Tosogu Positioning for Katana

I would like to talk about why the fittings on a katana are designed, decorated and positioned the way they are, specifically regarding aesthetics. It begins with how the sword is worn and viewed by others. The following information is based on my experience learning about and working with katana, it’s not meant to be the last word and it’s a very abridged snippet of the world of katana tosogu and koshirae, so please do your own research as well.

katana throughout history weren’t always so decorative, not all of them looked like what we see in museums and galleries. More elaborate and artful fittings were popular during times of peace and prosperity and when the individual artisans had more experience and skill and the samurai had more money to spend on their swords. During these times, decorating popularity grew, as did the schools of artists, peaking during the Edo period. Not all of the swords the samurai used were worn edge up, such as the tachi and gunto so the following might not apply. 

A samurai’s swords were not just weapons but were also cherished objects that became a way to show one’s rank, wealth and general status to anyone viewing them. Because the swords were now worn on the left hip, blade edge up, onlookers would be able to see what’s called the omote or public/outward side of the sword. The side that would be against the samurai is called the ura or private/hidden side. Most of the time the swords would either be in a horizontal position or with the tsuka tilted more upright, perhaps when the samurai was in a tighter space and didn’t want the saya end hitting against things or people or even to use as a hand rest. 

Because the swords omote was visible to others, this was naturally the side that would be more decorated. Think of the swords as billboards, advertising who the samurai is by using colors, themes, family crests, precious metals and more. And because this was the way the sword was seen when worn and decorated, this was also the way it was displayed when not worn, on a kake positioned with the blade to the right and edge up. Again, not all swords were so highly decorated, even in times of peace but for this article, the more elaborately designed koshirae is what I’ll be focusing on.

Here are some examples of how the katana is worn. 

And here are a couple of examples showing katana position on kake.

So, we’ve established that in general, the katana’s omote is the main focus but I want to go into all the individual parts as well. I’ll start with the saya.

The saya weren’t always so elaborately decorated, many were pretty plain looking having a glossy or matte lacquer look in either black or another solid color. Even without any other design elements to focus on, there was still the kurikata, to which the sageo was tied, and sometimes a kaeshizuno or obi hook, found on only the omote. When the sword was displayed on a kake, the sageo would often be tied in a decoratively tied presentation knot, adding at least some decorative focus. Even though the kurikata and kaeshizuno are functional pieces, they also became more aesthetically important.

However, when the saya was decorated with makie for instance, it was often only found on the omote or at least the larger amount of decoration would be on this side. In a case where there was samgawa enveloping the saya, the less attractive seam would be along the ura, leaving the omote clean and uninterrupted, as it also appears on the tsuka. Saya could be as individually unique as any other part of the sword so again, the above is just a basic understanding. 

Here is an example of saya that have the bulk of the decoration on the omote side.

Here is another example where both sides of the saya are decorated with similar designs but the omote features more overall.

And finally, an example of a saya fully wrapped in kairagi samegawa and as you can see, the omote is clean while the ura shows the seam running the full length. 

Next we’ll go to the tsuba. Now unlike most of the other fittings and sword parts, the tsuba omote and ura don’t face the same direction. Instead of looking at the sword’s side, the tsuba would be viewed more head on or on an angle, so the side facing the tsuka would be the omote and the side facing the blade is the ura. In addition, the tsuba omote and ura also have a left and right so in most cases, the most important design element would be positioned on the right side of the omote, so the side you would see if looking at it from the kashira end toward the blade end on the omote side of the sword. Secondary design elements would often be found on the left of the omote side and or on the ura side. Again, this is because this is the best angle to see it when the sword is being worn or displayed.

There are also other design elements that are positioned on one side or the other such as when a tsuba has openings for accessories such as kogatana and kogai. If the tsuba has both, which was fairly common, there would typically be a bean shaped opening on one side of the nakago-ana and a three-lobed opening on the other, the latter being the one most commonly found on the right side of the tsuba omote. Of course, this wasn’t a hard-set rule and there are many examples of the tsuba not having any hitsu-ana at all or sometimes having two of the same shape, so it’s not necessarily the only way to know which side is which. Also, some decorative designs on tsuba were much more complicated and therefore harder to figure out while some tsuba had the same exact designs positioned the same way on both sides or even no embellishments at all on either side. Peening along the nakago-ana walls and mei were often another way to know which side was which but again, not always.

There is also an up or ha and down or mune side to the tsuba. The narrow part of the nakago ana is toward the ha. This means that most of the time, the design element would appear upright on the right side of the omote, viewing the tsuba from the kashira end, blade edge up. So if for example there was a standing samurai depicted and he was the main focus, he would be positioned feet toward the mune, head toward the ha on the right side of the tsuba omote. 

Here are a few examples of tsuba. The first example shows the omote on the left, ura on right. Note how the omote features the bulk of the design and the larger portion of that is toward the right side. It also features two hitsu-ana, one for kogai and one for kozuka/kogatana and in general, the three-lobed ana for the kogai would be placed on the right side of the omote. 

The next tsuba is a little more difficult to figure out just by the design since it seems it’s pretty evenly distributed across both sides and both faces. I think the left pic is the omote side, I think this because the tree’s canopy is hanging slightly to the right and and there’s more leaves on the right and also that both hitsu-ana are present, with the leaning canopy aligning with the kogai hitsu-ana. 

The next example is even more difficult in my opinion. In this case, the general design is again pretty evenly distributed but the stray twig is the one thing that is only featured on one side, other than the differing hitsu-ana. So, the twig and the kogai hitsu-ana are together on the right of the omote side, in my opinion. When there’s layering of objects, in this case leaves and a twig piled up, the ura is usually the view of the bottom or the back while the omote shows the front or top of the layers. 

For the following example, the only way I’d be able to guess which side is the omote is by the hitsu-ana, the kogai hitsu-ana being on the right of the omote side. 

The next example is fairly obvious, following what I’ve outlined above. 

Same with this one.

Now, this example doesn’t have both hitsu-ana but the design makes it obvious, the top pic being the omote.

The fuchi is another fitting that often had more decorative designs on the omote side than the ura. In addition to the omote having the main design focus or at least the majority of it, it was often positioned to be viewed with the tsuka in a vertical position with the kashira above the fuchi. For example, let’s say there was a dragon laid out across the fuchi omote, it would likely be positioned with the legs and feet on the top of the fuchi, or the side closest to the tsuba. When I say top I mean the side the cap is on but this is also considered the bottom as far as the position best for viewing the design. Or if it was a standing person depicted, the persons feet would be toward the tsuba while the head would be toward the tsuka. Many people confuse this, thinking the fuchi would be viewed while holding the sword blade up but again, the layout would be for the benefit of one looking at the sword while sheathed and worn, not while drawn. If both the fuchi omote and ura were decorated, you’d often see that there is less decoration on the ura side or at least the secondary element would be on that side, let’s say the dragons tail. As far as production katana, the fuchi is a fitting that is often positioned correctly on production katana since it will already have the nakago ana cut in the cap, so there would really be only one way it can be mounted. I have seen more than a few fuchi that were reversed, a mistake in the molding/casting process probably. 

Here are some examples of fuchi. The first one shows the bulk of the design on the omote, positioned right side up (cap at bottom)

The next fuchi’s design isn’t as heavy on one side vs the other but still, the slightly larger portion is on the omote side. You can also note that the trees on both sides have their trunk down at the tsuba side and branches up toward the tsuka. Also, what appears to be the back end of a furry animal is positioned correctly with it’s feet on the tsuba side.
Here is another obvious example of correct figure positioning and clearly showing the main design on the omote. Again, cap on the bottom. 

Next would be the menuki. Now menuki aren’t as easy to figure out as some of the other fittings, in my opinion, mostly due to the variety of objects and because they can be positioned horizontally or vertically. What’s depicted on menuki varies so much and can be anything from a single mon to an entire scene involving people, animals and plants and everything in between.
The general rule of menuki is like the tsuba and fuchi where the menuki with the more prominent or important design features would be on the tsuka omote, since this one would be seen much more than the ura. A key rule is that if the menuki is a person or an animal or anything that would be naturally viewed upright, it should be positioned so that image makes sense. So as an example, if the omote menuki were a scene featuring a person sitting by a tree, reading a scroll, it should be positioned so that the persons head is up and the base of the tree is down, just as you would see the scene in real life (unless you were doing a handstand). So this positioning would be as the tsuka is to the left, blade to the right, edge up. Now let’s assume the two menuki are very similar in design and the two people are each facing a different direction, one left, the other right. The menuki with the person facing to the right would likely be the omote menuki and they would be facing the fuchi. The other menuki would be the ura and that person would also be facing the fuchi if looking at the sword with the blade to the left, edge up and tsuka to the right.

Sometimes the menuki designs are viewed vertically, with the top facing the tsuba, which is odd because it would be opposite of how the fuchi image is viewed. 

Some menuki examples. I’ll start with a fairly easy set, ox pulling a plow or a cart. The ox would be positioned the way you see them here, the left one on the omote side while viewing with the blade to the right, edge up and the other on the ura, blade facing left, edge up. Both animals would be facing the fuchi. 

The set of usagi menuki are also pretty easy. Both animals would be seen right side up, the top one being the omote and bottom being the ura. 

The set of dragons are also not too difficult but the twist is, one has it’s head turned around. While the top one seems clear that it is the omote, the bottom one is positioned the way it is not because of the the direction the head is facing but instead, which direction it’s body is moving to. So the omote is facing the fuchi while the ura is facing the kashira but moving toward the fuchi. 

This next set of usagi has little difference from one to the other and only the slight lean of the face and body is what determines the bottom one is the omote and the top is the ura. Subtle but also distinct. 

Here is a non-animal set to change things up. The general rule with plants or in this case root vegetables is that the roots would face the fuchi so for this set, the top menuki would be the omote. Of course one could turn them around so the other factor here is the way the foliage falls in a natural way, with gravity. The ura menuki’s foliage is more obvious. 

For this next set, it’s about the direction the bodies are moving, not the direction the heads are facing. Left being the omote.

This set is a bit trickier, there’s a lot going on here. I’m going to say the top is the omote because the cut end of the branches are facing right, toward the fuchi while the ends are facing left on the other one. In my opinion, this trumps the direction the animals bodies and or faces are facing.  I might be wrong. 

Here’s a few more sets, try to figure out which menuki is omote among them. 

Okay, on to the last piece, the kashira. While some kashira designs can be a little confusing, there’s only one side to it and it becomes more about which end is up. Now again, up would be if you were looking at the tsuka from the kashira end and the blade edge was up. So for instance, if it was a tree depicted, the canopy would be up (ha) and the trunk down (mune). Pretty simple.  Many kashira don’t have a distinctive design direction, say a smooth domed kashira, so in some cases you can tell other ways. Sometimes the mune of the kashira would be just slightly wider than the ha, following the general shape of the tsuka core but many times there is no discernable difference in shaping. Some examples.

The monkey is pretty obvious, head to the ha, bum to the mune. You can also tell the tsuka is positioned correctly for viewing since you can see the omote end knot clearly on the right.

The next example is a dragon but it’s not as easy to tell as the monkey in my opinion, mostly because it’s traveling from end to end instead of sideways. What gives it away, other than again being able to see the omote end knot, is the fact that the head is right side up, even though the dragon’s body is going from ha to mune.

The next two aren’t of animals so it may be a little more difficult to tell but seeing the fuchi (positioned right side up) helps give the answer. Also, the plants are in a natural position, as they would be in real life. stems coming out of the water on one and stems to the ground and butterfly over the flower head on the other. So for both, the ha would be on the left, mune on the right. 

The next kashira features a raptor and we know birds can fly upwards or downwards just as easily but what gives the answer away here is the tiny bit of plant life. Naturally, the plants would be on the ground so we can assume the raptor, although facing downward, is on the ha of the kashira.

An easy one. Waves on the mune. 

Not so easy… But I would say because of the arrangement and the direction of the ginko leaf, that the leaf is at the ha. 

Easy…

Easy…

Not so easy…

Tricky…

And these kashira can probably go either way, you’d have to more carefully inspect them to get a better idea.

Here are some various katana and tsuka images showing off their fittings and positioning 

So, I hope this sheds some light on which way the fittings on a katana should be positioned. To repeat, these “rules” were often disregarded, bent or broken so it’s not the last word on the subject. Things are also different for swords worn edge down, such as tachi and gunto since the omote then becomes the ura. I also skipped some fittings such as kojiri and elaborate koiguchi since these are not as commonly seen or decorated. Thanks for looking.

all images gathered from the web and used only for educational purposes.