ALEXCIOUS

The lord of lords, “Tenkabito”, in Japanese history who put an end to the war-torn era and established long peaceful Edo period

Ieyasu Tokugawa put an end to the Sengoku period which lasted for over 100 years since the O-nin War in late 15th century and built the foundation for the Edo Shogunate. He had once leagued with Nobunaga Oda, and fought against and also served Hideyoshi Toyotomi, then established the system to rule all of Japan. However, his life had been one of constant perseverance and humiliation. He had been passed around among other clans as a hostage since he was a child, and one day he met Nobunaga. Nobunaga and Takechiyo (childhood name of Ieyasu) exchanged the pledge of brothers. After Nobunaga killed Yoshimoto Imagawa who was the Daimyo (regional lord) of Suruga province and Ieyasu's master, Ieyasu decided to become independent and committed himself to war as an ally of Nobunaga. Some songs from the time tell you Ieyasu's character. "If a cuckoo doesn't sing, I'll wait until it sings." Another song reads, "Oda pounded the rice cake, Hashiba (Hideyoshi Toyotomi's earlier name) kneaded it, then Tokugawa ate it.” Ieyasu is known for his patience but is also known for being hot-blooded in his younger days.

ZIPANG has made a detailed miniature of the armor worn by the legendary Ieyasu Tokugawa, called "Bottle Armor." Binding the silver Kozane plates with black threads, this piece of work expresses dignity and venerableness. You can enjoy your favorite sake while remembering the heroic stories of men who fought during the Sengoku period.

Japanese food has been attracting attention as "Washoku," or traditional Japanese cuisine was recently added to the UNESCO world intangible heritage list. Our product blends two different internationally-respected “Made in Japan” items which are traditional Japanese armor and sake. This reasonably priced, small beautiful armor is perfect as a gift not only for Tango no Sekku (Children's Day) but also for congratulating on the birth of a baby or on a marriage, or for praying for prosperity. We strive to make replica armor that can be gifted for various life events.

How to assemble BOTTLE ARMOR