Shows

SAMURAI CHONMAGE TRUTH

The chonmage is the distinctive hairstyle of the samurai. Yet much about it remains unknown. Through interviews and experiments, we set out to discover the truth about when and how it came into being.

Was the chonmage devised to keep the head cool under a helmet? We put it to the test.
By the Edo period, various styles were worn and served as indicators of status and identity.
One man's decision played a role in the chonmage's disappearance from Japan.

Transcript