Katana Saya: A Complete Guide

The Katana, or samurai sword, is truly a lethal weapon. It can cause a lot of damage if it slips or swings in the wrong direction. The sheath, or saya, of the Katana prevents this from happening. It encases the blade perfectly so that the samurai or Battōjutsu practitioner can carry it without posing much threat.

Aside from that, the saya of the Katana plays an important role in Battōjutsu. In fact, this line of martial arts is centered around the technique of sheathing and unsheathing the sword. Plus, the lacquering of the Saya itself has great artistic value. Find out more in this discussion.

What Is Katana Saya?

The term "saya" refers to sheaths or scabbards for Japanese knives and swords. It has two functions: protection of the blade and quick, skillful drawing of the Katana during a battle. Traditional and artistic Saya have lacquered designs on their exteriors.

A traditional Katana Saya can have four identifiable parts. Firstly, there's the Kurigata. This is a knob fitted to the scabbard. There's a small hole in the Kurigata. You can pass the Saego or cord attached to the saya through this hole to secure the Katana and saya to your Japanese belt.

The other two parts of the Katana are the Koiguchi and Kojiri. These are the mouth and protective endpoints of the Katana saya.

Classic Katana Saya are wooden with lacquer on them. Normal wood, ray skin, and other types of Saya are also available.

In our custom katana section, we offer wide range of saya for your selection.

Material And Manufacturing Of The Saya

Kata Saya are usually made from Honoki and Magnolia wood. These woods' strength and moisture-resistant qualities make them an ideal material for sword scabbards.

The creation of a Katana Saya starts with two wooden boards. The boards are cut and shaped roughly like a Katana. The craftsman will then adjust the boards to create two wooden shells.

A Saya shouldn’t be so tight that the blade rubs against it during drawing. Meanwhile, it shouldn’t be so loose that the sword floats inside the scabbard.

To ensure the sword fits perfectly inside the Saya, the makers shall trace the outline of the Katana on the two wood shells. Afterward, they will use a chisel to cut out the shape.

The craftsman then glues the two shells together and introduces the blade into the Saya to test if it fits. The craftsman shall then use a file to give the scabbard its final shape.

Katana Saya Lacquering Process

Handcrafted and lacquered Kata Saya carry great art value. A traditional Japanese scabbard lacquerer spends two to three months on a single saya to craft it to perfection. This is why handcrafted Katana Saya can cost more than a thousand dollars.

The exterior of the saya should have a certain degree of roughness to hold onto the lacquer. To achieve this, the craftsman uses washi paper and a clay mixture to lay down a foundation for the layering. A special polishing powder, known as Tonoko, goes into the clay mixture.

The next process is Naka Nuri. During this phase, the lacquerer sand down the exterior of the sheath, making it rough. He will then apply a lacquer layer of a previously agreed-upon color. Usually, the artist will mix dye powders with lacquer to prepare the desired coating.

That first layer is allowed to dry. Afterward, the lacquerer shall sand down the layer with a piece of sanding charcoal. This again makes it rough and ready to apply another lacquering layer. The craftsman shall repeat this sanding and layering a total of ten times.

The purpose of lacquering the saya is not just artistic. Instead, it is mostly a protective measure. The lacquer coating makes it difficult for the environmental forces to penetrate the saya and reach the blade. Thus, the lacquering process enhances the longevity of the Katana and the saya.

Importance Of The Saya In Battōjutsu

The term Battōjutsu means the art of technique of drawing the blade. The later version of Battōjutsu is Laidō, which means the martial art of quick drawing and resheathing the sword. So, it’s easily understandable how crucial the scabbard is in the Japanese sword-wielding martial arts forms.

To the less knowledgeable public, the saya, or scabbard, might seem like a mere covering for the Katana. However, as you learn more about Battōjustsu and Laidō, you will see that the saya is as important as the sword in these martial arts.

In fact, training in these disciplines mostly focuses on the skillful sheathing and unsheathing of the Katana. So, it is not an understatement to say that Battōjutsu and Laidō don’t exist without the Saya.

The role of the saya is very important during a fight. If you are normally waving or swinging a blade, you won’t be able to use its full striking potential. However, you can strike your opponent with the most power when you draw it from the Saya and wield it. This is why Battōjutsu puts so much emphasis on training the sheathing and unsheathing of the Katana.

When you draw the Katana out of the scabbard, it moves three or two times faster than it would normally. That’s because unsheathing gives the samurai the advantage of putting more power into the movement without worrying about controlling the pathway. As the Katana curves upwards against the Saya, it can guide the blade when the fighter draws it out.

In other words, the saya is not just a covering but actually a part of the Katana. Suppose two samurai with the same level of expertise engage in a battle, and one doesn’t have the saya. In this case, you can bet that the person with the sheath will win.

Conclusion

The Katana Saya is a work of art. The intense labor the craftsman puts into manufacturing and lacquering the piece speaks of dedication and excellence. At the same time, it is a crucial piece of equipment during samurai training and battle.
So, if you’re training in Battōjutsu or Laidō, take good care of your saya and work hard on your drawing and re-sheathing skills. For more katana parts knowledge you can check here.