Tsuba

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A typical tsuba

The angle of the sabre in chudan no kamae is determined by the tsuba and the curvature of the blade (shinai are straight, but real weapons are curved)

The tsuba (鍔) is usually a round or occasionally squarish guard at the end of the grip of bladed Japanese weapons, like the katana and its various declinations (tachi, wakizashi etc.), tanto, or naginata. They contribute to the control of the arm (the right index of the fighter typically touches the tsuba), and to the protection of the hand. The chudan no kamae guard [1] is determined by the tsuba and the curvature of the blade.

During the Muromachi period (1333-1573) and the Momoyama period (1573-1603) Tsuba's were more for functionality than for decoration, being made of stronger metals and designs. During the Edo period (1603-1868) there was peace in Japan so tsubas became more ornamental and made of less practical metals such as gold.

Tsuba are usually finely decorated, and nowadays are collectors' items. Tsuba were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen, whose only craft was making tsuba. They were usually lavishly decorated. In addition to being collectors items, they were often used as heirlooms, passed from one generation to the next. Japanese families with samurai roots sometimes have their family crest (mon) crafted onto a tsuba. Tsuba can be found in a variety of metals and alloys, including iron, steel, brass, copper and shakudo.

In a duel, two men may lock their katana and try to push each other off to gain a better position to strike the other down. As this is a precursor to an actual attack, a standoff before a more important fight is called Tsubazeriai (鍔迫り合い), lit. clash with tsuba. For example, when a newly-wed goes with her husband for a brief stay at her stepmother, a seemingly casual praise about her clothes can be a veiled insult for spending too much money on her own and she might retaliate by saying that her stepmother always looks the same. Such a minor clash could be called tsubazeriai by those not involved in one.

In modern Japanese, Tsubazeriai (鍔迫り合い) has become an expression meaning "to prepare doing something".