Yoroi & Katchu -Samurai Armour
Samurai armour is referred to as either as yoroi 鎧or as katchu 甲冑.
Yoroi and Katchu mean basically the same thing, however, yoroi is usually used to refer to the older Heian and Kamakura period armours known as O-Yoroi, while katchu is commonly used in respect to Sengoku and Edo period armours. Katchu in particular refers to the kabuto or helmet and the body armour together as a set.
Some sources refer to armour as gusoku, being a broader term for Japanese armour, both cuirass armour and helmets. The term is derived from gusoku (具足), which literally means “fully equipped”, and refers basically to equipment for the protection of the head, body, arms, hands and legs. This term was used from the Kamakura period (1185-1333) onwards.
In a narrower sense, gusoku refers to a form or style of armour of the early modern period. (as an abbreviated name for modern armor) that appeared from the Sengoku period onwards, in particular the Tousei Gusoku, or modern armour and other styles such as the Nanban Gusoku, or Barbarian (i.e. Western) armour based on the equally iconic armours of the visiting Spanish and Portuguese.
Other armour parts and accessories were referred to as called ko-gusoku. In the Muromachi period, large bows and arrows and naginata pole arms were sometimes referred to as “O- gusoku” or Big Gusoku. Gusoku also meant “tools” or “accessories” and such as, Ba-gusoku meant horse harnesses and accessories, while san-gusoku and go-gusoku referred to a Buddhist priests implements.
Interestingly, prawns and crabs boiled in their shells are called gusoku-ni (具足煮). Some crustaceans and isopods were called 'gusoku-mushi', literally “bugs in armour”, their shells being likened to armour. Samurai would serve such fare deeming it auspicious.
Interestingly, while counting samurai armour, sets are referred to as ryo, as in ichi-ryo, ni-ryo, san-ryo.
Thank you, Chris. More and more I believe that "kogsuoku" in the bujutsu means "small weapons/blades/implements" from the Muromachi usage and not "small armor."