Nodowa (throat protection)

Some of the varieties of the throat armour are the nodowa, meguriwa, eriwa, and manjuwa. The first is fastened at the back of the neck with cords, the second with hooks, the third with a buckle. The last is fastened to the lower part of the chin of the mask and the upper part of the breast of the corselet, but it is not a good pattern for use in actual fighting. Though there are so many shapes and styles that they are all called nodowa. Amongst them the tentsuki style is the most popular; the meguriwa, eriwa, and manju are the latest designs. As an example, I will explain how to put on the eriwa. Hold an end in each hand, put it on your throat and fasten the ends behind your neck.Fig 22

Garbutt adds: Its usefullness is attested by the following takend from the Chuko Kachu Seisakubeni -

In 1564 (Yeiroku V) on the 7th day of the first month, two battles took place at Konodai, in Shimosa, between Hojo Ujiyasu and Satomi Yoshihiro, assisted by Ota Sukemasa, Niudo Sanrakusai, in which the Hojo forces were victorious. Ota fought desperately and had received two wounds, when Shimizu Tarozayemon, a man noted for his strength, threw down the now weary Oda, but tried in vain to cut off his head. At this, Ota cried out, "Are you flurried, sir? My neck is protected by a nodowa. Remove it, and take off my head." Shimizu replied with a bow, "How kind of you to tell me! You die a noble death. You have my admiration!" But, just as he was about to remove the nodowa, two young squires of Ota rushed up, and throwing down Shimizu enabled their master to decapitate him.