Left and Right handed? menuki placement.

[george trotter]

Hi all,

The "left or right hand" placement of menuki was touched on in an unrelated thread some weeks ago, but very briefly.

I was wondering what the members have noticed about this over the years? Assuming the point that the menuki fits into the "cup" or hollow of the hand, I have noticed the placement of menuki to suit both left or right hand users, as well as "either-handed" placement.

I ask if there is an strict protocol or if anyone can suit himself depending on his needs? Even with WWII gunto koshirae, which are fairly strictly regulated by military authority, there seem to be a fair number of what would be termed "left handed" tsukas. Type 3 tsukas also seem to have a fair number of occasions when the menuki are mounted directly opposite each other (ambi-dexterous mounting?).

I would be interested in the board's experience of this matter.

Regards,

George.

[sanjuro]

George.

 

In real terms all Katana menuki placement should correspond to a right-handed grip (That is right hand forward of the left hand) on the tsuka. A katana is mounted to be worn on the left side. The placement of kurikata etc on the saya do not deviate from this. It is exceptional to see a sword mounted (as in placement of kurikata etc.) for left handed use.

This is not to say that there were no left handed samurai - merely that left handed samurai learned to draw and use the sword right handed.

The placement of menuki apparently for a left handed grip may be due to a couple of reasons. One would be a personal preference of a right handed user in order to comply better with the grip. Its not necessarily a rule of thumb that the menuki fits into the hollow of the hand, although most do follow this pattern. A second reason may be that when a sword is remounted, particularly in the Edo period, placement of the menuki is sometimes done with regard to the appearance of the mounted blade as opposed to the functionality of the mounting, this may result in an opposed positioning of the menuki.

 

I cant comment on military mountings, because I simply dont know enough about them.

[george trotter]

Thanks for that information Keith...I think you may be right, I can't swear to having noticed more than two or three "lefties" in traditional mounts while I have however seen a reasonable number in gunto mounts...the reason possibly being that an officer could choose whatever suited him best in combat (perhaps pistol in the right hand?)...just not certain if any "rule" can be determined in this. I certainly agree that being a leftie in the samurai period would possibly be a disadvantage in a duel...while in WWII it is highly unlikely that a Japanese officer would ever meet an opponent in a sword vs sword duel...so not a critical matter...more likely to be slashing in battle...right or left mounting optional.

Thanks,

George.

[John A Stuart]

Please see the following article. John

http://www.una.edu/faculty/takeuchi/DrT ... cement.htm

[george trotter]

Thanks for that John...a very interesting article. I suppose then we shouldn't read too much into the placement of menuki as indicators of "handedness"...except perhaps in the case of gunto koshirae, where it seems that, gunto being carefully regulated, the "left" or "right" handedness of otherwise identical mountings must mean a personal preference by the officer commissioning the mounting.

 

The article doesn't specifically mention "themed" orientation of menuki, but an example I once saw (beautiful quality), was that of a menuki on a buke-zukure tsuka which was (ura) a little fox in soft metals. He was wearing a "grass" raincoat and hat and standing on a log raft which he was poling up a river with a long pole . You could see that he was leaning forward intently, looking at something in the distance (towards the kashira). On the other (omote) side was exactly the same figure, also on a raft with a pole, but this time he was a rabbit, looking back fearfully over his shoulder behind him ,obviously being chased by the fox. A very charming set. The theme flowed from fuchi, around the end of the kashira and back down the other side towards the fuchi (and towards the tip of the blade). I think the other fittings were themed with river bank grasses (can't really remember).

Thanks again,

George.