Ressei Menpo
Gashira Class Stock

This Ressei Menpo is in stock, sold as is and ready to ship as seen.  Finished with Black Suna and features Crimson Suna accent plate on tare (throat guard).  Embellished with quality black and red odoshi. The matching kabuto, menpo, sode, kote, haidate and suneate are also available in limited quantity and on sale now. Sale Ends 04/30/20.

The Ressei Menpo (or me no shita men) is a mengu (face armor) worn by samurai warrior which featured a ressei (fierce) face.  This menpo is a direct Gendai reproduction of an original, which features a kuchi hige (mustache), shiwa (facial wrinkles), odayori ore kugi (posts), hana (detachable nose guard) and tare (throat guard).

History: The menpo was traditionally used not only to protect the face in battle, but to help hold the cords of the kabuto (helmet) to the warrior’s head, while providing protection from the shinobi-no-o (kabuto rope).  The shinobi–no-o would typically tie around the ore kugi (L shaped post), located on the menpo cheeks and then down under the chin.  The menpo could have a cord, which tied over the crown of the warriors head, and/or could be tied to the shinobi-no-o, to be secured to the samurai warrior’s face.

Our menpo, like all of our armor, are full sized and functional. It can fit your existing kabuto or looks great displayed by itself with one of our Menpo Display Stands, worn for decoration, at a re-enactment or as part of a costume.

Features: Traditional design.

• Sold as seen.
• Traditional Design.
• In Stock.

This is an in stock item and will ship within 3 to 4 days from date of order.

References:  “The Samurai Armour Glossary” by Ian Bottomley & David Thatcher  /  “The Watanabe Art Museum Samurai Armour Collection Volume 1: Kabuto & Mengu” By Trevor Absolon