What is the dragon design on the orange saya?

The 30.7-inch hardwood saya is coated in orange piano lacquer with a hand-painted dragon motif near the mouth. A tan sageo cord is tied around the body in a traditional knot, matching the handle wrap for a cohesive warm color scheme.

How is the teal saya finish applied?

The hardwood saya is finished in a premium multi-color lacquer layering teal, gold, and dark blue speckle over a matte surface. The 29.92 in saya is paired with a matching dark blue braided sageo cord.

What is the koi tsuba made of and how is it finished?

The tsuba is cast in copper and decorated with a koi carp motif using gold and silver gilding technology. The combination of two metal tones over a copper base gives the guard a layered, detailed appearance that stands out as the focal point of the koshirae.

How is the dark red finish achieved on the wooden saya?

The burgundy color on these scabbards is the result of layered staining applied directly to the raw hardwood — species like sandalwood absorb pigment deeply into the grain rather than sitting as a surface coat. Once the desired depth of color is reached, the wood is sealed under lacquer to protect it from humidity fluctuations and oils transferred through handling. This process means the red tone has genuine visual depth: in direct light it reads as warm crimson, while in lower light it shifts toward mahogany. The lacquer layer also makes routine maintenance simple — occasional dry-wiping is sufficient to preserve the finish for long-term display.

What does the hand-painted saya artwork look like?

Updated Mar 2026

The black lacquer hardwood saya features painted white lily blossoms, green leaf vines, and gold-brown stems across the lower panel, with small red and blue bird details near the scabbard mouth. Each saya is hand-applied, so minor variation in the artwork is expected.