Samurai warriors, who ruled Japan from the twelfth to the nineteenth century, wore armor to protect themselves during battles. Samurai armor developed during the Heian and Kamakura periods, and went through several design changes corresponding with the ways battles were fought. Armor in the video is from the Edo era (19th century) Sources: Absolon, Trevor. Samurai Armour: Volume I: The Japanese Cuirass. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017. “Armor Manual.” Sengoku Daimyō. https://sengokudaimyo.co

“The sharpest swords in the world.” How did generations of Japan's foremost artisans perfect the unique weapons of the samurai? “It is the samurai, and their sense of honour, that holds Japan together.” 📺 Civilisations: Rise and Fall - watch all episodes now on #iPlayer. | BBC Arts