Dō (armour) A woodblock print of a samurai putting on a dō Dō or dou (胴) "breastplate, cuirass" is one of the major components of Japanese armour worn by the samurai and ashigaru or foot soldiers of feudal Japan. ## History Dō-maru with Black and White Lacing. Muromachi period, 15th century, Tokyo National Museum, Important Cultural Property Gusoku Type Armour With do-maru cuirass and white lacing, Edo period, 17th century, Tokyo National Museum The predecessor of the dō was manufactured in Japan as early as the fourth century. Tankō, worn by foot soldiers, and keikō, worn by horsemen, were both pre-samurai types of early Japanese cuirass constructed from iron plates connected by leather thongs. During the Heian period(794 to 1185), the cuirass evolved into the more familiar style of armour worn by the samurai known as the dō. Japanese armourers started to use hardened leather along with iron in their construction methods, and lacquer was used to weather-proof the parts. By the end of the Heian period the Japanese cuirass had arrived at the shape recognized as being distinctly samurai. Leather and or iron scales were used to construct samurai armours, with leather and eventua

Japanese armour Ō-yoroi, Kamakura period, 13th-14th century, National Treasure, Kasuga Grand Shrine. A man wearing samurai armor and jinbaori (sleeveless jacket) turns around, 2019 Japanese armour first appeared in the 4th century, as evidenced by the discovery of cuirasses and basic helmets in graves. During the Heian period(794–1185), the unique Japanese samurai armourō-yoroi and dō-maru appeared. The Japanese cuirass evolved into the more familiar style of body armour worn by the samurai known as the dō, with the use of leather straps (nerigawa) and Japanese lacquerware for weatherproofing. Leather and/or iron scales were also used to construct samurai armours, with leather and eventually kumihimo(braided silk) used to connect the individual scales (kozane) of the cuirass. The Sengoku period had created new armies of ashigaru, lightly-armoured peasant soldiers armed with long spears. Japan also began trading with European powers, principally the Portuguese Empire, which is known as the Nanban trade. Matchlock guns were sold to the Japanese in the 1500s, who rapidly improved them. These new tanegashima guns were mass-produced domestically. The combination of these two things