Tatenashi: The Legendary Armor that Embodies the Pride and Spirit of the Samurai

Kandaten Shrine

(Kōshū City, Yamanashi Prefecture)

【Tatenashi（楯無）】 is a samurai armor that has been a spiritual and aesthetic symbol of samurai. As its name suggests, “Tatenashi” literally means “no shield,” implying that the armor had defensive strength and complete that it needed no additional defense.

This armor is said to belong to one of the founding figures of a prominent samurai lineage. Possessing it was seen as proof of being a legitimate and direct descendant of that house. The Tatenashi was passed down and became a treasured heirloom of the Takeda clan, one of the most powerful forces during the Sengoku (Warring States) period, in what is now Yamanashi Prefecture. This armor was not worn in battle; rather, it was revered as a sacred object, placed in the military camp as a symbol of the war god and prayed to for victory.

Today, this legendary suit of armor is enshrined at Kandaten Shrine, a small Shinto shrine in Yamanashi Prefecture. It is only made available for public viewing once every few years. Housed quietly inside a modest shrine surrounded by trees, it features a breastplate decorated with a lion and peony motif, and its iron helmet is fitted with prominent guards extending from both sides to protect the face from sword strikes.

Samurai warriors, bearing the fate of their clans on the battlefield, must have prayed to this armor with deep sincerity. Its aged appearance reflects the many battles it has witnessed over the centuries. Even now, the dignified presence of the armor inspires a deep sense of reverence. Visitors approach the shrine one by one, quietly admiring its beauty and aura. 

Interestingly, this sacred artifact is not kept in the Takeda clan’s castle, but at a small local shrine, northeast of Kofu City, the historical capital of this area. It is said that the armor was placed there for the spiritual protection of the clan’s domain—specifically to guard the northeast, which was considered an inauspicious direction known as the ‘demon gate’ in traditional Japanese beliefs. Although the Takeda clan eventually met its end in war, Tatenashi has continued to be cherished as a famed and culturally significant treasure.

Recognized today as a National Treasure of Japan, Tatenashi is truly a cultural heritage that embodies the pride and spirit of the samurai who lived through turbulent times.

If your timing does not allow you to view the original armor at the shrine, you can still appreciate a reproduced version at the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum. With its restored original colors, gleaming metal fittings, and intact components, it evokes the image of a samurai standing on a battlefield wearing it.