Haramaki (armour)

The Haramaki (Japanese腹 巻, belly wrap ') is a Japanese armor type.

Description

It was ( haraate腹 当) for the simple chest and groin protection the Kamakura period developed. It was wrapped around the wearer's body and tied behind his back. Similar to the Domaru this armor offered a high freedom of movement and was initially mainly of warriors ( bushi ) of the lower ranks, so the infantry used. With the conversion of the war tactics the Haramaki was also used frequently by the mounted warriors of the higher ranks, and had as the Domaru its heyday in the Nanboku -chō and Muromachi period. In the Azuchi - Momoyama period but was displaced by the Tōseigusoku. The armor type, which is now called Haramaki, was originally called Domaru, until the end of the Muromachi to early Edo period, the present name has prevailed.

In addition, a piece of Japanese underwear is still referred to as Haramaki. This corresponds approximately to the European Body Warmer. Warming the body center Hara however, is not only used against localized complaints there, but especially against circulatory problems in the extremities. This is based on the observation that the human body is first heated the central, vital areas in the cold and to scale down the blood circulation in the extremities.