Japanese sword mountings#Components

File:Japanese sword and koshirae glossary.jpg and koshirae with components identified]]

• {{nihongo|Fuchi|縁}}: The fuchi is a hilt collar between the tsuka and the tsuba.
• {{nihongo|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.
• {{nihongo|Kaeshizuno|返し角}}: A hook-shaped fitting used to lock the saya to the obi while drawing.
• {{nihongo|Kashira|頭}}: The kashira is a butt cap (or pommel) on the end of the tsuka.
• {{nihongo|Kōgai|笄}}: The kōgai is a spike for hair arranging carried sometimes as part of katana-koshirae in another pocket.
• {{nihongo|Koiguchi|鯉口}}: The koiguchi is the mouth of the saya or its fitting; traditionally made of buffalo horn.
• {{nihongo|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.
• {{nihongo|Kozuka|小柄}}: The kozuka is a decorative handle fitting for the kogatana; a small utility knife fit into a pocket on the saya.
• {{nihongo|Kurigata|栗形}}: The kuri-kata is a knob on the side of the saya for attaching the sageo.
• {{nihongo|Mekugi|目釘}}: The mekugi is a small peg for securing the tsuka to the nakago.
• {{nihongo|Mekugi-ana|目釘穴}}: The mekugi-ana are the holes in the tsuka and nakago for the mekugi.
• {{nihongo|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.
• {{nihongo|Sageo|下げ緒}}: The sageo is the cord used to tie saya to the belt/obi when worn.
• {{nihongo|Same-hada|鮫肌}}: Literally, the pattern of the ray skin.
• {{nihongo|Same-kawa (samegawa)|鮫皮}}: same-kawa is the ray or shark skin wrapping of the tsuka (handle/hilt).
• {{nihongo|Saya|鞘}}: The saya is a wooden scabbard for the blade; traditionally of lacquered wood.
• {{nihongo|Seppa|切羽}}: The seppa are washers above and below the tsuba to tighten the fittings.
• {{nihongo|Shitodome|鵐目}}: An accent on the kurikata for aesthetic purposes; often in gold-coloured metal on modern reproductions.
• {{nihongo|Tsuba|鍔 or 鐔}}: The tsuba is a hand guard.
• {{nihongo|Tsuka|柄}}: The tsuka is the hilt or handle; made of wood and wrapped in samegawa.
• {{nihongo|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.
• {{nihongo|Tsuka-ito|柄糸}}: Tsuka-ito is the wraping cord of the tsuka, traditionally silk but today typically cotton and sometimes leather.

File:黒蝋色塗鞘大小拵, Black Waxed Scabbards with Sword Fittings.jpg|Two antique koshirae, katana (top), wakizashi (bottom), in the form of a daishō (matched set). Edo period, 19th century. Tokyo Fuji Art Museum.

File:Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi) 2.jpg|Wakizashi mounting decorated with images of old coins. 1800s. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

File:倶利伽羅龍図三所物 後藤顕乗, Kogai, kozuka, and menuki made by Gotō Kenjō.jpg|Kōgai (bottom), kozuka (top right), and menuki (top left) made by Gotō Kenjō. Early Edo period. Designated as Special Important Fitting by NBTHK.

File:松樹尾長鳥図大小鍔 石黒政美, Tsuba and fuchigashira made by Ishiguro Masayoshi.jpg|Fuchigashira (top) and tsuba (bottom) made by Ishiguro Masayoshi. Late Edo period. Designated as Special Important Fitting by NBTHK.

File:藻鯉図鐔, Sword Guard (Tsuba) with the Carp and Seaweed Motif.jpg|Tsuba with the Koi and Seaweed Motif, made by Kansai. Edo period. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

File:Pair of Sword Guards (Tsuba).jpg|A tsuba created by Sunagawa Masayoshi. 1800s. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

A {{nihongo||白鞘|shirasaya}}, "white scabbard",In this context, "white" could be inferred as plain or undecorated. is a plain wooden Japanese sword saya (scabbard) and tsuka (hilt), traditionally made of honoki (bigleaf magnolia) wood and used when a blade was not expected to see use for some time and needed to be stored. They were externally featureless save for the needed mekugi-anaHoles in the hilt, meant for the mekugi (pegs) that secure the blade (See katana). to secure the nakago (tang), though sometimes {{transliteration|ja|sayagaki}} (blade information) was also present. The need for specialized storage is because prolonged koshirae mounting harmed the blade, owing to factors such as the lacquered wood retaining moisture and encouraging corrosion.

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.Most manufacturers will note that such mountings are only meant for storage, display and transport purposes, not actual usage.

File:Daisho set of shirasaya.jpg|A daisho set of Japanese sword storage mounts (shirasaya) for katana (top) and wakizashi (bottom)

File:Saya-bois.jpg|A typical shirasaya with {{transliteration|ja|sayagaki}} (attribution or appraisal written on a shirasaya)

File:Naginata shirasaya.jpg|Naginata shirasaya

File:Yari tanto shirasaya.JPG|Tanto shirasaya

File:Wakizashi 2.JPG|Wakizashi mounted in shirasaya

File:Yari shirasaya.JPG|Yari shirasaya

File:Wakizashi Sword Mounting.jpg koshirae (Wakizashi mounting). The metal parts are made by Goto Ichijo. Edo period. Tokyo National Museum.]]

The word koshirae is derived from the verb {{nihongo||拵える|koshiraeru}}, 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 {{nihongo||刀装|tōsō}}, meaning sword-furniture, where {{nihongo||刀装具|tōsōgu}} are the parts of the mounting in general, and "kanagu" stands for those made of metal. {{nihongo||外装|Gaisō}} are the "outer" mountings, as opposed to {{nihongo||刀身|tōshin}}, 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.

File:金梨子地家紋散糸巻太刀拵 Tachi koshirae 2.jpg 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.[https://books.google.com/books?id=k_1JAQAAIAAJ&q=+ashi] 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 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.

File:蠟色塗鞘打刀拵／牡丹図鐔／牡丹図揃金具 加納夏雄作 Katana koshirae.jpg 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.

The {{nihongo||半太刀|han-dachi}} koshirae was worn katana-style but included some tachi related fittings such as a kabuto-gane instead of a kashira.

File:Aikuchi-J 06006-IMG 0911-white.jpg

The {{nihongo|aikuchi|合口 or 匕首}} is a form of koshirae for small swords in which the hilt and the scabbard meet without a crossguard between them.[https://books.google.com/books?id=vFS2iT8QjqEC&dq=Aikuchi&pg=PA196] The Japanese sword,Kanzan Satō, Kodansha International, May 30, 1983 P.196 The word literally means ai ("meeting") + kuchi ("mouth; opening"), in reference to the way the hilt fits directly against the scabbard.1988, {{lang|ja|国語大辞典（新装版）}} (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan2006, {{lang|ja|大辞林}} (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, {{ISBN|4-385-13905-9}} Originally used on the koshigatana (a precursor to the wakizashi) to facilitate close wearing with armour,[https://books.google.com/books?id=IQ3FAZG94ZsC&dq=Aikuchi+tanto&pg=PA88] Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior, Clive Sinclaire, Globe Pequot, Nov 1, 2004 P.88 it became a fashionable upper-class mounting style for a tantō (literally, "small sword", nowadays regarded as a dagger) from the Kamakura period onwards.

The {{Nihongo3|"prepared cane"|仕込み杖|shikomizue}} or {{Nihongo3|"staff sword"|杖刀|jotō}}{{cite web|url=https://seishinkan.info/history-of-the-japanese-staff/|title=Concealed and Trick Weapons|author=Seishinkai Bujutsu|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728015513/http://www.seishinkan.info/index.php?page=bojutsu_history|archive-date=July 28, 2014|access-date=January 5, 2012}} 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.

The {{nihongo||懐剣|kaiken}} is an 8–10 inch long, single- or double-edged daggerA 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}}. [https://books.google.com/books?id=J5PgapzD6FoC&dq=kwaiken&pg=PA405 p. 405]. 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 [https://books.google.com/books?id=IQ3FAZG94ZsC&dq=Aikuchi+tanto&pg=PA88 Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior, Clive Sinclaire, Globe Pequot, Nov 1, 2004 P.88] for self-defense or for suicide by means of slashing the jugular veins and carotid artery in the left side of the neck.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.306The 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

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

{{nihongo||鞘|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 {{nihongo|horn knob|栗形|kurigata}} on one side for attaching a braided cord (sageo), and may have a shitodome (mounting loop) to accent the {{transliteration|ja|kurigata}} as well as an {{nihongo|end cap|小尻|kojiri}} 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:

• {{Visible anchor|Sageo}}

A {{Nihongo||下緒 or 下げ緒|sageo}} is a hanging cord made of silk, cotton or leather that is passed through the hole in the {{nihongo||栗形|kurigata}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://martialartsweaponstraining.wordpress.com/2017/08/06/the-sageo-and-how-to-wear-your-katana/|title=The Sageo and How to Wear Your Katana|date=August 6, 2017|website=martialartsweaponstraining|publisher=Martial Arts Weapons and Training|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920054237/https://martialartsweaponstraining.com/the-sageo-and-how-to-wear-your-katana/|archive-date=September 20, 2018}}

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 {{nihongo||鐺|kojiri}} 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

• {{Visible anchor|kōgai}}

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

• {{Visible anchor|Umabari}}

The {{nihongo||馬針|umabari}} 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

The {{nihongo||柄|tsuka}} 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

• {{Visible anchor|Samegawa}}

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

• {{Visible anchor|Kashira}}

The {{nihongo||頭|kashira}} 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

The {{Nihongo|tsuba|鍔||or 鐔}} 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 {{convert|7.5|–|8|cm|in}}, wakizashi tsuba is {{convert|6.2|–|6.6|cm|in|abbr=on}}, and tantō tsuba is {{convert|4.5|–|6|cm|in|abbr=on}}.

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 {{Nihongo3|lit. pushing tsuba against each other|鍔迫り合い|tsubazeriai}}. 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

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

The {{nihongo||鎺|habaki}} 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 {{nihongo||鯉口の切り方|koiguchi no kirikata|extra2="cutting the koiguchi"}}. The blade, being freed, can be drawn out very quickly. This is known as {{nihongo||鯉口を切る|koiguchi o kiru}}, {{nihongo||抜き付け|nukitsuke}}, or {{nihongo||啖呵を切る|tanka o kiru|extra2="clearing the tanka"}}. 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

• List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-swords)
• Tsuba in the collection of Wolverhampton Art Gallery, England

{{reflist|2}}

• {{cite web |url=http://home.earthlink.net/%7Esteinrl/koshirae/koshirae.htm |title=Koshirae: Nihon Token Gaiso The Mountings of Japanese Swords |author=C. U. Guido Schiller |access-date=2008-06-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704210618/http://home.earthlink.net/%7esteinrl/koshirae/koshirae.htm |archive-date=2008-07-04 }}

• 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}}

{{commons category|Koshirae}}

• [http://www.shadowofleaves.com/Koshirae%20History.htm History of the Development of Koshirae]
• [http://www.ncjsc.org/gloss_habaki.htm Habaki – On Japanese Swords]
• [https://martialartsweaponstraining.wordpress.com/2017/08/06/the-sageo-and-how-to-wear-your-katana/ Martial Arts Weapons and Training] – The Sageo and How to Wear Your Katana
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090116014524/http://www.nihontoantiques.com/sageo_tying.htm Nihonto Antiques] – Step by step guide to tying a Sageo (photos).
• [http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/sageotying.html Usagiya Sword Shop] – Step by step guide to tying a Sageo (photos).
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150511032242/http://takumiwarrior.com/58-japanese-tsuba-designs/ TakumiWarrior Sword Shop] – Exploration of Japanese Tsuba Designs (photos).

{{Japanese (samurai) weapons, armour and equipment}}

{{Swords by region}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Japanese Sword Mountings}}

Mountings

Category:Samurai weapons and equipment