Kote

Japanese armored gauntlet and forearm guard

The kote (籠手) is a Japanese armored sleeve designed to protect the samurai's arms and hands, combining chain links (kusari) and small iron plates (ikada) attached to a fabric base. Unlike the fully plated Western gauntlet, the kote balanced flexibility with protection — a hallmark of Japanese armor philosophy. A distinctive feature was its asymmetric design, with the left arm (the bow arm) typically receiving heavier protection. The modern kendo kote descends directly from this battlefield ancestor.