ScrollX Tag Page

Koshirae

1 posts0 sourcesWiki updated 1/18/2026
Browse Full Gallery →

Also Known As

拵え

About Koshirae

Also known as: 拵, 拵え

Japanese sword mountings and fittings.

Hilt and blade components

  • Tsuka (柄): sword handle.
  • Kashira (頭): end cap (Pommel) on the end of the tsuka.
  • Shitodome (鵐目): small metal collars in the kashira and/or kurigata.
  • Samegawa (鮫皮): ray or shark skin used to cover the bare wooden handle.
  • Same-Hada (鮫肌): literally the pattern of the ray skin (of samegawa).
  • Tsukamaki (柄巻): way (pattern) of wrapping tsuka-ito around the tsuka (see reference
  • Tsuka-Ito (柄糸): leather straps or woven cord used in the tsukamaki.
  • Mekugi (目釘): peg(s) for securing the handle to the blade.
  • Mekugi-ana (目釘穴): hole(s) for the mekugi.
  • Menuki (目貫): decorative metal fittings for the tsuka (generally underneath the tsukamaki; see reference
  • Fuchi (縁): hilt collar between the tsuka and the tsuba.
  • Tsuba (鐔 or 鍔): sword guard.
  • Seppa (切羽): washers or spacers above and below the tsuba to tighten the fittings.
  • Habaki (鎺): blade collar.

Scabbard components

  • Saya (鞘): sword scabbard.
  • Koiguchi (鯉口): mouth of the saya or its fitting.
  • Kurigata (栗形): saya fitting for attaching the sageo.
  • Sageo (下げ緒): cord used for tying the saya to the obi.
  • Kaeritsuno (返角): hook-shaped fitting used to lock the saya to the obi while drawing.
  • Kojiri (鐺): end cap on the end of the scabbard.
  • Kogai (笄): spike for hair and knot arrangements carried in a pocket of the saya, often paired with kozuka (see reference
  • Kozuka (小柄): decorated utility knife carried in a pocket of the saya, often paired with kogai (see reference

External links

Page 1