Manchira (満智羅) - Japanese Auxiliary Armor

Manchira (満智羅) - Japanese Auxiliary Armor

A section taken by the 島原の乱図屏風 showing a warrior wearing a manchira.

Today I want to talk with a brief article of one of the most important, and yet overlooked, Japanese armor piece found on late Japanese armor usually referred as tōsei gusoku (当世具足).
The manchira (which can also be written 満智羅, 満散,満乳羅 or 摩牟知羅), also known as manjūwa (饅頭輪), mantōwa (満頭輪) or kataōi (肩被) is essentially an armored vest that was used either as a standalone armor or as a form of chest protector to be worn under or over the main breastplate, the dō (胴).

A sketch made by me showing cuirass plus manchira configuration.

For those who are familiar with European armor, this item functioned both as a form of arming doublets with integrated voiders or as a form of "mail" shirt.
As I've written in my detailed analysis of tōsei gusoku (当世具足) armor, this piece of equipment was actually used to cover the gaps that might be left uncovered by the main solid and rigid armor pieces.
The lack of this item in many armors of the period has created the myth that Japanese armor was somewhat open in vital spots (like the frontal armpit, the armpits or the side of the throat).
However, the manchira was one of the main piece mentioned in the Tanki Yoriaku Hi Ko Ben - 単騎被甲辨, a later Edo period book on how 16th century warriors shall be armed.

A type of manchira (more often than not called manju no wa in this configuration) from the 単騎被甲辨. 

The idea of covering gaps in Japanese armor development could be reliably dated back to the early 14th century, where we can read through the Taiheiki (太平記) that mail shirt and voiders were used to cover the armpits and other areas left unprotected by the main suits of the period.

This might be explained that the latest encounter with the Yuan army and the turmoils of the late 13th and early to mid 14th century lead Japanese warfare to be much more focused on close quarter combat than before.

A type of manchira with both kikko and mail armor.

Dr. Y. Sasama in his works states that the manchira was a development that has to find its root in the European influences of the 16th century ( Nanban trade - 南蛮).
While it's true that European influences on period's armor shouldn't be overlooked, I beg to differ with Dr. Sasama in this matter.
As we can read through the Taiheiki, the whole concept of using auxiliary armor wasn't new to the Japanese, and similar proto-manchira in the form of mail shirt were actually worn already by the 14th century.
Moreover, a similar but less comprehensive armor compoment used to cover specifically the armpit gap, the wakibiki, was already in used as well before the Nanban trade.

A vest-like type of manchira.

So I don't think there are enough reasons to believe that the European kickstarted the development of such piece, but rather that the distinctive look of some types of manchira were indeed based on the clothes of the Europeans of the time.
In fact while more austere and practical manchira existed, some were arguably akin to sleveless shirt and often sported a ruff collar which testify the influence of European fashion.
In fact, around this period, wearing exotic armor pieces was indeed a fashion statement that has its own specific tradition.
This might also explain the fact that the word itself - manchira, sounds like the Spanish word mantilla, which was a type of garments worn by the first European that arrived in Japan. If anything, it was definitely a fashion influence rather than a practical one.
 

A classic type of manchira to be worn in conjuction with a breastplate. The armor is hidden between textile layers

There are essentially two types of manchira; one that works as auxiliary armor, so it is shorter and usually only cover the gaps of the armor (these version is frequently called manju no wa), although shirt-like versions should belong to this category as well, and one that is intended to be worn as a standalone armor, easy to conceal under ordinary clothes, so it is longer and usually covers the entire torso.
A manchira becames an armored katabira  if sleeves are included: in fact, the former usually only covers the upper shoulder rather than the entire arms.
There is also another types of manchira which is rather unique - the nanban manchira (南蛮満智羅), which essentially consist of European inspired gorget to be worn over the cuirass.

A rather simple and small nanban manchira.

Given the fact that it was supposed to be flexible in order to fit under the armor, the manchira was usually made of kikkōgane, hexagonal plates, karutagane connected with mail, mail (kusari - 鎖) or a combination of both. More often than not it was slightly padded and covered with silks or textile which was decorated and embellished, especially when it was supposed to be worn alone.

A standalone type manchira armor.

It has been discussed quite a lot if the type 1 was meant to be worn under or over the cuirass and the actual consesus is that both interpretation were used by the warriors of the period.
Moreover, during the Azuchi-momoyama period a kote with an integrated manchira-like collar was developed, the so-called Tominaga-sashinuki-gote (富永指貫籠手).
Occasionally, the manchira and back part was split again and equipped with hooks and toggles and an additional cord. This allowed the wearer a better adjustment of the kote by the same protection and he was also able to wear only one part. In order to make a putting on faster and easier, the toggles were usually pre-connected.

Tominaga gote with integrated manchira.

Thank you for the reading and your attention, I hope this article was an informative one! Please feel free to leave a comment and share the article.

Gunbai