The12 armors exhibited in the fifth gallery represent the main type of Japanese armors produced from the 16^th to the 19^th century. Collected by Edoardo Chiossone during his stay in Japan, they have reached us complete in all their parts, and in excellent state of conservation. They are nowadays mounted on articulated wooden mannequins, which were manufactured specifically for this purpose, to restore the proportions and appearance of Edo period samurai, forming a unique feature of the Chiossone museum.

The rise of samurai class during the Heian period (794-1185) led to the birth of the so-called classical armor such as the “great armor” ōyoroi, intended for the noble commanders and horse archers. In addition, the dō-maru and haramaki a much simpler version of armors, developed in the following centuries, to be used for ground combat.

Japanese armor is composed by a helmet (kabuto), cuirass (dō), shoulder guards (sode), arms guards (kote), skirt (kusazuri), shin guards (haidate), which covered legs up to the calves (suneate), after completed by foot protections (kōgate).

To protect the face, Japanese armours usually include armor masks (mempo).

​These armors can be described as lamellar, since all the protective parts are composed of sane, which are thin leather or iron elongated plates. These were pierced allowing the passage of laces (odoshi) to join together the different parts.

​To improve the resistance of the local components, every plate was lacquered on the bottom, creating a firm horizontal line (sane-ita) and then laced through the holes created in the upper section of the sane.

The materials used for the laces (odoshi) were usually silk, cotton, leather or hemp.

During the Warring States Period, (Sengoku jidai, 1468-1568) due to the high demand for armors and the diffusion of pointed weapons and firearms, a simpler and more resistant type of armor began to be preferred.  The cuirasses of this era were built with two large iron plates or iron riveted strips. thus, the modern armor known as tōsei gusoku spread.

In the Edo period (1600-1868), according to the end of internal conflicts, the country had been unified under the supreme general (shōgun) securing a long period of peace and stability. This condition, ensured by the military government (bakufu) of the Tokugawa family led to the end of the necessity to fight, and also that of effective protective equipment; therefore, the armor became markedly ornamental with fancy elaborate accessories, as the very unique showy helmets called (kawari kabuto).

​The armors produced in this period however imitate the (tōsei gusoku) however without a concrete defensive function. It was not used in battle but during military parades or in high representation events, which saw the presence of the shōgun or the Emperor. The collection of armors preserved at the museum come from this later period and reproduces its characteristics. The excellent state of conservation and the completeness of the parts, suggest that they weren’t used in battle, while the refined and precious decorative elements and materials, underline the important social and economic status of the military aristocracy.

​Later, on during Meiji period (1868-1912) the military government was dismissed and transformed into a modern country, progressively abandoning the military symbols including the armor. In this period, classical armors were reproduced in both ōyoroi and tōsei gusoku style exclusively for internal collection or for export purposes.