Momonari Kabuto

Peach Shaped Samurai helmet

The Momonari Kabuto is a type of samurai helmet. It was one of the forerunners among the many different helmets that emerged in the late Sengoku period, and was particularly popular from the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the early Edo periods, being worn by many samurai regardless of rank.

The name "peach-shaped helmet" comes from the fact that the shape of the bowl resembles an upturned peach fruit. Compared with the suji kabuto, (helmets made from triangular lames to form the helmet bowl) that were popular in the Muromachi period. The style took less time and effort to make,  and was therefore suitable for mass production. The functionality and beauty of the helmet’s shape was also highly advanced and evaluated. As such, even Sengoku daimyo began to wear the style regularly throughout the early modern period. It is the most commonly used type of vegetation-inspired helmet, and it is believed that the eboshi-shaped helmet (nobleman’s cap style) was derived from the applications of this manufacturing method.