Did they use shields in medieval Japan? This is the only samurai related thing I've ever seen with one.
>>46156388
Mainly because the primary weapons in the Japanese military were two handed spears and bows.
>>46156388
They used them in sieges quite extensively, but not very much outside of that.
>>46156388
There was a type of pavise they used, yes. Initially for archers, then later for peasant musketeers. Samurai didn't use them often, as far as I can tell, but I didn't look too deeply into it besides double checking that I recalled them even using them in the first place correctly.
They had shields 1500 years ago but what eventually became the Samurai decided shields were gay.
>>46156561
After that they only used pavise-type shield to hide their archers behind
>>46156388
Shields were used until around the (IIRC) 7th century. They fell out of use because they moved to horse archery and long two-handed pole arms.
Not exactly a lot of historical evidence as far as I know, but I'm fairly sure they used long rectangular shields during that period.
>>46156570
And occasionally up-armored peasants, I guess?
At that point the Samurai had small shields strapped to each arm anyway though.
>>46156388
Pre-700 AD or so they had personal shields, but they kinda got phased out of use after that. Bows and spears ended up dominating their warfare and there wasn't a place for them.
Samurai who were mainly horse-archers and just stapled rectangles to their shoulders instead. The infantry brought approximately door sized shields they could set up and hide behind.
Actually have a half decent answer to this one because of going to a private collector's Samurai museum recently!
acording to the curator himself japanese samurai did not like shields because the lowered mobility (and the fact that they used tiny, tiny horses..) aperantly the concept of a troy-style horse-hole on one or two sides never came to them.
to replace it the samurai used those damn big shoulderpads you tend to see on their armours. that, and the weard horse-wind bag thing their fancy/important people used.
>>46157736
detail, collector was in japan, so not some foreign wanabe (awsome collection was awsome)
Did they use maces? Axes?
>>46158874
>Axe
Ono
>mace
Kanabo/Tetsubo
>hammer
Otsuchi
I dont know, man
