Sir Corwin,

You mentioned yesterday that you had some people who were interested in making samurai armor. Please have them email me at spearweasel@yahoo.com, I'd be happy to help them out - especially now during the summer, when I have more free time than usual. I would refer them to the following links first.

"Yama Kaminari Five Plate Armor" - This is the pattern I used. It is a late period (1500's) harness that uses larger plates and less lacing. If they are interested in early period armor with the beautiful lacing and big square profile, I won't be able to help them as much. This stuff is much easier to make, and would be a good starter project.

www.yamakaminari.com/Armor/index.html

"Sengoku Daimyo" - Anthony J. Bryant's definitive website, a one-stop resource for all things premodern Japanese

www.sengokudaimyo.com/

"Tousando" - The SCA Japanese forum par excellence. Anything you can't find online, ask here.

tousando.proboards18.com/index.cgi


You also mentioned a friend who was trained in ninjutsu, who wanted "ninja armor". There isn't really such a thing in period, though some sources refer to light mail under clothing. This was actually used by people afraid of assassins, but I think it's post-1600, and wouldn't work for SCA purposes. I mentioned a suit called "tatami-do", made of small plates connected by mail or sewn onto a foundation material. Here are the images I was thinking of - it could work for the look he's going for, with some modification.

www.iz2.or.jp/english/fuk...busou/38.htm
www.sengokudaimyo.com/katchu/...ami1.jpg

It wouldn't be historical, of course, but if he really wanted to dress as a ninja on the open field, he could use the above armor and wrap his helm in black cloth, just as I will be doing with white (I play a Buddhist warrior-monk), like so:

www.iz2.or.jp/english/fuk...wayou/32.htm

Or he could simply wear low profile armor under a ninja suit cut for a fat guy. I wouldn't advise it, though. That's more of a fantasy-LARP sort of thing to do. The reason ninja were invisible is because they looked just like everyone else, and dressing in a ninja suit sorta advertises. It also antagonizes those who get butthurt by the presence of non-European personae.... that's fun, but not helpful. However, it's his game too, he can do what he wants.