,[1] properly called, is training armour used primarily in the Japanese martial art of kendo,[2] [3] with variants used for jūkendō, tankendo, and naginata.
During the Edo period (1603-1868) the use of real swords for training purposes was discouraged due to injuries, with wooden practice swords in the form of and were often used instead. To further reduce injuries, practice armour based on traditional samurai armor was developed, with this practice armour being the basis for the modern .[4]
The word consists of two parts:, meaning "protect" or "defend," and, meaning "equipment" or "tool."[2] A set of has four components:[2] [3]
A fifth component, (shin protectors, or greaves), are worn by naginatajutsu practitioners.
The protects the face, neck, and shoulders. It consists of a facemask with several horizontal metal bars running the entire width of the face, from the chin to the top of the head. To this is attached a long rectangular thick cloth padding that curves over the top of the head and extends to cover the shoulders. A throat protector is attached to the bottom of the facemask. The is held in place with a pair of woven cords that wrap around the head and are tied at the back. The back of the is left open for ventilation and the back of the head is unprotected. The target areas of the are the centre top, and upper left and right sides for cutting strikes and the centre of the throat protector for a thrust.[5]
The are mitten-like gloves. They were designed expressly for kendo. While appearing to be cumbersome, enough mobility is allowed to grip the in a comfortable, powerful, and firm way. for naginatajutsu practitioners have a singulated index finger and thumb to better facilitate the rapid shifting of the hands along the length of the 's shaft. have a little less padding than those used for kendo. In the past, were often made with fully articulated fingers. This is rarely seen today as there can be a safety issue with snagged fingers. A special heavily padded design known as are used by some, most notably Itto-ryu. The target area is the wrist portion of each .
The main component of the is the gently-curving stomach and chest protector. The modern form has a pronounced bulge to help direct the force of strikes away from the soft areas in the middle of the torso. Lacquered bamboo is traditionally used although lacquered paper 'fibre' (frequently misidentified as fiberglass) or moulded plastic are used for less expensive . The is supported from the shoulders by two diagonal ties and is restrained at the small of the back with another set of ties. The target areas of the are the two lower sides for a slashing cut to the stomach. The top half of the is a valid target for a thrust in naginata. In the past, this was also a valid target for a thrust in Kendo.
The is a thick cloth belt that wraps around the waist and ties under the front flap in front of the groin. Sturdy cloth covered flaps hang from the belt to protect the upper legs and groin. The flaps run along half of the belt's length, which should be positioned over the front half of the body. The centre flap is usually covered with a name tag— or —that identifies the name of the wearer and the or country they represent. There is no target point on, it is for protection against off-target and accidental strikes.