漆柄 Urushi-zuka / Lacquered Handle

What is Urushi-zuka in Japanese Katana terminology?

This refers to a structure where the handle cord is hardened with lacquer to prevent dirt and damage to the handle part. In addition to simply hardening the handle cord with raw lacquer, there are also items where the leather wrap is painted with colored lacquer, items made in a stone-like finish, and even items with a larger particle size, known as ""Awaji-zuka"".