While doing some research on Japanese armor I have read several accounts from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s from
Westerners in Japan who have described seeing samurai wearing a "coat of mail", my question is what would they have been describing at that particular time period. They seem to have been referring to some type of European armor that they were familiar with but what would that have been?

Here is an example>http://books.google.com/books?id=RdQyAAAAIAAJ...mp;f=false

from :Japan: a compilation of miscellaneous articles from various periodicals ...Volume 2 of Japan: A Compilation of Miscellaneous Articles from Various Periodicals, Published 1904, Original from the University of California
Digitized May 12, 2007

Quote:

The troops that I have seen in Japan were clothed in a coat of mail, with hats of paper, Japanned, broad-rimmed, low-crowned, and close fitting to the head.

Here is another>http://books.google.com/books?id=2i0PAAAAYAAJ...mp;f=false

from:Japan: historical and descriptive, Author Charles Henry Eden, Publisher M. Ward, 1877, Original from the New York Public Library, Digitized Oct 12, 2007

Quote:

The army has already almost completely abandoned the helmet, the coat of mail, and the heavy sabres-in fact, all the military attire of the feudal times.

Here is a 19th century samurai in actual mail armor on the far right:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationaalarchief/3774080165/

The writers may have meant armor like in the photo. Alternatively, being that they wrote in 1904 and 1877, they may have meant mail as a general word for armour (as in the Victorian usage of plate mail, chain mail, etc., "coat of mail" could just mean any armour.). I think the latter case is probably most likely. In any case, some samurai did wear a form of mail as the primary defense in feudal Japan, at some point. In the case of the photograph, I believe it's just standard butted 4 in 1 sewn onto a backing garment.

Here is a closeup of a similar armored garment:

http://www.the-kura.com/items/98761/en1store.html

At the time "mail" was just a generic term for metal armour. It could be anything from a solid breastplate to lamellar. If the text was talking specifically about mail then it would use "chain mail".

Thanks Joshua and Dan, it does appear that plate armor may not be included in a catch all of "coat of mail" as in this list of acquired Japanese armor items dated 1896

A Description of Indian and Oriental Armour, Wilbraham Egerton Egerton (Earl), Publisher W. H. Allen & co., limited, 1896
Original from Harvard University, Digitized Jun 14, 2007

http://books.google.com/books?id=WXcDAAAAYAAJ...mp;f=false

Quote:

#170. shirt of plate mail, made of papier mache, lined with silk brocade. #171. Gauntlets of plate and chain mail.