[Arryn]

Originally posted by Uh-Nu-Buh:
I lived in Japan for years, and the older the generation the shorter the people. According to statistics, the average height of a Japanese man was 5'4" before WWII

True, but misleading. Averages do not mean anything when taken in an inappropriate context. The average American male height is 5'10", yet there are 7'6" basketball players, and any BB player under about 6'9" is considered short. A population average is meaningless when discussing special Groups. Japanese fighter pilots were elites. There were considered, at the time, modern samurai.

With regards to medieval samurai, also bear in mind that nobles ate better than commoners, and had better housing, health care (such as it was), and bloodlines. The average peasant in Europe or Japan was short, but the nobles often were not. There are plenty of tall medieval suits of armor in museums. Someone had to fit in them when they were made ...