Definition of Seppa
It is the name for the spacers between the Habaki and the Tsuba and Sword hilt and Tsuba.
Nowadays, the discs are usually made of brass. They come in different thicknesses and sizes. As a rule, they are hardly decorated, but the design varies slightly.
On a samurai sword, a spacer is mounted on both sides of the tsuba, adjacent to the so-called seppa dai of the tsuba.
They are not part of the tsuba, but as they fit best into this category in our categorisation, this article is in the tsuba category.
Meaning for the sword
The importance of seppa is quickly underestimated, as they are not particularly conspicuous in the overall appearance of a samurai sword.
They are definitely more than just a gap filler, as they play an important role for the entire sword. They connect the elements habaki (blade ferrule), tsuba (thrusting blade) and fuchi (end piece of the sword handle) and provide support for these elements.
In addition, it often happens with swords that the individual elements become too loose after a while. This can be regulated using the seppa.
