Armor Craftsman Tomomi Kato
“Armor Craftman Tomomi Kato” is headed by Tomomi Kato, who is one of Japan’s finest craftsman of traditional decorative armor, and has inherited the techniques and beliefs from generation to generation. We are a producer of top quality Japanese “Edo armor”.
From Armor Craftsman Tomomi Kato
A message to all children,
“I wish you all the best, to grow up strong and healthy.
And to enjoy these traditional decorated crafts.”
Children’s Day, on the 5th of May each year, is traditionally celebrated by displaying armor and helmets called “Gogatsu Ningyo” (May Figurines) to pray for a boy to grow up strong.
In the past, military commanders and warriors wore armor during battles to protect their lives. In addition, they played important roles such as intimidating opponents, showing off their power, and appealing their existence.
The size of the armor was reduced so as to be able to display it as a seasonal decoration, and the armor was reproduced using the current materials and techniques to match the real thing as much as possible.
We even pay close attention to the details that are not visible from the front or the back.The armor and helmet of the festival decoration has a role as an “amulet”, and also includes the bestwishes of the parent to the child.
Therefore, parents do not pass down their own amulet to their child. Instead, it is customary to give a new set of armor and helmet, filled with love and best wishes for your own child.
A new way to enjoy May Figurines
Until now, there was a fixed concept that armor and helmets for May Figurines were only for “festive decorations”, or “unique to Japan”, “boys’ things” and “children’s things”. However, from now on, we would like to provide exciting products that girls, adults and people from all around the world can enjoy regardless of time or place.
Therefore, we decided to open the online shop “TOMOMI KATO”. Based on the hope of making Edo armor more familiar to more people, we are planning to sell armor that can be used as interior decoration, and original armor that can be customized in color and shape.
How about a top quality interior armor that was painstakingly crafted piece by piece by one of Japan’s leading craftsmen?
Craftsman introduction
Tomomi Kato
Awards
Conferment of decorations 【瑞宝単光章】2021.4.29
【No. 1 Japanese traditional craft armorer】
【Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Designated Traditional Craftsman】
Tomomi was born in Tokyo in 1934 as the second son of the First Generation Icchu Kato. From around the age of 7 or 8, he started to learn his father’s work, way of life, and techniques, and from around the age of 12, he underwent all the training of armor making alongside his father.
Tomomi travelled around the country, visiting museums, exhibitions, shrines, and temples and touched the real armor to further check and reconfirm the materials collected by his father were correct or not.Using what he learned from this experience, he worked out the composition and incorporated modern materials and techniques. We are working day and night to create products that retain the atmosphere and tradition of the actual product, even if it is scaled down.
A 1/7 scale of an armor of the warriors, displayed at the Kyoto Prefectural Museum of Culture is elaborately made, and even today there are few craftsmen who can make it.
In 2021, he was awarded a medal in honor of his achievements.
Yoshitsugu Kato
《Second Generation
Tomomi Kato》
《Yoshitoshi Kato》
Awards
【Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Designated Traditional Craftsman】
【Traditional craftsman designated by the Governor of Tokyo】
After graduating from the metal department of Tokyo Metropolitan Kogei High School, he entered the world of armor at the age of 18. While training under his father Tomomi, he learned metal engraving and acquired new skills. In order to expand the beauty of Edo armor, we are updating it by incorporating modern technology and trends while preserving the traditional shape, exploring new product development and new production methods.
He has also published works under the name Yoshitoshi.
Takumi Kato
《Third Generation Tomomi Kato》
《Akisane Kato》
Aspiring to be an armorer since junior high school, Takumi studied metalwork techniques at the same arts and crafts department at Tokyo Metropolitan Kogei High School as his father, Yoshitsugu.After graduating, he began full-fledged training as an armorer under his grandfather and father, aiming to become a first-class craftsman.
While mastering the techniques that his grandfather and father developed, he strives every day to open an online shop, create a website, and launch an Instagram account in order to breathe new life into his trade.
As the third generation, he is active under the name of ‘’Tomomi Kato’’.
From 2024, he began making armor under the name Akisane, utilizing the techniques he inherited from the other two and adopting the theme of “color” in order to create new works that are in line with the times and needs.
江戸甲冑とは
江戸甲冑（えどかっちゅう）とは､国宝や重要文化財などに指定されている実物の古甲冑を参考にし、本物の鎧兜と寸分違わぬ昔ながらの製作技法で作られた甲冑（兜・鎧）です。古甲冑には、美術工芸的にも非常に高度な技術・技法を駆使した作品が多く見られます。
その製造工程は複雑多岐で、金工・漆工・皮革工芸・組紐の技法などあらゆる技術を集大成してつくられています。
工夫・研究を重ね、現在でも実物の技法・意匠を随所に織り込みつくられているものが多く、東京都伝統工芸品に指定されています。
What is Edo armor?
Edo armor is a type of armor that is made using traditional manufacturing techniques that are exactly the same as real armor, referring to real old armor that has been designated as a national treasure or an important cultural property.
There are many pieces of ancient armor that make full use of extremely advanced techniques in terms of arts and crafts.
The manufacturing process is complicated and diverse, and it is made by culminating all kinds of techniques such as metalwork, lacquer work, leather crafts, and braiding techniques.
After much research and ingenuity, many of them are still made by incorporating actual techniques and designs from the past, and have been designated as traditional crafts of Tokyo.
