Kabuto (兜) rear view, black, red & yellow leather, part of the classical Japanese armour series. Hand stitched, photography by Burke Photography.

This is a rear view of the kabuto, showing the shikoro (錣) and the agemaki (揚巻). The shikoro is made up of rectangular scales (kozane 小札), and are laced together into boards. The leather kozane are hand cut and punched. I have stitched the kozane together using red, black and yellow leather lacing, (kawa odoshi, 革縅).

The agemaki knot (揚巻, sometimes called a butterfly knot) is a common decorative feature of Japanese armour. Its original purpose was to stabilise the large shoulder guards (the “o-sode” 袖) on the rear of the old style (“o-yoroi” 大鎧) armour. The agemaki with a fuutai 風帯 (tassel) is placed on the rear of a kabuto (the tassels are hand made).