The Craftsmen Behind Military Sword Mounts: Showa-Era Fittings Makers and Their Postwar Legacy

The Structure of Military Sword Mounts and the Division of Labor

A sword's "koshirae" encompasses all fittings outside the blade itself: scabbard (saya), handle (tsuka), guard (tsuba), chape (kojiri), scabbard fittings (kurikata), hilt ornaments (menuki), collar and pommel (fuchi-kashira), handle wrapping (tsukaito), and sword knot (sageo).

Traditionally, these components were made through a specialized division of labor: scabbard makers shaped the saya, lacquerers applied urushi, metal craftsmen made guards and ornaments, and handle wrappers wound the cord. This intricate specialization was largely maintained for military sword production, though military regulations emphasized standardization, practicality, and durability over artistic expression.

Regulation Standards and the Craftsmen's Work

Showa-era officer swords followed several specifications — the Type 32, Type 94, and Type 98 — each with detailed rules for scabbard shape, materials, and fittings. The Type 98's distinctive brown leather-wrapped scabbard (chakawa-tsutsumi) was chosen for durability and moisture resistance over the traditional lacquer finish, requiring collaboration between leather workers and traditional scabbard makers.

Metal fittings craftsmen faced standardization pressures, but officers frequently commissioned custom high-quality tsuba featuring family crests or chrysanthemum designs — works by noted craftsmen that remain highly valued by collectors today.

Wartime Mobilization and the Threat to Craftsmanship

As the Pacific War intensified, fittings craftsmen were increasingly diverted to other military production. Materials shortages forced the use of substitute materials that degraded quality. By 1944-45, the quality of military sword mounts had declined dramatically.

Postwar Legacy

After Japan's defeat, many fittings craftsmen closed or changed trades under GHQ restrictions. But some quietly maintained their skills, and when sword production was officially permitted again in 1953, they revived their craft. Many of today's important fittings-making workshops trace their lineage to craftsmen who worked on wartime military swords — a heritage that contributed meaningfully to the postwar Japanese sword revival.