Tsuba

The tsuba (鍔) is usually a round or occasionally squarish guard at the end of the grip of bladed Japanese weapons, like the "katana" and its various declinations ("tachi", "wakizashi" etc.), "tanto", or "naginata". They contribute to the control of the arm (the right index of the fighter typically touches the "tsuba"), and to the protection of the hand. The "chudan no kamae" guard [http://www.halifaxkendo.org/images/kamae/Chudan.jpg] is determined by the "tsuba" and the curvature of the blade. The diameter of the average katana tsuba is 7.5 cm - 8 cm (2.953 inches - 3.15 inches), wakizashi tsuba is 6.2 cm - 6.6 cm (2.441 inches - 2.598 inches), and tanto tsuba is 4.5 cm - 6 cm (1.772 inches - 2.362 inches)

During the Muromachi period (1333-1573) and the Momoyama period (1573-1603) Tsuba were more for functionality than for decoration, being made of stronger metals and designs. During the Edo period (1603-1868) there was peace in Japan so tsuba became more ornamental and made of less practical metals such as gold.

"Tsuba" are usually finely decorated, and nowadays are collectors' items. Tsuba were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen, whose only craft was making tsuba. They were usually lavishly decorated. In addition to being collectors items, they were often used as heirlooms, passed from one generation to the next. Japanese families with samurai roots sometimes have their family crest (mon) crafted onto a tsuba. Tsuba can be found in a variety of metals and alloys, including iron, steel, brass, copper and shakudo.

In a duel, two men may lock their katana and try to push each other off to gain a better position to strike the other down. As this is a precursor to an actual attack, a standoff before a more important fight is called "Tsubazeriai" (鍔迫り合い), lit. clash with tsuba. Such a minor clash could be called tsubazeriai by those not involved in one.

In modern Japanese, "Tsubazeriai" (鍔迫り合い) has become an expression meaning "to prepare doing something".

See also

*Katana
*Koshirae
*Saya
*Tanka

Images