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The Japanese Helmet (Kabuto)
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Form Follows Function ?
The Kabuto (Japanese Helmet) is the crown upon the Samurai’s
Armor. The pinnacle of technical and artistic skill and must be considered the
central focus of the entire armor. Kabuto were considered of prime importance
and thus the armorer lavished his greatest attentions upon it, much to the
delight of today's discerning collectors.
Together with the Menpo (Face Armor) it forms the most recognizable and eye-catching feature of the
Yoroi (The full body and head protection of the
Japanese warrior class).
Japanese history is a long one and one of the aspects is its military prowess.
On first sight and certainly in later Edo period examples of “Kawari Kabuto” it
sounds impossible to apply the idea "form follows function" or sometimes to find
any functionality at all in these helmets.
The idea “Form Follows Function” comes from the American L.
 Sullivan (c. 1900)
and was mainly applied on architecture. Le Corbusier's adaptation (1930): "the
plan is the architect" and the comment by Frank Lloyd Wright: "Form and function
should be one, joined in a spiritual union" already comes closer to Japanese
Kabuto.
The kabuto when complete in all its splendor is almost an architectural feature
and the functions for Kabuto varied during times. Adaptations to new weapons (firearms) and the use during periods of peace gave the opportunity to rise to
extreme forms.
Japanese Kabuto Makers may call themselves the inventors of the “functionalist
movement” and very much inventors of “spiritual union”.
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Kabuto 02 兜
