Hand it Over
By Philip M Scudieri
To the Samurai warrior, the katana was more than just a tool; it was his trusted friend, protector and even approached religious icon status. Many warriors even believed the sword had a soul of its own
For this reason I get a little “irratated” when I see people, martial artists, even fine art collectors, treating these beautiful weapons, with no respect and continue to miss handle and abuse them. So… I am going to show you how we treat a sword when we pass it around for inspection. This routine is followed even if it is not an antique.
First, hold the katana with the ha (edge) facing upward so the weight of the blade is on the mune or back side of the blade. Be sure the sageo (cord) is not loosley hanging down.
Fig1
Slowly pull the blade half way out. At this point, if the blade is not yours, ask the owner; may I? After you have received their permission, continue to draw the blade.
Fig 2
Place the saya in your obi or in a safe secure place.
Hold the blade straight up, with your right hand under the tsuba (hand guard) and your left palm open flat holding the kashira. (end cap) The ha (edge) is facing you.
Fig3
The recipient at this point does a slight one hand gassho to show respect for the blade and to insure mindfulness. This is a sharp blade at the least, nevermind a valuable antique blade.
Fig 4
The recipient than places their left hand underneath the palm hand and firmly grabs the tsuka with their right hand. With a firm grip to let the holder know he has the blade securely, he "takes" it to himself and is now in control of the blade.
Fig 5 and 6
This process should be done with elegance, almost like a kata.
I see many people claiming to teach/practice Japanese swordsmanship but fail to realize the importance (or are ignorant) of reishiki. (ettequette) in these systems. Certain elements must exist if you teach this Japanese martial art. I see some people make up kata with no meaning and then just throw bokken or katana on the ground or the floor, especially at tournements. This is not Japanese swordsmanship. When some collectors wear white gloves and never even breathe on their blades when they handle them, a little respect and mindfulness in this situation is not too much to ask. Especially if you follow the "Way"