Western Army 'Ashigaru' Archer Reaching for An Arrow, The Battle of Sekigahara, 1600--single standing figure
$55.00
Future Release
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Item Number: SW001
Western Army 'Ashigaru' Archer Reaching for An Arrow, The Battle of Sekigahara, 1600
This Ashigaru Archer wears the typical body armour of a Japanese foot soldier of this feudal period. Relatively inexpensive to produce, it consisted of a simple 'cuirass' of lacquered metal to cover the chest and back areas. Cloth sleeves were padded with integral splints of the same metal or hardened bamboo sewn on top or the outside of the garment. Below the waist, a split armoured apron surrounded the lower body protecting the soldier's private parts, thighs, and backside. Lower down were the loose fitting leggings, complete with metal or bamboo shin guards.
One of the most striking features of Japanese armour of this era was the 'Sashimono', a long banner worn from a cross bar and pole arrangement attached to the back of some Ashigaru's armour. These banners were often marked with the family crest or symbol of the particular commander or Samurai leading that unit.
‘SEKIGAHARA 1600’
In the year 1600, after 150 years of perpetual warfare, Japan’s warlords united behind two rival factions triggered by the death of the great warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The two contenders for power were Ishida Mitsunari and Tokugawa leyasu. Their contest was finally settled by a huge force of arms in a small mountain valley in central Japan. By the end of that day, on 21 October 1600, 40,000 corpses from both armies lay dead across the grass of the small valley, as Tokugawa leyasu became the undisputed master of Japan.
Within three short years, the Emperor himself would grant him the ultimate title he sought… Shogun.
This particular battle and the warriors who fought it are the focus of this colouful new and exciting King & Country series that captures the unique military style and fighting techniques of medieval Japan along with the Samurai and Ashigaru warriors who took part in this mighty struggle.
A WORD ABOUT THE ‘ASHIGARU’
In medieval Japan, the great mass of low-ranking foot soldiers were known as ‘Ashigaru’, or ‘light feet’, and began to be adopted into the ranks of most feudal-period Samurai armies towards the end of the 15th century.
Very rudimentary sets of basic designs of armour known as ‘Okashi Gosuka’ or ‘Light Armour’ were often produced in bulk to be issued to these ‘warriors on foot’. Among their primary weapons were long lances or spears, called ‘Yari’, which could be as long as nine feet in length. Other large formations of ‘Ashigaru’ were comprised almost exclusively of ‘Arquebusiers’, a matchlock predecessor of the musket, and, of course, ‘Archers’. In addition to their primary weapon, virtually every ‘Ashigaru’ also carried a long sword (called a ‘Tachi’ or ‘Katana’) and sometimes also a smaller sword called a ‘wakizashi’.
Here is just the first small installment of our fighting ‘Ashigaru’ warriors belonging to the ‘Western Army’ of Ishido Mitsunari (1560-1600)..
Due to be released in MAY 2026.
