In kendo, refers to either:
the wrist, one of the four valid target areas
-or-
the gauntlets worn to protect the wrists from strikes of the shinai.
The gauntlets are made of leather and cotton, with smoked deerskin palms. The deerskin provides better grip, and holds its shape better than cowskin. The wrist area of the kote is thick cotton padding, heavily reinforced with rows of stitching. Even so, it's wise to wear a wristband or other supplemental padding underneath the kote, to help absorb the shock of being hit by an overzealous beginner.
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