Udenuki-no-ana, two holes near edge of tsuba

[Matsunoki]

52 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Does yours have any paperwork, Colin?

Sadly not Piers, I just liked its somewhat raw brutality.

[Bugyotsuji]

I tend to agree with you there. Just curious as to what the NBTHK panel might have indicated. (Between the lines...)

[obiwanknabbe]

[Bugyotsuji]

The other two photos not showing up… 

[Bugyotsuji]

Managed to retrieve this and enhance it.

 

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

Here is an example together with what I think is the original koshirae and blade. The tsuba and blade are signed by Gassan Sadakazu. The tsuba isn't dated, but the blade is dated 1866.

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Toryu2020]

Nice one!

[ZH1980]

I’m a little late to the party, but wanted to share this (fairly beaten up) example from my collection. I’ve always enjoyed its simplicity. 

[cluckdaddy76]

First example of one of mine that fits this criteria. This is a large and heavy tsuba and the previous owner definitely had the box custom made for this one. I really do not know much else about this one, feedback appreciated. 

[cluckdaddy76]

Second example, I am also not sure on details of this one but saw in earlier posts on this thread that this was possibly a tsuba for a tachi, feedback also welcome

[John C]

On 1/2/2025 at 1:56 PM, cluckdaddy76 said:

Second example,

Jason:

I just picked up a very similar udenuki-no-ana tsuba, though in much worse shape and mumei. Would you happen to know what the style and shape (aorigata?) are called?

 

John C.

[Spartancrest]

6 minutes ago, John C said:

shape

Nade Kaku Gata (撫角形) or Kaku-maru-gata - shaped

[MaxT]

Hi everyone, 

 

While researching what these small holes where used for, I found this discussion and would like to share an interesting feature of my latest tsuba. The holes are integrated into the design as an "opening" for the river to flow from the back of the tsuba to the front. The interesting part is that one of the holes is "hidden" behind a rock. It is carved sideways (don't know how to describe it), which must have been extremely tedious. So whatever these holes were used for, it must have been important to warrant this amount of work... 

Edited July 16 by MaxT

[Shugyosha]

Hi Max,

That's a really lovely feature and a mark of the quality of the piece.

 

I've heard two explanations for the reasons for udenuki ana (sorry if this is mentioned above, but I've not read to the top of the thread): for a lanyard to attach the sword to the wrist so it didn't get lost in the heat of battle or to attach a fine thread between the tsuba and the saya.

 

The point of this being that, should the owner be tempted to draw his sword in anger, there was enough of a pull on the sword to give him pause for thought and reconsider the action that he might have taken spontaneously. Obviously the thread would not be so strong as to prevent the sword from being drawn should the need arose. Both of these reasons my be apocryphal and I can't reference them so treat accordingly.

[John C]

46 minutes ago, Shugyosha said:

should the owner be tempted to draw his sword in anger,

John:

I recently read a twist to this theory; that if a samurai's sword were to come out more than 3 finger widths out of the scabbard, it was considered that he "drew his sword." And in the presence of someone important, that could mean death. Just another reason to tie it down. 

 

John C.

[Bugyotsuji]

The cave in Max’s interesting tsuba above (which goes through to the other side) gives me the impression of a clever design feature to suggest for example Mt. Horai, rather than a functional element.

(Can we see the other side, Max?)

 

I have one tsuba with a figure hiding inside a 3D cave, but the cave does not have a rear exit! 

[Bugyotsuji]

While on the subject though, I would like to add this tsuba to the thread.

Iron, flat, tōshō

8.5 x 8.3 x 0.25 cm

 

 

[MaxT]

4 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

The cave in Max’s interesting tsuba above (which goes through to the other side) gives me the impression of a clever design feature to suggest for example Mt. Horai, rather than a functional element.

(Can we see the other side, Max?)

 

I have one tsuba with a figure hiding inside a 3D cave, but the cave does not have a rear exit! 

Here is the other side. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Ah, from the back they do resemble udenuki no ana! Art and function going together… (?)

[Tim Evans]

Here is an image from Nihonto Koza Volume VII showing how the cord was rigged. Western sport fencers were allowed by the rules to use a similar loop, called a martingale, mostly on french grip foil and epee to improve the hold and to maintain control of the weapon in the event of a disarm. The advent of the so called pistol grip made the martingale obsolete. 

 

Per traditional knowledge, the two holes to the right side on a Jigen Ryu Satsuma tsuba were used to tie down the tsuba to the kurkata. This has been mentioned before in this thread. That was a completely different purpose for the holes that is unique to Satsuma samurai culture. 

 

Edited July 16 by Tim Evans

[Bugyotsuji]

On 1/20/2025 at 4:14 AM, Spartancrest said:

Nade Kaku Gata (撫角形) or Kaku-maru-gata - shaped

Dale, central top right must surely be Yoko-Ito-Gata, in contrast to central bottom left Tate-Ito-Gata, ‘Tate’ and ‘Yoko’ being directional measurements.(?)

[Bugyotsuji]

Used to have this one until the previous owner said he wanted it back!

 

[Kurikata]

[Teimei]

One example by the Higo School

 

 

Edited July 17 by Teimei
school of tsuba

[Teimei]

One example by the Myochin School

 

[ROKUJURO]

One of mine, a small and simple one, probably a 'revival' piece.

[Spartancrest]

On 7/17/2026 at 7:17 PM, Bugyotsuji said:

Dale, central top right must surely be Yoko-Ito-Gata, in contrast to central bottom left Tate-Ito-Gata, ‘Tate’ and ‘Yoko’ being directional measurements.(?)

Could well be right - I just used someone else's diagram - [not the responsibility of the messenger ]  Look at the bright side, we can all blame AI for our mistakes now! [one very useful aspect]

[Hokke]

one more Myochin into the mix

 

[Spartancrest]

I just received this kinko guard - melted twisted look appeals to me, the two holes top and bottom I think are droplet designs but they could be udenuki-ana as well?

[Bugyotsuji]

Of course many of these could be vestigial design features harking back to an age.

 

On armours you will find gyoyo, tsurumaki and fukikaeshi, for example, which have long lost their original functions, but are somehow satisfying to the eye and the soul.