Edo-Period Samurai Sword Etiquette: The Codes of Wearing, Drawing, and Presenting Swords
* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Table of Contents
The Sword as the Warrior's "Soul" — Its Cultural Significance
During the Edo period, the sword was not merely a weapon for samurai. As it was called the "soul of the warrior" and the "repository of the soul," the sword was an existence that symbolized the samurai's status, spirit, and honor. This recognition gave rise to elaborate and precise codes of etiquette and formal conduct regarding the sword.
A widespread notion held that swords possessed a "sword spirit" (toukon), and famous blades were given distinctive names and passed down through generations as treasures of the family. Just as Muramasa was shunned by Tokugawa Ieyasu as an ill-omened "demon sword" said to bring misfortune to the Tokugawa house, or like Uesugi Kenshin's renowned blade "Himetsuru Ichimonji," swords were deeply connected to the character and fate of their wielders.
From how to wear the sword to how to enter a room, how to display it to others, to how to handle it in the presence of nobility—there were detailed rules for everything. These were not mere formalities, but embodied the trust, respect, and power relations within samurai society. Those skilled in etiquette were praised as being "well-mannered," and a lapse in deportment was said to tarnish the family name.
The Principle of Two Swords — The Meaning of Daisho and the Code of Sword-Wearing
Samurai, as a rule, wore two swords called "daisho"—an uchigatana and a wakizashi. This was the "two-sword style" (nihon-zashi) and also a mark of samurai status. The wearing of daisho became established as an exclusive status marker of the samurai class.
| Type | Blade Length | Features and Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Uchigatana (Long) | 2 shaku (approximately 60 cm) or longer was standard | The basic principle was "sashikomi" (direct insertion) with the edge facing upward into the belt sash. It spread from the late Muromachi period and became completely established during the Edo period |
| Wakizashi (Short) | One shaku or longer but less than two shaku | Beyond serving as a secondary weapon, it held special meaning as the blade used for seppuku (the honorable self-immolation of a samurai) |
As indoor etiquette, the uchigatana was held in the left hand and treated as a "waist sword" with the hilt facing forward. If one sat in a cramped room with the long sword still thrust in the belt, the blade might point toward others, and this could be taken as a sign of hostility. For this reason, in the sitting room it was customary to place the uchigatana on the left side and wear only the wakizashi.
When making an official visit to the castle (tojo), the uchigatana was entrusted to an attendant called the "sword-bearer" (kataaban) at the entrance, and one would enter while wearing only the wakizashi—such was the proper etiquette. At formal audiences before the shogun or daimyo (omemie), one was furthermore required to remove the wakizashi as well. This was a declaration of "complete submission" and a form of conduct that demonstrated absolute trust in the other through one's own body.
How to Hold and Pass a Sword — The Details of Etiquette
There were strict protocols for showing and passing a sword to another person.
When passing a sword: The proper etiquette was to present the blade with the edge facing oneself (the giver). Pointing the edge toward the recipient was considered a rudeness that signaled intent to attack. When giving to a superior, one must always hold and present it with both hands, lowering one's posture.
The etiquette of appreciation: When having a sword shown to you, one first asks permission by saying "May I look at it?" (haiken itashimasu), and then carefully receives it by the tsuka (hilt) or saya (scabbard) with both hands. Using the thumb to press the tsuba (handguard) and drawing the blade slightly out, one gradually withdraws the scabbard from the habaki-moto (the base of the habaki fitting) while observing the hamon (temper pattern) and jigane (grain pattern). Since breath on the blade could cause rust, great care was taken to keep one's mouth closed or to direct one's breath to the side.
The etiquette of sheathing: A drawn sword is carefully inserted back into the scabbard by gripping the "mouth of the scabbard" (koiguchi) with the thumb and forefinger, sliding it in from the kissaki (point) with quiet deliberation. Rough sheathing could damage the inside of the scabbard and risk breaking the kissaki. The "beauty of sheathing" was regarded as a reflection of one's skill and spirit.
The Code Surrounding Drawing the Sword — What Does It Mean to "Draw the Sword"?
Under Edo-period law, drawing a sword without valid cause was both a serious breach of etiquette and a legal violation. The Buke Shohatto (Laws for the Military Houses) and domain-specific laws clearly stipulated prohibitions on drawing swords, and unauthorized drawing could result in strict punishments such as suspension from service, loss of domain (kaieki), or seppuku.
The principle of "both parties to a quarrel are equally punished" (kenka ryoseibai) also strongly discouraged drawing swords. This principle, which punished both parties equally even in cases of legitimate self-defense, was a powerful deterrent against drawing the sword rashly.
On the other hand, there was a custom called "kiri-sute gomen" (permission to cut down commoners). This referred to the practice whereby a samurai could strike down a non-samurai who had shown disrespect without legal penalty, but in reality a "report to be submitted later" (todokeide) was mandatory, and if the reason for the strike was not deemed valid, one could still face punishment. It could not be exercised lightly, and needless killing was even said to be "a samurai's shame."
"Adauchi" (revenge) was also one of the institutional customs surrounding the sword, and the obligation to avenge one's lord or father was considered the duty of a samurai. The "Chushingura" (The Treasury of the Loyal Retainers), based on the Ako incident of 1702 (Genroku 15), depicts the revenge of the 47 Ako ronin against Kira Kozukenosuke, and in samurai society of the time it was praised as the "model of righteous warriors." The incident vividly demonstrates the spiritual structure of Edo society, in which the sword and duty and human sentiment were inseparably bound together.
Audience and the Sword — The Tension of Shogunal Audience
The shogunal audience (omemie) at Edo Castle was, in a sense, a ritual space that represented the culmination of sword etiquette.
The procedure for a daimyo to have an audience with the shogun was rigidly established.
- Organize the procession outside the Great Gate
- Entrust the uchigatana to the sword-bearer at the entrance
- Proceed down the corridor and remove the wakizashi before the facing room (taimenoma), placing it on the sword stand
- Prostrate oneself on the tatami mat and wait for the shogun's words
This sequence of removing one's swords, piece by piece, signified "complete submission," through which the samurai expressed loyalty through their very body.
Conversely, approaching the shogun while carrying one's sword was regarded as an extremely dangerous act that, regardless of the reason, would invite suspicion of treason. Even senior bakufu officials such as roju (senior councilors) and wakadoshiyori (junior councilors) observed the protocol of removing their swords in the shogun's presence. The authority of the shogun was, in a sense, visualized through the very power to compel samurai to disarm.
Sword Etiquette in the Modern Age
In modern iaido, kendo, and martial arts, the sword etiquette of the Edo period is inherited in modified form.
The "etiquette" (rei) at the beginning and end of training, the sonkyo (squat) posture, and the handling of wooden swords and bamboo swords—all of these trace their origins to samurai etiquette of the Edo period. In the "Etiquette of Kendo" established by the All Japan Kendo Association, the protocols for drawing and sheathing are codified, and one can see the direct inheritance of Edo-period etiquette.
For modern people who possess and appreciate Japanese swords to understand proper etiquette is not merely to acquire historical knowledge. To correctly perform the movements of lifting the sword, the finger positions for drawing the scabbard, and the quiet elegance of sheathing is to embody respect for centuries of accumulated ritual codes.
Sword etiquette is, ultimately, "the protocol of people facing one another through the medium of the sword." Through the sword, the samurai expressed their sincerity and martial prowess, and showed respect for the other. Even in the modern era, that essence—consideration for others and self-discipline—continues to live on, unfaded, as the spirit of Japanese martial arts.
