Sword fittings - Soukenkanagu

Japanese: 装剣金具 - そうけんかなぐ

Metal fittings attached to the koshirae (outer covering) of a sword. Originally, they were used to reinforce and protect parts that are easily damaged, such as the head of the handle, the joint of the scabbard, and the end of the scabbard. However, depending on whether the sword is for military or ceremonial use, whether it is a tachi or a katana, and the tastes of the time, there are various types, from practical to highly decorative. Metal fittings generally found on military swords include the helmet metal, edge, tsuba, menuki, sayaguchi, ashi, seme, and ishizuki.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

刀剣の拵（こしらえ）(外装)に取り付けられている金具。本来は柄(把（つか）)の頭部，鞘（さや）の合せ，鞘尻など損傷しやすい部分を補強･保護するための金具であるが，兵仗と儀仗の別，太刀，太刀と刀，時代の好尚などによって，実用本位のものから装飾性の強いものまでさまざまな作がみられる。一般的に兵仗太刀にみる金具は，兜金（かぶとかね），縁（ふち），鐔（つば），目貫（めぬき），鞘口（さやぐち），足（あし），責（せめ），石突（いしづき）などである。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Sokenji Temple

>>: Song and Yuan Dynasty Study Plan