"Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor, 1156-1868" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

If your mini warriors are enchanted by arms and armor, this new exhibit—the first ever dedicated exclusively to the arts of the samurai a decade in the making—is a must-see. The ancient military nobility of pre-industrial Japan accepted nothing but the most ornate amenities, from their carefully welded sword blades to their kabuto helmets, adorned with choice of golden praying mantis, dragonfly, crab claws or deer antlers.

The entire first room is devoted to a collection of ominous, seemingly identical glass-encased blades. Leave this gallery to knife and sword enthusiasts and continue to the main display area, which contains the exhibition’s real gems. The ancient horse saddle painted with blossoming trees is a standout, as is the rare Crimson hitatare, or long jacket that the samurai would wear over their armor. The 16th-century Gusoku armor is haunting: Made of iron, lacquer, silk and yak hair, it comes with a face mask in which the mouth appears to be screaming. The giant bow and arrows from the Edo period are impressive, and the painted six-panel folding screens showcase epic battles that are sure to best any scenario your small soldiers can come up with.

Although the exhibit is on view into the new year, many of the items on display (almost all on loan from Japanese museums) are set to change the first week of December due to their delicacy. So visiting twice is encouraged.

The Met offers some special samurai programs geared to younger fans. For kids ages four to nine, there are storytelling podcasts that complement the myths, legends and individual works with sound effects and music. In addition, the How Did They Do That program gives families a hands-on look at the creation of samurai art (Dec 5 and 6, running in 30-minute sessions from 1 to 4pm). If your small samurai behave themselves, reward them with a $7 action figure from the gift shop: rest assured, it’s not made of gold.—James Lobo

"Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor, 1156-1868" is on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through Jan 10.

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