Ryūsō (龍爪): the dragon’s claw
The dragon’s claw, ryūsō, is one of the most enduring emblems of the legendary creature. In Japanese iconography, its claws seize the sacred pearl or cleave through clouds, embodying the dragon’s power and sovereignty over the elements.
This katana takes its name from its hamon, whose rising points echo razor-sharp claws running the length of the blade. The mounting carries the theme forward: dragons in relief on the tsuba, fuchi and kashira, and silver dragon menuki beneath the wrap.
A T10 steel blade with a true dragon-claw hamon
The blade is forged in T10 steel, a high-carbon steel prized for its hardness. Clay tempering creates two distinct zones of hardness along the blade and brings a true hamon to the surface.
The temper line follows a dragon-claw pattern, with sharply projecting points rendered in milky white, standing in clear contrast against the mirror-polished steel. The blade follows a shinogi-zukuri geometry with a chū-kissaki point, and carries no hi, so that the hamon can be read in its entirety along the full length of the blade.
A buke-zukuri mounting with gold and silver dragons
The round (maru-gata) tsuba, in black-patinated copper plated with gold and silver, presents dragons in high relief (takabori) with engraved detail (kebori), openwork (sukashi) among the scrolling clouds, and a rounded rim (maru-mimi). Two gilt brass seppa with a fluted edge frame it on either side.
The fuchi and kashira, in black-patinated copper, carry dragons in relief, partially plated in gold and silver. The handle pairs a wooden core with faux white ray skin beneath a black tsuka-ito in hineri-maki, with silver dragon menuki set beneath the braid. The single-piece (ichimai) habaki, in brushed gilt brass, is engraved with a crosshatch pattern.
A black saya with orange-red flecks
The saya is of solid wood, finished in a brilliant black kawari-nuri lacquer scattered with orange-red flecks and gilded highlights, like embers glowing through ash. The koiguchi is lacquered in gloss black, and the rounded (maru) kojiri matches. The black-lacquered kurikata with a gilt shitodome holds a black cotton sageo.
Dimensions and handling
With a blade of 71 cm and an overall length of 103 cm, the Ryūsō carries the proportions of a traditional katana. Its 26.5 cm handle allows a firm two-handed grip. At 1.3 kg, the balance is well judged. In its saya the piece measures 105 cm, an ideal scale for display, where the hamon can be appreciated in full.
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