Katana Sword Parts and Information
Parts of a Japanese Sword (Blade and Koshirae Mountings)
The Katana is a curved, single-edged Japanese sword traditionally used by the samurai
Components
- 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.
- Menuki (目貫):The menuki are ornaments on the tsuka (generally under the tsuka-ito); to fit into the palm for grip and originally meant to hide the mekugi.
- Mekugi-ana (目釘穴):The mekugi-ana are the holes in the tsuka and nakago for the mekugi.
- 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 done in 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 done in gold-ish metal in 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 art of wrapping the tsuka, including the most common hineri maki and katate maki (battle wrap).
- Tsuka-ito (柄糸):Tsuka-ito the wrap of the tsuka, traditionally silk but today most often in cotton and sometimes leather.
- Wari-bashi (割箸) – metal chop-sticks fit in a pocket on the saya.
