Recently I saw a video discussing the efficacy of a katana (used as a proxy for Japanese swords) on armor, in particular medieval armor.

I think it can be interesting to discuss how swords were used against armor in a Japanese context.

For the sake of this thread, I want to focus on Arms&Armor of the 1575-1615 as it is a rather complex and nuanced topic. And because most of sources available discuss the topic of sword against armor in such framework, with extensive material from the Edo period.

Nerigawa or nerikawa (練革・煉革) is a key material used in Japanese armor making since the Nara period. It is often translated as "hardened rawhide", and it is essentially "leather" based armor. It was used to make sane (札) or lamellae and occasionally sword guards too. These nerigawa sane were assembled in rows known as sane-ita, either mixed with metal ones or exclusively rawhide, depending on the type of armor and the part that would have covered.

I want to talk about this, but I want to make a short premise before diving into this video, since there is a lot to talk about.

This is Part 1. If one looks at my youtubers' replies, one would only see Shad from Shadiversity, despite the various personalities dealing with these topics on you tube. So why is that? Is it personal? Of course not

One of the most popular misconception about Japanese Arms&Armors that is constantly being repeated all over as an endless mantra, is the quality of the steel and iron used, in the context of pre-industrial technology. This is true especially among western sword "enthusiasts"





This also is paired with the notion that steel and iron were extremely rare in Japan, to the point that the nation was in "constant iron shortage" and that iron was a luxurious commodity, and other amenities such as the lack of iron nails produced in Japan (laughs).

Common Japanese armour misconceptions: the Nanban Dō. If you have ever read about the development of tōsei gusoku armor in the azuchi momoyama period, it is very likely you have come across the influence of European armor and the Nanban dō. Let's clarify some myths The first account of suits of European armors in Japan is dated 1591, and it is recorded through the writings of Luis Frois. It was a diplomatic gift to Hideyoshi from Philip II of Spain - in all of his letters and accounts, this is the first time we read of such exchange.