Japanese, Japan

This campaign coat is majestic in its use of luxuriant colors and patterns. Many of the motifs employed, such as the hexagons and the wheels, may bear talismanic meanings. The bold geometric Shinto designs decorating the back bleed into the front, adding to the garment’s drama.

High-ranking warriors wore jinbaori over their armor for extra protection. By the 1800s, as daimyos assumed more administrative roles and placed more emphasis on arts and culture, these coats became symbols of status and power, as well as statements of personal aesthetics.