Kagerō Tanto (蜻蛉) – Dragonfly

Kagerō (蜻蛉): the dance of the dragonfly

In Japan, the dragonfly was known as kachimushi, the “victory insect”. Because it flies only forward and never retreats, samurai adopted it as an emblem of courage and resolve, engraving it on their helmets and arms.

This tanto makes the dragonfly the heart of its mounts: two golden dragonflies grace the tsuba, with further examples on the fuchi and kashira, as though flying in formation along the handle.

A T10 steel blade with a true notare hamon

The blade is forged in T10 steel, a high-carbon steel prized for its hardness. It has been clay-tempered, revealing a true notare hamon: a line of long, gentle undulations, like a slow ocean swell.

The dark steel of the blade lightens towards the hamon, which stands out in sharp contrast. The geometry follows a shinogi-zukuri profile with a compact ko-kissaki tip and no groove.

Black mounts with golden dragonflies

The kakumaru-gata tsuba in mirror-polished blackened alloy is openwork (sukashi) and carries two golden dragonflies (tonbo) in high relief (takabori) with coloured highlights (iroe), set in perfect symmetry. A gilded brass seppa accompanies it.

The fuchi and kashira in polished blackened alloy bear golden dragonflies in relief, matching the guard. The handle combines wood with a faux black ray skin beneath a rust-brown tsuka-ito wrapped in hineri-maki, with golden dragon menuki. The ichimai habaki in gilded brass depicts a sunrise over the sea, complete with waves and a flight of gulls.

A black, white and gold marbled saya

The saya is solid wood, finished in a high-gloss kawari-nuri lacquer with a brushed and marbled effect in black, white and gold. The koiguchi and rounded kojiri (maru) are lacquered in marbled black. The black-lacquered kurikata with an oval gilded shitodome accepts a rust-brown cotton sageo.

Dimensions and handling of the tanto

With a blade of 33 cm and an overall length of 55 cm, Kagerō is a tanto of considerable presence. Its 17 cm handle sits firmly in a single hand. At 0.7 kg, it remains light and responsive. At 57 cm in its saya, its proportions display the dragonfly motifs to their finest effect on an exhibition stand.