Japanese sword mountings
Japanese sword mountings are the various housings and associated fittings (tosogu)[1] that hold the blade of a Japanese sword when it is being worn or stored. Koshirae (
Components
[edit]- Fuchi (
縁 ): The fuchi is a hilt collar between the tsuka and the tsuba. - Habaki (鎺): The habaki is a wedge-shaped metal collar used to keep the sword from falling out of the saya and to support the fittings below; fitted at the ha-machi and mune-machi which precede the nakago.
- Kaeshizuno (
返 し角 ): A hook-shaped fitting used to lock the saya to the obi while drawing. - Kashira (
頭 ): The kashira is a butt cap (or pommel) on the end of the tsuka. - Kōgai (笄): The kōgai is a spike for hair arranging carried sometimes as part of katana-koshirae in another pocket.
- Koiguchi (
鯉口 ): The koiguchi is the mouth of the saya or its fitting; traditionally made of buffalo horn. - Kojiri (鐺): The kojiri is the end of the saya or the protective fitting at the end of the saya; also traditionally made of buffalo horn.
- Kozuka (
小柄 ): The kozuka is a decorative handle fitting for the kogatana; a small utility knife fit into a pocket on the saya. - Kurigata (
栗 形 ): The kuri-kata is a knob on the side of the saya for attaching the sageo. - Mekugi (
目釘 ): The mekugi is a small peg for securing the tsuka to the nakago. - Mekugi-ana (
目釘 穴 ): The mekugi-ana are the holes in the tsuka and nakago for the mekugi. - Menuki (
目貫 ): The menuki are ornaments on the tsuka (generally under the tsuka-ito); Originally menuki were a cover for the mekugi to hold the peg/s in place. On tachi, worn edge down orientation at palm to orient the sword. On katana, orientation is at fingertips to orient the sword. - Sageo (
下 げ緒 ): The sageo is the cord used to tie saya to the belt/obi when worn. - Same-hada (
鮫肌 ): Literally, the pattern of the ray skin. - Same-kawa (samegawa) (
鮫 皮 ): same-kawa is the ray or shark skin wrapping of the tsuka (handle/hilt). - Saya (
鞘 ): The saya is a wooden scabbard for the blade; traditionally of lacquered wood. - Seppa (
切羽 ): The seppa are washers above and below the tsuba to tighten the fittings. - Shitodome (鵐目): An accent on the kurikata for aesthetic purposes; often in gold-coloured metal on modern reproductions.
- Tsuba (
鍔 or 鐔): The tsuba is a hand guard. - Tsuka (
柄 ): The tsuka is the hilt or handle; made of wood and wrapped in samegawa. - Tsuka-maki (
柄 巻 ): The wrapping on the tsuka, including the most common hineri-maki and katate-maki (battle wrap). There are also more elaborate and artistic wrapping techniques, such as Jabara maki. - Tsuka-ito (
柄 糸 ): Tsuka-ito is the wraping cord of the tsuka, traditionally silk but today typically cotton and sometimes leather.
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Two antique koshirae, katana (top), wakizashi (bottom), in the form of a daishō (matched set). Edo period, 19th century. Tokyo Fuji Art Museum.
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Wakizashi mounting decorated with images of old coins. 1800s. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Kōgai (bottom), kozuka (top right), and menuki (top left) made by Gotō Kenjō. Early Edo period. Designated as Special Important Fitting by NBTHK.
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Fuchigashira (top) and tsuba (bottom) made by Ishiguro Masayoshi. Late Edo period. Designated as Special Important Fitting by NBTHK.
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Tsuba with the Koi and Seaweed Motif, made by Kansai. Edo period. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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A tsuba created by Sunagawa Masayoshi. 1800s. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Shirasaya
[edit]A shirasaya (
Such mountings are not intended for actual combat, as the lack of a tsuba (guard) and proper handle wrappings were deleterious; as such they would likely never make their way onto a battlefield. However, there have been loosely similar "hidden" mountings, such as the shikomizue. Also, many blades dating back to earlier Japanese history are today sold in such a format, along with modern-day reproductions; while most are purely decorative replicas, a few have functional blades.[4]
Shirasaya gallery
[edit]-
A daisho set of Japanese sword storage mounts (shirasaya) for katana (top) and wakizashi (bottom)
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A typical shirasaya with sayagaki (attribution or appraisal written on a shirasaya)
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Naginata shirasaya
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Tanto shirasaya
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Wakizashi mounted in shirasaya
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Yari shirasaya
Koshirae
[edit]The word koshirae is derived from the verb koshiraeru (
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
[edit]Tachi
[edit]The tachi (
Katana
[edit]The katana (
Han-dachi (half tachi)
[edit]The han-dachi (
Aikuchi
[edit]The aikuchi (
Shikomizue
[edit]The shikomizue (
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
[edit]The kaiken (
Koshirae gallery
[edit]-
Tantō mounted in aikuchi style koshirae
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Shikomizue koshirae
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Tachi and tachi koshirae
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Kaiken (kwaiken) tanto
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Wakizashi koshirae
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Tanto koshirae
Parts of the koshirae
[edit]Saya
[edit]Saya (
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Katana saya
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Naginata saya
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Tanto saya
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Wakizashi saya
The Saya is divided in parts:
- Sageo
A sageo (
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A matched set (daisho) of sageo
- Kuri-kata
The kurikata (
- Kojiri
The kojiri (鐺) is the end cap of the scabbard or the protective fitting at the end of the scabbard.
- Kogatana and kozuka
Kogatana (
- kōgai
The kōgai (笄) is a spike for hair arranging that fits into a pocket on the saya.
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Tanto koshirae showing a kōgai in its pocket
- Umabari
The umabari (
Tsuka
[edit]The tsuka (
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Two tsuka katana (top), wakizashi (bottom) in the form of a daisho (matched set)
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Katana tsuka
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Tachi tsuka
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Wakizashi tsuka
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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 (
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Tsuka with a menuki in the shape of standing goose with bamboo
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Menuki with horse and rider
- Samegawa
Samegawa (
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Tsuka showing the samegawa
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Tanto tsuka showing the samegawa
- Tsuka-ito
Tsuka-ito (
- Fuchi
Fuchi (
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Katana fuchi
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A daisho pair of fuchi
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Fuchi with dragon
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Fuchi with crouching lions
- Kashira
The kashira (
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Katana kashira
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Daisho kashira, wakizashi and katana
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Kashira with samurai
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Kashira with herons and reeds
Tsuba
[edit]The tsuba (
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 collectors' items. Tsuba were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen whose only craft was making tsuba. They were usually lavishly decorated. In addition to being collectors 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 (
In modern Japanese, tsubazeriai (
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A tsuba carved with a sika deer made by Fujiwara Toshiyoshi. 1800s. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Tsuba made by Tsuchiya Yasuchika. Mid-Edo period. Designated as Special Important Fitting by NBTHK.
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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.
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Lotus pond
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Tsuba with autumn flowers
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Tsuba with a monkey teasing an elephant with a stick
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Tsuba with dragonfly in shibuichi
Seppa
[edit]The seppa (
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Tantō tsuba and two seppa
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Tantō tsuba and two seppa
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Yari tantō tsuba and two seppa
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Tsuba and two seppa
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Wakizashi tsuba and a single seppa
Habaki
[edit]The habaki (鎺) 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 koiguchi no kirikata (
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.
See also
[edit]- List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-swords)
- Tsuba in the collection of Wolverhampton Art Gallery, England
Notes
[edit]- ^ The New Generation of Japanese Swordsmiths, Authors Tamio Tsuchiko, Kenji Mishina, Publisher Kodansha International, 2002, P.191&P.191 ISBN 978-4-7700-2854-9
- ^ In this context, "white" could be inferred as plain or undecorated.
- ^ Holes in the hilt, meant for the mekugi (pegs) that secure the blade (See katana).
- ^ Most manufacturers will note that such mountings are only meant for storage, display and transport purposes, not actual usage.
- ^ [1] Art of the samurai: Japanese arms and armor, 1156–1868, Authors Morihiro Ogawa, Kazutoshi Harada, Publisher Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009, ISBN 1-58839-345-3, ISBN 978-1-58839-345-6 P.193
- ^ a b [2] The Japanese sword,Kanzan Satō, Kodansha International, May 30, 1983 P.196
- ^ 1988,
国語 大 辞典 (新装 版 ) (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan - ^ 2006,
大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9 - ^ [3] Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior, Clive Sinclaire, Globe Pequot, Nov 1, 2004 P.88
- ^ Seishinkai Bujutsu. "Concealed and Trick Weapons". Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- ^ A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor: In All Countries and in All Times, George Cameron Stone, Courier Dover Publications, 1999, ISBN 0-486-40726-8, ISBN 978-0-486-40726-5. p. 405.
- ^ Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior, Clive Sinclaire, Globe Pequot, Nov 1, 2004 P.88
- ^ The complete encyclopedia of arms & weapons: the most comprehensive reference work ever published on arms and armor, Claude Blair, Publisher Bonanza Books, 1986, ISBN 0-517-48776-4, ISBN 978-0-517-48776-1 P.306
- ^ The sword book in Honchō gunkikō and The book of Samé, Kō hi sei gi of Inaba Tsūriō, Authors Hakuseki Arai, Tsūryū Inaba, Publisher C. E. Tuttle, 1963 P.42
- ^ "The Sageo and How to Wear Your Katana". martialartsweaponstraining. Martial Arts Weapons and Training. August 6, 2017. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018.
References
[edit]- C. U. Guido Schiller. "Koshirae: Nihon Token Gaiso The Mountings of Japanese Swords". Archived from the original on 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
Further reading
[edit]- The Craft of the Japanese Sword, Leon and Hiroko Kapp, Yoshindo Yoshihara ; Kodansha International; ISBN 0-87011-798-X
- The Samurai Sword: A Handbook, John M. Yumoto ; Charles E. Tuttle Company; ISBN 0-8048-0509-1
- The Japanese Sword, Kanzan Sato ; Kodansha International; ISBN 0-87011-562-6
- Japanese Swords, Nobuo Ogasawara ; Hoikusha Publishing Co, Ltd. ISBN 4-586-54022-2
External links
[edit]- History of the Development of Koshirae
- Habaki – On Japanese Swords
- Martial Arts Weapons and Training – The Sageo and How to Wear Your Katana
- Nihonto Antiques – Step by step guide to tying a Sageo (photos).
- Usagiya Sword Shop – Step by step guide to tying a Sageo (photos).
- TakumiWarrior Sword Shop – Exploration of Japanese Tsuba Designs (photos).