Meaning of The Samurai Mask

”Men-bo” Battle facial shields for Samurai

Did you know that Samurai in the past wore masks? These masks that the Samurai wore were called “Men-bo”.
Men-bo has many variety of styles like mask type and it also models human emotions such as anger, smile.It seems to have reasons for the designing and modeling of unique facial shields Men-bo.

On this page, we will introduce Menbo’s history and its types. And you will find the series of Japanese famous Samurai’s ones including how to wear it.

Let’s see the details of Men-bo!

What is Men-bo?

Men-bo is used as a part of Samurai’s face protection at the battlefield called “Kassen”.

Men-bo is made from metal and leather, so its strength enables Samurai to prevent arrow and sword attacks. 

As a mainly roll of Men-bo is a face protection against physically attacks like arrows and sword, however, some of Men-bo has much more unique rolls without just for the face protection at Kassen. Showing variety of facial expressions might give enemy fake informations. Sometimes Menbo shows anger to fear enemies and smiling to exude afford against enemies. Men-bo has a unique aspect of showing fake facial expressions and intimidation to have mentally advantages against enemies.

Such an important facial protection Men-bo has been born with the begging of history of Samurai. Late of Heian era(ac.794〜1185), Menbo was born and many Samurai has started wearing it from Muromachi era to Azuchimomoyama era.

The early version of Men-bo, however, has been shaped to protect only forehead and cheeks. Through the centuries, Menbo has been changed its shape and size, and newly ones emerged gradually.

Men-bo has been prevailed around in 16th century, a new type of Menbo that covers under half of face(Menoshita bo) has been emerged and this type being most famous Men-bo among Samurais.

Types of Men-bo

 Men-bo has been changed its styles and developed through the years. Largely, Men-bo can be categorized into 5 types. 

Hankubi

 This type is the first model of Men-bo so it’s called as an “Origin of Menbos”.

 This one is shaped like an upside down of U letter to protect from forehead to cheeks. It’s mainly made from metal and some of them are patterned also.

 However, front of face and jaw are not protected so this type’s defensive strength is not well. This type’s Menbos are not remained recently without ones that were made for folk art in 17th century.

Hitai-ate

 Hitai-ate is just made for protection of Hitai(forehead). This type was invented to protect only forehead after type Hankubi had been varnished.

Han-bo

 This protection is shaped U letter like an upside down of Hankubi also reversing it. Han-bo protects from cheeks to jaw parts. Some models have additional parts to protect throat are called Suga. This additional one improved the strength around jaw and throat which are likely to be aimed.

Han-bo can be categorized into 3 models Sarubo, Tubakurobo, Kagabo. 

Menoshita-bo 

Menoshita-bo had been used from Murowachi era(1336-1573) to Azuchimomoyama era(1568- around 1600). This type is known as a mask type that protect under half of face.

This type has distinct differences between Han-bo shaped like U letter. Attachable nose protection(removable also) has been mounted thus defensive strength of front of head was improved.

Menoshita-bo has some variety of facial emotions can describe anger, smiling. Moreover, shaped animal face and Tengu(Japanese traditional existence). These unique facial emotion types were invented.

The most famous facial emotion among Samurais were called “Ressei-men”. This type describe anger emotions and some version has beard and tooth. Ressei-men was suitable to frighten enemies with its facial emotion.

Sou-men

 Sou-men is like a mask type protection to protect full face. Throat protection(Suga) is mounted under jaw. Thus this type can cover whole of face and throat so the defensive strength has been improved.

Maybe we are likely to assume that Sou-men is most suitable one as a Men-bo. However, it’s not as much as famous for Samurai because it’s made from metal and also made it impossible to see around well. That’s how Sou-men turned into folk art just for seeing in peace period Edo era(17th〜).

Who used the Men-bo?

What kind of Menbo did the famous Samurais use? Now, we will give you introduction about 4 famous Samurai’s Men-bo.

Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga is one of the most famous Samurai in mid 16th century which is called as a Sengoku-jidai. His introduction of new politics and military strategies are so much famous that He is known for the innovative person. He likes new things so that he import many goods from abroad like cloak and globe with his interesting.

His metal helmet called “Konitoodosiguumarumaru-gusoku” doesn’t have Men-bo.

However, in the famous battlefield painting “Nagashino-kassen-zubyoubu”, Nobunaga’s Men-bo has been described in it. This painting describes the returning after Nobunaga’s victory of battle. In this painting, one of his men is raising his metal helmet with Men-bo.

This helmet is “Toujingasa-no-kabuto” that is shaped the center of protuberant in red color.There is a powerful Men-bo with widely shaped eyes and mouth under the helmet. Oda Nobunaga was likely to use Sou-men to hide full face.

Actually, we can see the similar helmet and Men-bo at Kawagoe history museum in saitama prefecture. 

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a retainer of Oda Nobunaga and after the death of Nobunaga, he archived unification of Japan. One of Hideyoshi’s full armor is called “Iroiroodoshinimani-dougusoku”.

This full body armor is colored with red, dark blue, gold. This colorful painted body armor describes that Hideyoshi likes gaudy items. This helmet is said that Hideyoshi used when “Dispatch of troops to Korea” broke out after the unification. There is remaining which describes Hideyoshi putting this helmet on the painting.

The Men-bo attached to this helmet is categorized as a Menoshita-bo which covers under the half of face including nose to jaw. This Menoshita-bo is Ressei-men that was most famous Men-bo in that time. This Ressei-men has so powerful shape with sharp wrinkles on cheeks, angry face, white beard.

Additionally, this helmet is taller than others and has white hair decorations. This white hair is expensive and luxury import item from Indian Yaku a kind of cow.

This combination including admirable helmet and frightening face’s Menoshita-bo much exude the dignified coolness of Hideyoshi who archived unification of Japan.

Tokugawa Ieyasu

In 1603, Tokugawa Ieyasu took a office as a next leader and started peaceful reign period called Edo era(1603〜1858) .

 “Kindami-gusoku” is a golden full body armor(Including helmet and body armor) that Ieyasu used to use when he was teenager.

It’s said that he used this full body armor and fought in “Oodakajyouhyourouire” during the battle of Okehazama.

This full body armor literally glitters in gold. He must have stood out in the battlefield. He put Han-bo a type of Men-bo that protect from jaw to cheeks under his golden tall helmet.

Actually, this Han-bo is colored by golden too. It’s shape is apparently simple but decorated by ornament like a weaving.

This Han-bo was called “Tsubakura-bo” because of its shape like a flying bird described. And 3 panels were set under the Han-bo to protect around throat and neck.

Honda Tadakatsu

Honda Tadakatsu is known for great strong Samurai even numbered in fourth of Ieyasu’s retainers. His power even remained a legendary story that he has never been wounded during the 57 battles.

 And his full body armor called “Kuroitoodoshidotmaru-Gusoku” is colored blacked and has a powerful helmet modeled deer. Under the helmet, there is a black Han-bo with Suga to protect jaw and cheeks. This one looks heavy helmet however, it actually made for lighten type  like deer horn made from Japanese paper. Han-bo was chosen to lighten the whole of armor weight and area to make it possible to move easily. This why his Men-bo protects only cheeks and jaw.

 This facts reveals that bravely Honda Tadakatsu used powerful and lightened armor.

The history of Samurai’s Men-bo

Hankubi made in Heian era

History of Men-bo dates back to 1000 years ago. The origin of Men-bo is suggested invent in late Heian era. 

Samurais who are getting power around late Heian era started using a Japanese originated new type of full body armor(Kacchuu) . As a part of new style of armor, Hankubi was made for protecting face.

Hankubi mainly protects from forehead to cheeks and this is called original style of Men-bo.

Perhaps, Men-bo might not be useful against attack from forward. However, Men-bo can make it more strength to protect against attack from side. Even a poor soldiers can’t afford to use helmet, Men-bo was likely to be used by some poor soldiers.

After all, facial protections have been developed and protection for only forehead which removes the Hankubi’s both side of armor can be seen through the years. However, as the development of helmet enables to protect whole of forehead, Hitai-Ate was getting vanished little by little.

Appearance of Han-bo with mask type

Men-bo has changed its style greatly from late Kamakura era in 14th century to Nanbokucho era for the reason that a new battle style has been emerged.

An old battle style was 1 on 1 fighting with riding horses was normally but, a new style becomes many on many by great number of infantries.

In a closed battle with sword and spears, Samurais gradually changed tactics to aim at face around jaw and throat.

That’s how armors have been changed lightened styles and mask type of Men-bo “Han-bo” has been invented.

Han-bo is a protection that shaped like an upside down of Hankubi and it protects jaw and cheeks instead of protecting forehead. As an additional item, Suga which is composed of panels was attached to protect around the throat sometimes.

Protection of jaw and throat have been improved, however, it’s not enough for Samurai to protect their face. Nose and mouth are still exposed outside. For protecting whole of face, Sou-men that protects whole of face has been emerged. This full helmet can cover all the face parts. In addition, eyes and mouth parts are opened so Samurai can see outside and fight easily with putting Sou-men on.

With an invent of Sou-men, high defensive Men-bo has finally been completed.

However, Ones Samurais started using Sou-men, they have found that it’s quiet difficult to fight with putting Sou-men on because of its heavyweight and hardness to see outside during the battle. For these difficulty, Sou-men gradually disappeared in the battlefield.

The best seller of Men-bo “Menoshita-bo” during Great battle periods

In a great battle period called Muromachi era, mask type of Men-bo called “Menoshita-bo” which protects under half of face was invented. Menoshita-bo has distinct difference from Han-bo in terms of defensive area.

Menoshita-bo made it easy to protect against forward attacks with protection of nose and attachable nose. This functions are useful for Samurai.

For all of these functions, Menoshita-bo can be said that really balanced Men-bo through the long history of Samurai and experiences. As an another function of Menoshita-bo, it hides the half of face so Samurais can deceive enemy with hiding facial impressions.

It’s sometimes used to frighten enemy and hide who they are. 

For example, one retainer wear general’s full body armor and pretended to being his general. It’s called “kagemusha”. For above of reasons, Menoshita-bo often use to deceive enemy and this tactics were most used in Muromachi era and Azuchimomoyama era.

After the Ieyasu’s peaceful reign started in 17th century, Japan has entered peaceful period that’s called Edo era. As the battles and conflicts getting disappeared, Men-bo has been disappeared too.

In a peaceful Edo era, Samurais started treating as an expensive folk art and kept keeping it with carefully as an treasure of house. That’s how owning powerful and gorgeous body armors turned into a status for Samurai.

Armor and Men-bo producers(Kacchuusi) kept making much originated Men-bo with nice looking and gorgeous decorations. They have also kept producing Hankubi and Sou-men with nice decorations even after these services finished.

How to make Men-bo?

Do you want to get a cool samurai’s Men-bo and feel like Samurai?

On this page, we will give you an instruction how to make Men-bo with papers and clay that everyone can make it easily! We also show you how the real craftsmen make Men-bo and how to put it on later.

How to make Men-bo based on mask

Firstly, let’s see how to make Men-bo with party goods. It’s really easy way to add and color the foundation with paper clay.

Ingredients

・Mask(Party goods are good)

・Scissors

・Light paper clay

・Paints to add colors

・Varnish

Steps

• Prepare for the party masks. Please choose a similar one that you want to make. Cut the upper half of mask(Upper eyes) with following your shape of face.
• Knead clay well and put it in places of nose and mouth. In addition, please put it where you want to inflate and remold the shape of clay. Let’s model a nice one!
• After clay is dried, stick the seam between the clay with glue.
• Last step is adding colors and patterns, painting vanish and that’s all! Please paint vanish with stretch thin over and over.

How to make with pattern paper

Secondly, let’s see how to make Men-bo with pattern paper. This type is also easy to make because we just need to prepare pattern paper and paper clay.

It’s really fun to model favorite shape. Now it’s time to make nice one!

Ingredients

・Cardboard

・Scissor

・Light paper clay

・Modeling paste(Optional)

・Paints

・Thread or rubber band

・Vanish

Steps

• Make a Men-bo’s pattern paper with cardboard and model it. You can cut the pattern paper follows shape of your face or reference the internet.
• Model the shape with adding light paper clay. Please put the clay as thinly as possible not to make it heavy with large clay. It takes 1〜3 days to dry the paper clay.
• Overlap modeling paste thinly to texture real metal. If you don’t have modeling paste, you can use melted paper clay alternatively.
• Add colors and patterns and past vanish. Please paint colors gradually from thin to dark. When you paste vanish, please paste it thinly over and over. After finish it, please spear both side of beside to pass the thread or rubber band.

How to make craftsman’s real Men-bo

 Real Men-bo was made from metal or leather. Craftsmen called “Kachuusi” have been producing series of armors(Kachuu). However, some Kachuusi were professional of Men-bo.

On this page, let’s see how to craft Menoshita-bo which is made from metal.

Steps

• Cut the necessary parts from steel plate such as nose and jaw.
• Smash steel plate to bend and model it. This process is used of the steel nature that stretchable and bendable after smash the steel. Remodel the shape by smashing from backside.
• Stick each steel slate parts with nail to model it. And create the wrinkles and facial impressions with hammer smashing. In order to make many wrinkles and facial impressions, use many types of hammers properly.
• Color the Men-bo and paint vanish and finish it.

How to put on Men-bo

After Men-bo has been crafted. Fundamentally, put on Men-bo with following the jaw and tighten the cord behind the head, then wear the helmet after that.

However, Menoshita-bo is so tightened too much because of its shape and sweat might gets rusty the metal. So Men-bo was made by subtle bigger and put a something cushion like a paper between the face and flame parts to make gap.

Maybe you are becoming worried that you can’t wipe sweat. However, there is a hole under the jaw(Ase-nagashi) to emit the sweat.

Conclusion

 Samurais wears armors when they fight. And one part of armor that protects face was called Men-bo.

 Men-bo has many originally ones and varieties. Sometimes it’s used for deceiving enemy. 

 Putting on Men-bo enables Samurais to feel like being something mightier.

 Why don’t you make Men-bo by yourself and feel like being Samurai?