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Updated: 8 Feb 2025

Episode 8: Sword Mountings(KOSHIRAE)

Episode 8: Sword Mountings:
All You Need to Know About KOSHIRAE – SAYA, TSUBA, and so forth

Welcome back to another episode of Katana Archives.
Are you fully aware of what makes up a piece of Katana? Besides its blade (Technically referred to as TO-SHIN/刀身; Blade-Body), there are a few more things to be inspected and admired in Japanese swords. Let’s take a look at them today.

 

INDEX
KOSHIRAE (拵え; Mountings)
1, TSUBA (鍔; Handguard)
2, KOZUKA (小柄; Small Knife )
3, TSUKA (柄; Hilt)
4, MENUKI (目貫; Hilt decor)
5, FUCHI-KASHIRA (縁頭; Pommel)
6. HABAKI (鎺; )
7, SAYA (鞘; Scabbard)

KOSHIRAE (拵え; Mountings)
The whole category, which refers to all equipment besides the blade, is called KOSHIRAE in Japanese. Below are all parts of Koshirae that you need to have a complete Samurai-style Katana.

 

 

 

 

 

1, TSUBA (鍔; Hand Guard)
Generally, round-shaped metal protection is equipped on the bottom end of To-Shin (Blade), called TSUBA. Below are some of our Tsuba collection. Look how much variety of Tsuba there is in the world of Katana.

Dating back to the Samurai times, especially in the Edo period (1603-1868 A.D.), Samurais would appreciate many different Tsuba. They wanted to show off their political status in public by wearing a neatly-designed Tsuba on the blade.

 

2, KOZUKA (小柄; Small Knife)
Samurais would often put a small knife, KOZUKA, through the hole of Tsuba. It was known for having various use such as cutting fabric, scraping wood, throwing it against the opponent, and such.

They would also put a hairpin (Typically referred to as KO-GAI/笄; Hair-tie) through the other hole. It was known to be one of Samurai’s highest traditional accomplishments to have an identical set of Kozuka, Menuki, and Ko-Gai in the ever-changing fashion trends amongst Samurais.

3, TSUKA (柄; Hilt)
TSUKA is the hilt part of Katana. It is usually comfort-oriented and practical while keeping simplicity and beauty. Rough surfaced stingray covers up the wood body on top of Nakago and thick ropes of cotton tightly binding those pieces in the right place.
There are so many sub-genres in Tsuka, which we would like to come back to in future episodes.

4, MENUKI (目貫; Hilt decor)
In the case of equipment, you hit a bamboo nail MEKUGI (目釘; peg) through the middle part of Tsuka towards the hole on Nakago to fix the tang and Tsuka. There is an attached ornament called MENUKI on each side of Tsuka.

5, FUCHI-KASHIRA (縁頭; Pommel)
Fuchi Kashira is a kind of metal fitting of the Japanese sword, which improves the handle’s strength. Fuchi Kashira is a combination of two parts; Fuchi and Kashira. Fuchi is put next to Tsuba (handguard), and Kashira is placed on the bottom grip. Fuchi Kashira had developed not only its practicality but also beauty for the decoration of the Japanese sword.

6. HABAKI (はばき)
Habaki is the equipment to help the blade kept in the right position in the scabbard. It prevents the blade from getting rusty and chipped. There are various designs of them, such as family crest and slit mark.

7. SAYA (鞘; Scabbard)
Last but not least, or if anything, Koshirae is never complete without a scabbard, SAYA. Katanas’ scabbards should also be categorized into countless different genres that could nearly equal the whole amount of today’s article, but below are some examples.

 

 

By closely inspecting a Japanese sword, you will notice how every single part of it is beautiful and sophisticated by itself.

And, you would gradually recognize how those mountings reflect Samurai’s thoughts and their smiths. That is the very reason why we love to offer you a lot of sword mountings at Samurai Gift as well.

Once you know the history behind them, you would surely be captivated by the majesty of Katana’s culture and those who had enjoyed, loved, and passed it over to the present day. We will see you in the next episode.

 

-SAMURAI MUSEUM-

 

 

 

Antique Japanese Sword Tachi

Antique Japanese Sword Katana

Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi

Antique Japanese Sword Tanto

 

  • $6,578.95

    DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO :
    USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, France, Finland, Hong Kong, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Shirasaya Case, Koshirae Case (Decorative Sword Mountings),  Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Wakizashi (SHINTO)
    Age 12th year of the Bunka era (1815: Late Edo period)
    Swordsmith Katō Tsunahide (加藤綱英)
    Certificate NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
    Location Edo (today’s Tokyo)
    Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 38.5 cm (15.1 inches)
    Curvature: 0.6 cm (0.23 inches) 

    More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us. 

  • $5,592.11

    DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO :
    USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, France, Finland, Hong Kong, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Shirasaya Case, Koshirae Case (Decorative Sword Mountings),  Traditional Sword Carrying Bag, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Wakizashi (SHINTO)
    Age Early Edo period (Mid 17th century)
    Swordsmith Tanba no Kami Yoshimichi
    (丹波守吉道:Kyo Yoshimichi 2nd-gen)
    Certificate NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
    Location Yamashiro province (Today’s Kyoto)
    Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 40.0 cm (15.7 inches)
    Curvature: 0.70 cm (0.27 inches) 

    More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us. 

  • $21,710.53

    DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO :
    USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany , Belgium, France, Finland, Hong Kong, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate for the Katana, NBTHK Hozon Certificate for the Wakizashi, Shirasaya Case×2, Koshirae Mounting×2, Traditional Sword Carrying Case×2 (for Shirasaya& Koshirae), Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Katana (SHINTO)& Wakizashi (SHINTO)
    Age Mid Edo period (1688-1704)
    Early Edo period (1673-1681)
    Swordsmith Hizen koku Jyu Ōmi Daijō Fujiwara Tadayoshi
    (肥前國住近江大掾藤原忠吉)

    Mutsu no Kami Fujiwara Toshinaga
    (陸奥守藤原歳長)
    Certificate NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate& Hozon Certificate
    Location Hizen province (Today’s Saga prefecture)
    Yamashiro Province (Today’s Kyoto)
    ⇒ Ise province(Mie prefecture)
    Blade Size Cutting Length: 70.0 cm (27.5 inches)
    Curvature: 1.8 cm (0.7 inches)

    Cutting Length: 48.1 cm (18.9 inches)
    Curvature: 1.4 cm (0.55 inches)

    More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us. 

  • $23,026.32

    DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO:
    USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany , Hong Kong, France, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Shirasaya Case (Plain Wooden Case), Koshirae Mounting, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Wakizashi (SHINTO)
    Age Early Edo Period (1661-1681)
    Swordsmith Kazusa no Kami Fujiwara Kaneshige (上総守藤原兼重)
    Certificate NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
    Location Musashi province  (today’s Tokyo prefecture)
    Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 54.8  cm (21.6 inches)
    Curvature:  0.90 cm (0.35 inches)  

    Thank you for visiting our website. This sword was sold as each antique Japanese sword is one of a kind. However, we might be able to show you something similar because we have various types of swords available. Also, there are ones that aren’t listed on the website yet. Our customer service will help you find your ideal blade you will cherish for generations. Please feel free to contact us or check the list of swords. We will be more than happy to help you.

  • $11,513.16

    DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO :
    USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany , Belgium, France, Finland, Hong Kong, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Koshirae Mounting, Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Katana ( KOTO)
    Age Late Kamakura- Nanbokucho Period (Early-Late 14th century)
    Swordsmith Attributed to Ko-Mihara (古三原: Unsigned)
    Certificate NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
    Location Bingo Province (Today’s Hiroshima prefecture)
    Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 68.4 cm (26.9 inches)
    Curvature: 1.96 cm (0.77 inches)

    More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us. 

  • $10,526.32

    DELIVERY TIME: Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO:
    USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany , Belgium, France, Finland, Hong Kong, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED: NBTHK Hozon Certificate, Shirasaya Case, Koshirae Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Katana (SHIN SHIN TO)
    Age Late Edo period (Mid-Late 19th century)
    Swordsmith Attributed to Buzen no kami Kiyondo(豊前守清人: Unsigned)
    Certificate NBTHK Hozon Certificate
    Location Dewa province (Today’s Yamagata prefecture)
    Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 68.1 cm (26.8 inches)
    Curvature: 1.8 cm (0.70 inches)

    More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us. 

  • $16,447.37

    DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO :
    USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, France, Finland, Hong Kong, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Shirasaya Case, Koshirae Mounting, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Katana (SHIN SHIN TO)
    Age The 3rd year of the Kouka era (1846: Late Edo period)
    Swordsmith Chounsai Tsunatoshi (長運斎綱俊)
    Certificate NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
    Location Musashi province (Today’s Tokyo)
    Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 71.2 cm (28.0 inches)
    Curvature: 2.0 cm (0.78 inches)

    More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us. 

  • $7,894.74

    DELIVERY TIME: Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO:
    USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany , Belgium, France, Finland, Hong Kong, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED: NBTHK Hozon Certificate, Koshirae Case (Decorative Sword Mounting), Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Bag, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Katana (KOTO)
    Age late-Muromachi period (1532-1555)
    Swordsmith Iemori (家守)
    Certificate NBTHK Hozon Certificate
    Location Bungo province (Today’s Oita prefecture)
    Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 67.3 cm (26.5 inches)
    Curvature: 1.3 cm (0.51 inches) 

    More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us. 

  • $5,592.11

    DELIVERY TIME: Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO:
    USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, France, Finland, Hong Kong, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED: NBTHK Hozon Certificate for the blade&Koshirae, Koshirae Case (Decorative Sword Mounting), Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Bag, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Katana (KOTO)
    Age Estimated the late Muromachi period
    (the late 15 – mid 16th century)
    Swordsmith Attributed to Kashu Katsuie (加州勝家: Unsigned)
    Certificate NBTHK Hozon Certificate for the blade & Koshirae
    Location Kaga province (Today’s Ishikawa prefecture)
    Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 70.3 cm (27.6 inches)
    Curvature: 1.5 cm (0.59 inches) 

    Thank you for visiting our website. This sword was sold as each antique Japanese sword is one of a kind. However, we might be able to show you something similar because we have various types of swords available. Also, there are ones that aren’t listed on the website yet. Our customer service will help you find your ideal blade you will cherish for generations. Please feel free to contact us or check the list of swords. We will be more than happy to help you.

  • $18,092.11

    DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO:
    USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, France, Finland, Hong Kong, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Hozon Certificate for the Koshirae, Shirasaya Case (Plain Wooden Case), Koshirae Mounting, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Wakizashi (SHINTO)
    Age Early Edo Period (1658-1661)
    Swordsmith Echizen no Kami Minamoto no Sukehiro (越前守源助広)
    Certificate NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate for the blade& Hozon Certificate for the Koshirae
    Location Settsu province  (Today’s Osaka prefecture)
    Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 55.4 cm (21.85 inches)
    Curvature: 0.90 cm (0.36 inches)  

    Thank you for visiting our website. This sword was sold as each antique Japanese sword is one of a kind. However, we might be able to show you something similar because we have various types of swords available. Also, there are ones that aren’t listed on the website yet. Our customer service will help you find your ideal blade you will cherish for generations. Please feel free to contact us or check the list of swords. We will be more than happy to help you.