Kura (saddle)

The main weapon of early samurai warfare was the yumi (bow) and the kura provided a rugged, stable, comfortable platform for shooting arrows.

The introduction of firearms in Japan in 1543 eventually led to the development of the Japanese matchlock (tanegashima) which supplanted the yumi as the weapon of choice by the samurai.

During the Edo period (1603 to 1868) horses were no longer needed for warfare and the samurai started using highly decorated kura with colored lacquers, and extensive intricate inlays and leather work.

[9] With the end of the samurai era and beginning of the Meiji period (1868–1912), non-samurai were allowed to openly ride horses and eventually the Japanese adopted saddles of styles seen in the occidental world.

[10] Kurabane is the wooden tree of the Japanese saddle which was made from red oak (kashi), the parts are connected to each other by joints and cords allowing the kurabane to flex, it has four parts, the maewa (pommel) the arched front plate, the shizuwa (cantle) the arched rear plate, these are connected by two igi (contoured side bands) which connect the maewa to the shizuwa, the igi rest on either side of the horse's spine and serve as the under frame for the leather seat (basen or kura tsubo), the igi are slotted for the stirrup straps (chikara-gawa or gekiso) to pass through.

Shita-kura or hadazuke, the twin set of double leather pads attached to the bottom of a Japanese saddle tree (kurabane).