Ginryū Wakizashi (銀龍) – Silver Dragon

Ginryū (銀龍): the Silver Dragon

In Japanese tradition, the dragon takes on different colours according to the elements it governs. The silver dragon, ginryū, evokes moonlight, clouds illuminated by night, and the purity of precious metal.

This wakizashi makes that theme its own: two silver dragons spiral through the guard, while the crackle-finish silver saya and the white tsuka-ito and sageo carry that cold luminescence throughout. The black blade, with its bright hamon, delivers a striking counterpoint.

A black T10 steel blade with a true gunome midare hamon

The blade is forged in T10 steel, a high-carbon steel prized for its hardness. It has been clay-tempered, producing a true gunome midare hamon.

Its defining characteristic is its satin black finish: the bright hamon stands out in sharp contrast along the entire length, and the point (boshi) is left in a polished steel colour. The blade follows a shinogi-zukuri geometry with a chū-kissaki tip and a torii-zori curvature, without a bo-hi. The edge is hand-sharpened, an artisanal finish that makes all the difference.

A silver mounting with two dragons

The round (maru-gata) tsuba in silver-toned alloy is generously pierced (sukashi) and features two dragons in high relief (takabori) spiralling through clouds, with a polished ground (migaki) and a rounded rim (maru-mimi). A gilt brass seppa accompanies it.

The fuchi in silver-toned alloy is chiselled with floral motifs, and the chiselled silver kashira presents a rounded cap. The handle combines wood with a white imitation ray skin, beneath a white tsuka-ito wrapping in hineri-maki, with silver menuki. The ichimai habaki in gilt copper is engraved with a dragon (kebori).

A silver saya with a crackle motif

The saya is crafted in solid wood, coated in a metallic silver kawari-nuri lacquer with a white crackle motif. The koiguchi and kojiri echo this finish in keeping with the rest of the scabbard, as does the kurikata with its gilt shitodome, which accommodates a white cotton sageo.

Dimensions and handling of the wakizashi

With a blade of 51 cm and an overall length of 78 cm, Ginryū carries the proportions of a wakizashi, the short companion to the katana. Its 23 cm handle offers a comfortable one-handed grip with room for the second hand in support. At 1 kg, it remains highly manageable. It measures 80 cm in its saya, a format that showcases its black blade to full effect.