Kasa (hat)

A kasa (笠^?) is any of several sorts of traditional hats of Japan. Some of the kasa hats are Amigasa, Jingasa, Sugegasa, Takuhatsugasa and Sandogasa. Amigasa is a traditional straw hat used in some Japanese folk dances. When preceded by a word specifying the type of hat, the word becomes gasa as in the (war hat) due to rendaku.

One kind of kasa (Takuhatsugasa) for Buddhist monks is made overlarge, in a bowl or mushroom shape and is made from woven rice straw. It does not come to a point like a rice farmer's hat, nor ride high on the head like a samurai's traveling hat. It is just a big hat covering the upper half to two thirds of the face. Thus, it helps mask the identity of the monk and allows him to travel undistracted by sights around him on his journey.

The samurai class of feudal Japan as well as their retainers and footsoldiers (ashigaru) used several types of jingasa made from iron, copper, wood, paper, bamboo or leather.

Kasa shares its etymology with the Japanese word for "umbrella" (which is also pronounced "kasa", but written 傘).

Here is a list of several types of kasa:

A Buddhist monk wearing a takuhatsugasa.

The hat in this print is a fukaamigasa of the sort known as tengai (天蓋), worn by komusō, mendicant monks of Fuke Zen.

These women at the Awa Dance Festival wear the characteristic kasa of the dance.

Various jingasa from the Return of the Samurai, an exhibit of Samurai art and artifacts held in the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria B.C. Canada, August 6 through November 14, 2010.

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