There are no family emblems, mons, to identify this armor, but the helmet bowl is signed at the rear on the inside with five kanji: INSHU (a shortform for Inaba no Kuni = from the province of Inaba), NO JU (possibly “inhabitant of”, but one kanji is difficult to read without destroying the helmet lining), NAGA. It reads (with some uncertainty): “The master is(?) Naga, living in Inaba”.
Some damaged lacquer, but the armor is complete, and aesthetic details suggest that all parts stem from one original gusoku, with the possible exceptions of the shin guards.
Helmet, kabuto
The helmet bowl is called a sujibachi (ridged bowl). It is made of twelve triangular plates with a flange meeting around a hole, tehen, at the top. The hole is surrounded by a five layered mount, tehen kanamono, in brass and copper. From the tehen four brass bands extend, ending in arrow-like tips. This ornament is called shinodare. At the back of the helmet bowl is a ring for a cord, agemaki.
Neck guard of four black lacquered plates with a wavy upper rim, the lacing is grey (originally white) on the uppermost two, then two green rows of lacing, and on the lowest plate one red and one multicolored braid.
The upper lame extends to two deflectors, fukigaeshi, which like the peak, mabizashi, is covered in stenciled leather. The peak has three brass nails and a holder for a helmet crest, now missing.
The inside of the helmet is beautifully composed: signal read peak, brown-orange lining with a light brocade along the edge, the four upper lames of the neck guard is in shining copper lacquer, and the fifth is red, like the peak.
Signature: The helmet bowl is signed at the rear on the inside with five kanji: INSHU (a shortform for Inaba no Kuni = from the province of Inaba), NO JU (possibly “inhabitant of”, but one kanji is difficult to read without destroying the helmet lining), NAGA. It reads (with some uncertainty): “The master is(?) Naga, living in Inaba”.
Mask, menpō
With a fierce expression, ressei men, with detachable nose piece. Iron with rust colored lacquer, sabi nuri, grey mustache, red lips, silvered teeth. The inside is lacquered glossy red. Throat guard of three black lacquered plates, lacing like the helmet.
Cuirass, dō
The cuirass is of a rather unusual construction, called a sendai-do, made of ten vertical, black lacquered iron plates. The breast plate is made from three plates studded together with ornamented studs, and one plate laced onto each side under the arm. The middle front plate has a pronounced ridge along the middle. The back plate has a similar construction, but without the ridge in the middle. Above these plates are others, lacquered and with stenciled leather in front, stenciled leather on the sides and back. All are laced to the main plates; all have brass fittings.
The back has two iron brackets, one high and one low, with an iron tube of square section, brass at the top, for holding a war flag. The shoulder straps have small defenses, ko-sode, of three lacquered leather plates, laced together.
Tassets, kusazuri: Seven kusazuri each made of five black lacquered leather plates with a wavy upper edge, laced like the helmet and the mask, grey (white), green, multicolored and red. They are attached to the cuirass by horn buttons.
The cuirass is of a rather unusual construction, called a sendai-do, made of ten vertical, black lacquered iron plates. The breast plate is made from three plates studded together with ornamented studs, and one plate laced onto each side under the arm. The middle front plate has a pronounced ridge along the middle. The back plate has a similar construction, but without the ridge in the middle. Above these plates are others, lacquered and with stenciled leather in front, stenciled leather on the sides and back. All are laced to the main plates; all have brass fittings.
The back has two iron brackets, one high and one low, with an iron tube of square section, brass at the top, for holding a war flag. The shoulder straps have small defenses, ko-sode, of three lacquered leather plates, laced together.
Tassets, kusazuri: Seven kusazuri each made of five black lacquered leather plates with a wavy upper edge, laced like the helmet and the mask, grey (white), green, multicolored and red. They are attached to the cuirass by horn buttons.
Shoulder guards, sode
Each contains six black plates with wavy upper edges, black lacquered and with lacing like the other parts. Cotton textile lining.
Arm guards, kote
Each consists of iron plates, black lacquered, with chain mail, on blue brocade. On the upper arm a gourd shaped plate, on the elbows a rosette shaped plate, on the underarm five vertical rectangular plates, hand and thumb also covered by shaped plates. Cotton textile lining.
Skirt, haidate
Made of four rows of 15 leather plates each, black lacquered with green laces, the lowest rows with multicolored, white, and red lacing, all mounted on brocade.
Shin guards, suneate
Each consists of three long and two shorter vertical rectangular plates are connected by chainmail, all mounted on blue brocade. The inside of the leg has light brown leather.