koshirae
(Wakizashi'' mounting). The metal parts are made by Goto Ichijo.
Edo period.
Tokyo National Museum. The word
koshirae is derived from the verb , which is no longer used in current speech. More commonly "tsukuru" is used in its place with both words meaning to "make, create, manufacture." A more accurate word is , meaning sword-furniture, where are the parts of the mounting in general, and "kanagu" stands for those made of metal. are the "outer" mountings, as opposed to , the "body" of the sword. A
koshirae should be presented with the
tsuka (
hilt) to the left, particularly in times of peace with the reason being that one cannot unsheathe the sword easily this way. During the Edo period, many formalized rules were put into place: in times of war the hilt should be presented to the right allowing the sword to be readily unsheathed. Koshirae were meant not only for functional but also for aesthetic purposes, often using a family
mon (
crest) for identification.
Types of koshirae Tachi type with design of mon'' (family crests). 1600s.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The
tachi (太刀) style
koshirae is the primary style of mounting used for the
tachi, where the sword is suspended edge-down from two hangers (
ashi) attached to the
obi. The
hilt often had a slightly stronger curvature than the
blade, continuing the classic
tachi increase in curvature going from the tip to the hilt. The hilt was usually secured with two pegs
(mekugi), as compared to one peg for shorter blades including
katana. The
tachi style
koshirae preceded the
katana style
koshirae.
Katana '' mounting with a polished black lacquer sheath, Edo period. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The
katana (刀) style
koshirae is the most commonly known
koshirae and it is what is most associated with a
samurai sword. Swords mounted in this manner are worn with the cutting edge up as opposed to the
tachi mounting, in which the sword is worn with the cutting edge down.
Han-dachi (half tachi) The
koshirae was worn
katana-style but included some
tachi related fittings such as a
kabuto-gane instead of a
kashira.
Aikuchi The is a form of
koshirae for small swords in which the
hilt and the
scabbard meet without a
crossguard between them. The word literally means
ai ("meeting") +
kuchi ("mouth; opening"), in reference to the way the hilt fits directly against the scabbard. Originally used on the
koshigatana (a precursor to the
wakizashi) to facilitate close wearing with armour, it became a fashionable upper-class mounting style for a
tantō (literally, "small sword", nowadays regarded as a
dagger) from the
Kamakura period onwards.
Shikomizue The or is a Japanese
swordstick. It is most famous for its use by the fictional
swordmaster Zatoichi. The sword blade was placed in a cane-like mounting (
tsue) as concealment. These mountings are not to be confused with the
Shirasaya (白鞘, "white scabbard"), which were just plain wooden mountings with no decoration other than (sometimes) a short description of the contents. According to Hatsumi Masaaki, Some
shikomi-zue also concealed
metsubushi, chains, hooks, and many other things.
Shikomi-zue could be carried in public without arousing suspicion, making them perfect tools for
shinobi. However, this is a debatable topic in koryu circles.
Kaiken The is an 8–10 inch long, single- or double-edged
dagger without ornamental fittings housed in a plain mount, formerly carried by men and women of the
samurai class in Japan. It was useful for self-defense indoors where the long
katana and intermediate
wakizashi were inconvenient. Women carried them in their
kimono either in a pocket-like fold or in the sleeve for self-defense or for suicide by means of slashing the jugular veins and carotid artery in the left side of the neck.
Koshirae gallery File:Tanto-baroque-p1000709.jpg|
Tantō mounted in
aikuchi style
koshirae File:Shikomizue koshirae.jpg|
Shikomizue koshirae File:Tachi-p1000618.jpg|
Tachi and
tachi koshirae File:Kaiken or kwaiken tanto.jpg|
Kaiken (kwaiken) tanto File:Edo period Wakizashi.jpg|
Wakizashi koshirae File:Kawabe Masahide II - Dagger with Cherry Blossoms - Walters 511184.jpg|
Tanto koshirae Parts of the koshirae Saya is the
Japanese term for a
scabbard, and specifically refers to the scabbard for a sword or knife. The saya of a koshirae (scabbards for practical use) are normally manufactured from very lightweight wood, with a coat of lacquer on the exterior. Correct drawing and sheathing of the blade involves contacting the mune (the back of the blade) rather than ha (the edge) to the inside of the scabbard. The saya also has a on one side for attaching a braided cord (
sageo), and may have a shitodome (mounting loop) to accent the as well as an made from metal. Traditionally the koiguchi (the throat of the scabbard) and kojiri (the
chape) were made from buffalo horn. File:Katana saya 2.jpg|
Katana saya File:Naginata saya.JPG|
Naginata saya File:Tanto saya.jpg|
Tanto saya File:Wakizashi saya.jpg|
Wakizashi saya The
Saya is divided in parts: • '''''' A is a hanging cord made of silk, cotton or leather that is passed through the hole in the of a
Japanese sword's
saya. There are a number of different methods for wrapping and tying the sageo on the
saya for display purposes. Other uses for the sageo are tying the sword to the samurai and
hojojutsu. The samurai felt the sageo formed a spiritual bond between them and the sword, and they were very particular about tying it correctly when the sword was not in use. File:Katô Jûkashichi - Dagger with Quail Amidst Rice Stalks - Walters 511166.jpg File:Daisho sageo.jpg|A matched set (
daisho) of
sageo File:Kurikata and sageo 2.JPG •
Kuri-kata The
kurikata (栗形) is a knob that is attached to the scabbard of a Japanese sword. The
sageo (cord) that secures the
saya of the sword to the
obi (belt) goes through a hole in the
kurikata. File:Kurikata and sageo.JPG File:Kurikata and sageo 1.JPG File:Japanese - Kurikata of a Rabbit - Walters 511132.jpg File:Masaharu - Kurikata with Plum Blossoms - Walters 51915 - Top.jpg File:Masaharu - Kurikata with Plum Blossoms - Walters 51915 - Back.jpg •
Kojiri The is the end cap of the scabbard or the protective fitting at the end of the scabbard. File:Kojiri.JPG File:Kojiri 1.JPG File:Jutte kojiri.jpg File:Japanese - Kojiri with Bukan - Walters 511134.jpg File:Japanese - Kojiri with Cricket and Cockroach - Walters 511135.jpg •
Kogatana and kozuka Kogatana (小刀), a small utility knife that fits into a pocket on the scabbard, the
kozuka is the decorative handle for the
kogatana. File:Yari tanto aikuchi koshirae.JPG| File:Kozuka.JPG| File:Japanese - Kozuka with Waves - Walters 5112863.jpg File:Japanese - Kozuka with Phoenix - Walters 5112024.jpg File:Japanese - Kozuka with a Hollyhock Creast - Walters 5111884.jpg • '''''' The
kōgai (笄) is a spike for hair arranging that fits into a pocket on the
saya. File:Koshirae with kogai.jpg|
Tanto koshirae showing a
kōgai in its pocket File:Okada Setsuga - Kogai with Birds in Flight - Walters 5112914.jpg File:Gotô Mitsunobu - Kogai with Chinese-style Lions - Walters 5112555.jpg File:Unno Moritoshi - Kogai with Autumn Flowers - Walters 5111934.jpg File:Japanese - Kogai with Dragon in Clouds - Walters 5112155.jpg • '''''''''' The is a small knife that is a variation of the
kogatana. It fits into a pocket on the
saya. File:Irie Sadayoshi - Umabari with Bird and Waves - Walters 5112943.jpg File:Japanese - Umabari with Waves - Walters 5112114.jpg File:Japanese - Umabari with Waves and Clouds - Walters 5112125.jpg File:Hagiya Katsuhira - Umabari with Waterfall - Walters 5112054.jpg File:Japanese - Umabari with Plum Blossoms - Walters 5111614.jpg
Tsuka The is the hilt or handle of a Japanese sword. File:Daisho tsuka.jpg|Two tsuka
katana (top),
wakizashi (bottom) in the form of a
daisho (matched set) File:Tsuka.jpg|
Katana tsuka File:Antique Japanese (samurai) tachi tsuka.jpg|
Tachi tsuka File:Tsuka and mekugi.JPG|
Wakizashi tsuka File:Japanese - Tsuka with Gentian Crests - Walters 5112673.jpg|
Tsuka constructed as a single piece and does not have individual separate
fuchi,
kashira, and
menuki The
tsuka is divided in the following parts: •
Menuki The
menuki (目貫) are ornaments on the
tsuka (generally under the
tsuka-ito); to fit into the palm for grip. File:Japanese - Tsuka with Dragons - Walters 5112313B - Back.jpg File:Japanese - Tsuka with Catfish Menuki - Walters 5111453B.jpg File:Ishiguro Koreyoshi - Tsuka with Frog, Lotus Blossom and Geese - Walters 5112872b - Back.jpg|
Tsuka with a
menuki in the shape of standing goose with bamboo File:Menuki.jpg File:Japanese - Menuki with Horse and Rider - Walters 511440.jpg|
Menuki with horse and rider • ''''''''''
Samegawa (鮫皮) is the
ray skin used to cover or wrap the handle. File:Japanese - Tsuka with Fudô Myô-ô and Kongara Dôji - Walters 5112232B.jpg File:Tsuka same' 1.JPG|
Tsuka showing the
samegawa File:Tsuka (tanto).jpg|
Tanto tsuka showing the
samegawa File:Japanese - Tsuka with Ferns - Walters 5112162B.jpg File:Antique Japanese tachi tsuka 1.jpg •
Tsuka-ito Tsuka-ito (柄糸) is the wrapping of the
tsuka, traditionally silk but today more often cotton and sometimes, leather. Kashira and tsuka-ito.JPG File:Tsuka 3.JPG File:Tsuka.JPG File:Japanese - Tsuka with Menuki of Mounted Riders - Walters 5112153B.jpg File:Japanese - Tsuka with Paulownia Menuki and Silk - Walters 5111723B.jpg •
Fuchi Fuchi (縁), a cap type collar or ferrule which covers the opening in the
tsuka of a Japanese sword. The tang of the sword goes into the
tsuka through the opening in the
fuchi. File:Fuchi, koiguchi and tsuka-ito.JPG|
Katana fuchi File:Daisho fuchi.jpg|A
daisho pair of
fuchi File:Fuchi 1.JPG File:Akihiro - Fuchi with Dragon and Jewel - Walters 5112013A.jpg|
Fuchi with dragon File:Hagiya Katsuhira - Fuchi with Crouching Lions - Walters 5112052.jpg|
Fuchi with crouching lions • '''''''''' The is the end cap (pommel) on the
tsuka. File:Kashira 1.JPG|
Katana kashira File:Daisho kashira 1.jpg|
Daisho kashira,
wakizashi and
katana File:Hamano Masayoshi - Kashira with Samurai - Walters 511037.jpg|
Kashira with
samurai File:Hironao - Kashira with Herons and Reeds - Walters 51929.jpg|
Kashira with herons and reeds File:Japanese - Tsuka with Chrysanthemums - Walters 5112283B - Detail A.jpg
Tsuba The is usually a round (or occasionally squarish) guard at the end of the grip of bladed Japanese weapons, like the
katana and its variations,
tachi,
wakizashi,
tantō,
naginata etc. They contribute to the balance of the weapon and to the protection of the hand. The
tsuba was mostly meant to be used to prevent the hand from sliding onto the blade during thrusts as opposed to protecting from an opponent's blade. The
chudan no kamae guard is determined by the
tsuba and the curvature of the blade. The diameter of the average
katana tsuba is ,
wakizashi tsuba is , and
tantō tsuba is . During the
Muromachi period (1333–1573) and the
Momoyama period (1573–1603)
Tsuba were more for functionality than for decoration, being made of stronger metals and designs. During the
Edo period (1603–1868) there was peace in Japan so
tsuba became more ornamental and made of less practical metals such as gold.
Tsuba are usually finely decorated, and nowadays are collector's items.
Tsuba were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen whose only craft was making
tsuba. They were usually lavishly decorated. In addition to being collector's items, they were often used as heirlooms, passed from one generation to the next. Japanese
families with
samurai roots sometimes have their family crest (mon) crafted onto a
tsuba.
Tsuba can be found in a variety of metals and alloys, including iron, steel, brass, copper and
shakudō. In a duel, two participants may lock their katana together at the point of the
tsuba and push, trying to gain a better position from which to strike the other down. This is known as .
Tsubazeriai is a common sight in modern
kendō. In modern Japanese,
tsubazeriai (鍔迫り合い) has also come to mean "to be in fierce competition." File:Sword Guard (Tsuba) MET 29.100.1011 002feb2014.jpg|A tsuba carved with a
sika deer made by Fujiwara Toshiyoshi. 1800s. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. File:寿老人図鍔 安親, Tsuba made by Yasuchika.jpg|Tsuba made by Tsuchiya Yasuchika. Mid-Edo period. Designated as Special Important Fitting by NBTHK. File:土蜘蛛退治図鐔 Tsuba with design of Minamoto no Yorimitsu confronting the Tsuchigumo.jpg|Two tsuba depicting
Minamoto no Yorimitsu trying to cut a
tsuchigumo with a
tachi named 'Hizamaru'. Made by Unnno Yoshimori I (left), Gochiku Sadakatsu (right).
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. File:Japanese - Tsuba with a Frog in a Lotus Pond - Walters 51177 - Back.jpg|Lotus pond File:Japanese - Tsuba with Autumn Flowers - Walters 51294 - Back.jpg|
Tsuba with autumn flowers File:Tamagawa Masaharu - Tsuba with a Monkey Teasing an Elephant with a Stick - Walters 51281.jpg|
Tsuba with a monkey teasing an elephant with a stick File:Japanese_-_Tsuba_with_a_Dragonfly_-_Walters_51254.jpg|
Tsuba with dragonfly in
shibuichi Seppa The
seppa (切羽) are washers used in front of and behind the
tsuba to tighten the fittings.
Seppa can be ornate or plain. File:Ken tanto tsuba and seppa.JPG|
Tantō tsuba and two
seppa File:Tsuba and seppa 1.JPG|
Tantō tsuba and two
seppa File:Yari tanto tsuba seppa and nakago.JPG|
Yari tantō tsuba and two
seppa File:Tsuba and seppa.JPG|
Tsuba and two
seppa File:Mekugi tsuba and seppa.JPG|
Wakizashi tsuba and a single
seppa Habaki The is a piece of metal encircling the base of the blade of a Japanese sword. It has the double purpose of locking the
tsuba (guard) in place, and to maintain the weapon in its
saya (scabbard). The importance of the
habaki is seen in drawing the katana from the scabbard. It is drawn by grasping the scabbard near the top and pressing the guard with the thumb to emerge the blade just enough to unwedge the
habaki from inside the scabbard in a process called . The blade, being freed, can be drawn out very quickly. This is known as , , or . The expression "
tanka o kiru" is now widely used in Japan, in the sense of "getting ready to begin something", or "getting ready to speak", especially with an aggressive connotation. The
habaki will cause normal wear and tear inside the scabbard, and either a shim or a total replacement of the scabbard may be needed to remedy the issue as it will become too loose over time. Removing the
habaki and oiling it after cutting or once every few months is recommended. File:Habaki de Tsuneharu Matsuda - 2016-04-19.jpg|A
habaki in
gold File:Habaki, mekugi-ana.jpg|It is first inserted on the blade. File:Naginata habaki and tsuba.jpg|Then the
tsuba is inserted too. File:Daisho habaki.jpg|A pair of
daishō with
silver habaki == See also ==