Japanese battle jackets were originally functional garments worn over armor to keep warriors warm and dry in inclement weather, but during the second half of the sixteenth century they became symbols of power. Jinbaori for high-ranking samurai were made of the most sumptuous textiles available, often in unusual, eye-catching or exotic patterns.

This sleeveless jinbaori was fashioned largely from highly valued Chinese imports—a cut-and-voided velvet lined with floral satin damask. An extremely rare textile, the velvet is patterned in a European style and may have been woven for the European market. As is usual for surcoats, the armholes are very deep to allow the garment to be worn over armor; at the back is a slit for ease in sitting or riding a horse. The large family crest on the back, known as "four stone blocks within a circle" (maru ni yotsuishi), was used by the Tsuchiya clan of the Hitachi area, north of modern Tokyo.