UEM40681 is a high-quality suit of armor, and it has an excellent helmet. The helmet is unsigned but has no aesthetic similarities with the rest of the armor, suggesting that it did not originally belong with the rest of the parts. The family crest, the mon, on the helmet may suggest an origin other than Akashi, Hyogo. The mon is a wisteria flower, in Japanese, fuji. This mon was worn by a number of samurai families, two of whom held daimyo rank in the province of Chikuzen, further south in Japan.
Helmet, kabuto
Made of 16 plates, each with a flange, suji bachi kabuto. Mounted in the so fukurin style, that is, with brass covering of all of the flanges, and with shaped brass plates between the plates at the lower edge of the bowl. At the top a four layered mount, tehen kanamono. The helmet bowl is unsigned but retains helmet lining and fastening cord. There is a front crest, maedate, made of wood, painted and gilt, in the shape of a buffalo head with horns and very large ears.
The neck guard, shikoro, of five black lacquered plates, is tightly laced with blue-green braid interspaced with brown leather strips. The peak, mabizashi, and the turned back deflectors, fukigaeshi, are covered with stenciled leather and brass edgings. On the fukigaeshi is a gilt heraldic symbol, mon, of three spiraling wisteria flowers.
Cuirass, dō
In two main parts, hinged on the left-hand side, and connected with two plates on the right-hand side. All plates are made of iron, lacquered bright red. The breast plate consists of two horizontal plates in the lower part, and two horizontal plates with light blue lacing in the upper half. The back plate is composed of horizontal plates without lacing. The top parts and shoulder straps are covered with stenciled leather.
Tassets, kusazuri: Six tassets fastened to the do with suede leather, each made of five red plates with a wavy upper edge, laced with blue braids in pairs.
Shoulder guards, sode
Quite small, ko-sode, each of five plates, red lacquered with blue lacing.
Shoulder guards, sode
A pair of extra shoulder guards, each of three plates, red lacquered with blue lacing. To be used without the main shoulder guards.
Arm guards, kote
Red lacquered iron plates and chain mail mounted on purple cotton textile. One gourd shape, one rosette surrounded by four curved plates, several rectangular plates. Dark blue cotton textile lining.
Skirt, haidate
Four rows of nine red lacquered rectangular plates, mounted on dark blue cotton cloth, red cotton cloth lining.
Shin guards, suneate
Four long and three shorter vertical red iron plates mounted on blue cotton cloth. Leather on the lower inside of the leg. Brocade edges, dark blue cotton cloth lining.
Mask and Throat guard
Mask, menpo, of the type with fierce expression known as ressei men. Thick mustache, and a thick, small beard just right under the lip.
Throat guard, nodowa, has five rows of lacquered plates and lacing.
Both possibly lost. Not found in 2023.