Definition of the term The blade of the samurai sword is called the tsuba. The main function of the tsuba was, of course, to protect the swordsman's hand. It also has an influence on the balance of the sword.

There are different versions of the tsuba. We explain common terms here using a tsuba that has both kogai hitsu ana and kozuga hitsu ana,

The names for the appearance of tsuba depend first of all on the external shape of the blade. There are many different types. The most common are these:

Basically, many materials, jigane, are used for the production of tsuba. A distinction is made between iron and soft metals. Here are some examples of materials used.

Special attention is paid to the edge of the blade, as it has a significant influence on the overall appearance. There are different designations for the tsuba edge. Here