A black and white portrait photograph of a seated man wearing traditional Japanese armour. This includes medal gaunlets and metal shinguards. He wears a helmet secured with a chin strap, leaving his face visible. His right hand holds an asymmetrical bow resting on the ground. His left hand holds a sword, resting across his left leg. His left foot is resting on a rock. The fetching and shafts of several arrows, presumably held in a back quiver, can be seen over his left shoulder. Immediately behind him is a rectangular banner displaying Japanese characters. There is a tree trunk of a mature tree to the right of him and smaller trees behind him. The wall of a wooden building can be seen in background with a row of plants with broad leaves at its base. Original caption (within the photograph): ‘E15 A WARRIOR FULLY ARMOURED’.

The banner above his head may be translated as 'hachiman daibosatsu', meaning 'Great Bodhisattva Hachiman”. 'Bodhisattva' is someone who is on the path to buddahood. 'Hachiman' is an ancient Shinto deity, a god of war.