Japanese Armour on European Battlefields?

[John Wee Tom]

We all know the tremendous influence that European culture, aesthetics and technology had on the development of Japanese armour (so-called "Nanban" or "Southern Barbarian" items). We also know of examples of actual European arms and armour being used in Japan. However, what about the other way around?

In reading through the English translation of the famous book on Japanese armour masks entitled "Katchu Men" by Kazuo Iida, I came across this very curious statement:

What is also interesting is that Japanese armourers made helmets with armour masks for export which were used on European battlefields.

Unfortunately, this statement was left dangling, with no other reference or extrapolation in the rest of the text. Does anyone know of specific examples of Japanese armour being used in European battles?

[Richard Jones]

John,
Interesting question, with regards to Japanese arms and armour exported to the West the only thing that I can think of are artefacts made in Sawasa, an alloy of copper, gold and arsenic (Shakudo). There are many examples of hilts for small swords made from this alloy during the 17th and 18th century, they were patinated or lacquered black with details highlighted in mercurial gold. These though were not mass produced items for the battlefield but very high level pieces of fashionable exotica.

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[Luc Taelman]

I have seen several European armors with a visor that could have been inspired by a menpo (with a bit of imagination), but a real Japanese menpo or other part of a Japanese armor incorporated in a European armor? never seen....
But I know there was a tendency a time ago among some Japanese that the cabasset or even morion were designed after the Japanese momonari. This theory was rather inspired by chauvinism than by objective approach I suppose.

[Piers Dowding]

Ian Bottomley has researched a Japanese sword that was maybe used during the English Civil War 1642-1651.

If the Dutch were using Japanese samurai mercenaries to capture SE Asian Spanish colonies in the early 1600s, then surely they would be among the ones to ask?

[Arthur Goetz]

Not sure if this contributes in anyway to the discussion, but since my family are all artists it's something I came across.

Harmen Steenwyck, the painter here, was alive in the first half of the 17th century.

http://jur.byu.edu/?p=23867