Tsuba BBT-05

Tsuba BBT-05. Tsuba is the guard that attaches Japanese swords of different sizes (naginata, tachi, katana, wakizashi, tanto).

Tsubasa it has a double purpose: it balances the sword and protects the hand. The main purpose of the tsuba was to prevent the hand from sliding towards the blade and not, as one might think, to protect the hand from katana the opponent. Different sizes are used for different types of swords tsuba:

• katana: 7.5 – 8 cm

• wakizashi: 6.2 – 6.6 cm

• so much: 4.5 – 6 cm

During periods Muromachi (1333-1573) and Momoyama (1573-1603), extremely bloody periods, with many wars, tsuba it had a practical role rather than a decorative one. Tsubasa it was made of hard and resistant materials, and very little emphasis was placed on design. Instead during the period Edo (1603-1868), a peaceful period, without wars, the emphasis was transferred to decoration tsuba. It even went to the other extreme, using less practical metals such as gold.

Tsubasa they are usually finely decorated, and nowadays they are collector's items. Tsubasa they were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen whose only business was to make tsuba. Tsubasa it became over time not just a collector's item; they were often used as family keepsakes, passed down from one generation to another. Japanese families descended from samurai families sometimes have their family crest (MON) engraved on them tsuba. The style of achievement a tsuba it was different over time, being influenced by the areas where they were created or by the imagination of the craftsmen.

But decorated or not - tsuba it must first of all satisfy the need for functionality and not the decorative one!

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