic shoes are straw sandals with leather soles. They were called - setta.
In heavy rains, other shoes were used - geta: wooden sandals.
Such shoes differed in the height of the socle supports. In addition to these shoes, shields with cords were attached, which served as protection for the toes from dirt.
A very important point: all types of shoes were equipped with special straps and combined with special cut-out socks.
Family crest on samurai clothes
Particular attention was paid to the family coat of arms - kamon. For every samurai, the family coat of arms was a very expensive and significant symbol. He emphasized the lineage of a warrior and was passed down from generation to generation along with the name. Many coats of arms had ancient origins: some of them went back to the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC.
Such a symbol was applied to the upper kimono, which was worn on the lower white. This element was applied in five places: on the chest and back (front and back), between the shoulders, and also on the sleeves. However, it is not uncommon for outerwear to be completely decorated with family coats of arms. For this decor, a special paint was used. In the future, the family coat of arms was applied to other accessories of the samurai.
Regarding the appearance of the coat of arms, it was based on different life stories. It could be celestial bodies or stars, representatives of flora and fauna, various geometric shapes, elements of culture. Each element was endowed with a special magical power. After all, the coat of arms was supposed not only to emphasize the status of the samurai, but also to be his kind of talisman.
See also
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Yoshida Castle
Yoshida Castle is renowned worldwide, particularly through the intricate woodblock prints by Edo Period artist Hiroshige. His famous series, depicting the 53 stages of the Tokaido—the historic route between Kyoto and Edo (modern-day Tokyo)—includes the 34th print, which shows workmen repairing a castle overlooking a wooden bridge crossing a wide river. This scene captures the Toyokawa River at Toyohashi in southeast Aichi Prefecture, and the castle is Yoshida Castle.
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Yamato Koriyama Castle
The impressive ruins of Koriyama Castle sit atop a small hill, surrounded by two rivers. The strategic positioning and strong layout of the castle served it well through the final years of the Sengoku period and the peaceful days of the Edo period.
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Yamanaka Castle
Yamanaka Castle, established by Hojo Ujiyasu in the 1560s, is located in what is now eastern Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture. This castle served as the first line of western defense for the main Hojo Castle at Odawara. Carved into the side of a 586-meter-high mountain, Yamanaka Castle was strategically positioned along the Tokaido Highway, offering superb views of nearby Mt. Fuji, the ocean, and the road leading to Odawara.
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Uwajima Castle
Uwajima Castle, located in Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku, is one of the 12 remaining Japanese castles with an original keep. Known for its small size, Uwajima Castle is relatively difficult to access, which means it is less frequented by tourists.
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Ueda Castle
Ueda Castle in Nagano Prefecture once stood prominently on a cliff overlooking the Saigawa River. Also known as Amagafuchi-Jo, Isesaki-Jo, Matsuo-Jo, and Sanada-Jo, it was built around 1583 by its first master, Sanada Masayuki. This sturdy yet small fortress cleverly utilized the surrounding natural defenses, including the river, steep rocky cliffs, the layout of the town below, and the strategically designed waterways to hinder attackers. Ueda Castle was fortified with seven defensive yagura (watchtowers) atop robust stone walls and had two large gates with watchtowers above them.
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Tsuyama Castle
Tsuyama Castle, located in Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture, is celebrated as one of Japan's top three major hilltop (Hirayama) castles, alongside Himeji and Matsuyama Castles. Originally, Tsuyama Castle comprised 77 structures, including the main keep, various yagura (watchtowers), gates, palaces, and living quarters. For comparison, Hiroshima Castle had 76 structures, and Himeji had 61. The first castle on this site was built in 1441 but was soon abandoned. The large-scale construction that we recognize today began in 1603 under the orders of Mori Tadamasa. The castle served as the administrative base for the Tsuyama Han daimyo, the Mori clan from 1603 to 1697, and the Matsudaira clan from 1698 to 1871.
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Tsu Castle
Tsu Castle, located in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, was originally built by Hosono Fujiatsu in 1558 and was known as Anotsu Castle, named after the old region. The site was strategically chosen at the confluence of the Ano and Iwata Rivers, which naturally formed a moat around the castle, while the nearby port served as a vital trade route.
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Sasayama Castle
Tamba Sasayama Castle, also known as Sasayama or Kirigajo (Mist Castle), is a flatland castle (hira-jiro) situated on a gentle rise in the Tamba region of Hyogo Prefecture. It was constructed in 1608 as part of Tokugawa Ieyasu's strategy to prepare for an attack on Osaka, aiming to bring an end to the Toyotomi clan. Ieyasu ordered the castle's construction using the Tenka Bushin system, engaging 20 former enemy daimyo and their forces to complete the complex within six months. This system kept the former enemies close and preoccupied, financially straining them and limiting their capacity for further conflict. The stones used in Sasayama Castle feature engravings called kokumon, indicating who made each part of the walls and preventing theft by other lords' men.
