{"title":"Menpō — Samurai Face Masks","description":"\u003cp\u003eJapanese armor is the only major armoring tradition that made a face. Not a visor, not a grille — a face, with an expression, chosen by the man who wore it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003emenpō\u003c\/em\u003e protected the lower face and gave the helmet cords something to bind against, but its real function was psychological. A drawn mouth, bared teeth, a moustache of horsehair, a nose that could be removed and swapped: this was a warrior deciding what he wanted to look like to the person in front of him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur masks are shaped, lacquered inside and out, and fitted with removable nosepieces and a throat guard (\u003cem\u003eyodare-kake\u003c\/em\u003e) where the form calls for one. The interior is traditionally finished in red lacquer — historically to flatter the wearer's complexion, and today because it still looks better than anything else.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForms available include \u003cem\u003eressei\u003c\/em\u003e (fierce), \u003cem\u003eryūbu\u003c\/em\u003e (calm and dignified), \u003cem\u003eōkina\u003c\/em\u003e (the old man), and the partial \u003cem\u003ehanbō\u003c\/em\u003e covering chin and jaw only.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA mask changes a suit more than any other single component. If you own armor that feels somehow unfinished, this is usually the reason.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"url":"https:\/\/armourbuy.com\/collections\/menpo-samurai-face-masks.oembed","provider":"ARMOURBUY","version":"1.0","type":"link"}