Warrior's hat (jingasa) with threeleaf arrowhead crest

沢瀉紋陣笠　革製黒漆塗　江戸時代

Military hats called jingasa were originally worn in lieu of metal helmets for battle by foot soldiers and other low level warriors. By the Edo period, when this hat was made, jingasa were accorded higher status and were worn for daily or ceremonial use by the upper echelons of the samurai class. This hat is made from leather, which has been stretched over an iron frame into a conical shape and stitched around the rim. Hidden underneath the crown is a small silk cushion and the broken ends of four cords for securing the hat under the chin.

Label for underside:
The gold-painted family crest would have identified the clan of the samurai wearer. It features an aquatic plant called threeleaf arrowhead (omodaka), which was used in crests of a number of important families in early modern Japan.