Shohei Ohtani fans will have a chance to see a replica of the Angels’ samurai helmet in Tokyo

A pop-up store in Tokyo is offering visitors a chance to see a replica of the samurai warrior helmet worn by baseball star Shohei Ohtani and his Los Angeles Angels teammates after hitting a home run.

Samuraiya, located near the chic Omotesando district, has been introducing Marutake Sangyo Co.’s roughly 2kg “kabuto” in the same pattern as the angels since April.

This photo taken on June 2, 2023 in Tokyo shows a replica of the “kabuto” worn by Shohei Ohtani and his Los Angeles Angels teammates as they celebrated a home run. (For editorial use only) (Kyodo)

“I’m grateful that they like it a lot and use it,” Marutake Sangyo president Tomotaka Tanoue said of the home run helmet.

Other products made by the Kagoshima Prefecture-based company on display at the store include replicas of the “yoroi” armor worn by historical Japanese warlords such as 16th-century warlord Oda Nobunaga, who unified half the country under his rule, and Takeda. Shingen, a powerful feudal lord in the same century.

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels, wearing a samurai helmet, hightails his teammate in the dugout after his two-run home run in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on May 10. , 2023. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

There are also yoroi pants for children that can be put on in about three minutes.

“I would like many people, including those who are not usually interested in such things, to casually try them and understand how much time and effort goes into making kabuto and yoroi, which are part of traditional Japanese culture,” Tanoue said.

Samuraiya is open every day from July 2. until 12-18

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