Sanada Yukimura’s “Red Armor” that made renowned warriors tremble at first sight

The intimidating effect of Yukimura’s “Red Armor” that frightened the Tokugawa forces

According to the “Osaka Gojin Yamaguchi Kyuanbanashi” and “Yamamoto Diary,” Yukimura and his brother Daisuke set up camp at Mt. Chausuyama near Osaka Castle, and at that time, they were clad in “Red Armor.” So, what kind of armor is the “Red Armor”?

First of all, the “Red Armor” was initially used by Obu Toramasa, a retainer of the Takeda clan, and later adopted by Yamagata Masakage. When the Takeda’s cavalry, dressed in vivid red armor, charged into battle, it had a significant visual impact, and the enemy was filled with terror. Originally, the “Red Armor” seems to have originated from the Takeda clan and was not an exclusive patent of the Sanada family.

After the fall of the Takeda clan, Ii Naomasa, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Tokugawa, who accepted the former Takeda retainers, also unified their armor under the “Red Armor” and was known as the “Red Demon of Ii.” By the way, the Ii clan continued to use the “Red Armor” as their military attire until the end of the Edo period.

As mentioned above, the “Red Armor” refers to the unification of all aspects of armor, such as the helmet and body armor, in a single color of red. So, what kind of armor did Yukimura wear?

Yukimura wore a hiodoshi (armor adorned with red-dyed leather or threads) and a helmet with a front crest in the shape of deer antlers and a white bear crest with a yaku (hair from the tail of a yak) attached. His prized horse, Kawahara-ke (a white horse with a tinge of decayed leaf color, black mane and tail, and black streaks on its back), had a saddle adorned with a gold-trimmed wheel. 

The saddle bore the Sanada family’s emblem, the Rokurensen (six coins), and was adorned with thick red cords called kou. With such a striking bright red military attire, Yukimura (or the army led by Yukimura) would have been recognized at a glance from afar.

Currently, there are many folding screen paintings depicting the Siege of Osaka, and Yukimura’s remarkable achievements during the battle are prominently depicted. His “Red Armor” had a significant effect in intimidating the Tokugawa forces. Even in his later years, when Yukimura had white hair and missing teeth, he still stood out on the battlefield.

The soldiers of the Echizen Matsudaira clan, who had gathered seasoned warriors, were said to tremble in fear when they saw Yukimura’s “Red Armor” resembling a blooming field of red azaleas. According to the “Budo Hennen Shusei,” Matsudaira Tadanao jokingly remarked while eating pickled vegetables, “Once you’ve had a meal, you won’t fall into the realm of hungry ghosts, so it’s easy to overcome even the mountains of imminent death.”

Written by Watanabe Daimon

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