Kingin Ryū Wakizashi (金銀龍) – Gold and Silver Dragon

Kingin Ryū (金銀龍): the gold and silver dragon

Gold (kin) and silver (gin) form one of the great classical pairings in Japanese art : sun and moon, day and night. Kyōto’s celebrated Golden Pavilion and Silver Pavilion stand as two of its most enduring expressions.

This wakizashi brings them together through the dragon: on the tsuba, fuchi and kashira, the dragons are gold-plated, while the clouds surrounding them are silver-plated. The plain black saya steps aside entirely, lending its quiet depth to the contrast above.

A T10 steel blade with a genuine gunome hamon

The blade is forged in T10 steel, a high-carbon steel prized for its exceptional hardness. Clay tempering draws out a genuine gunome hamon, its undulating line rendered in sharp contrast against the mirror-polished surface.

The geometry follows the classical shinogi-zukuri with a chū-kissaki point and no bo-hi groove. Hand-sharpening completes the blade, a level of artisanal finishing that makes itself felt the moment the sword is drawn.

A mounting of gold dragons and silver clouds

The round (maru-gata) tsuba in dark brown-black patinated copper is openwork (ji-sukashi), featuring gold-plated raised dragons (takabori) set among silver-plated clouds, with a textured surface and a rounded rim (maru-mimi). A rose-copper seppa accompanies it.

The fuchi and kashira carry the same motif exactly, gold dragons and silver clouds against a smooth ground. The handle pairs wood with white faux ray skin, bound in a hineri-maki midnight-blue tsuka-ito, with silver-toned menuki. The ichimai habaki in gilt copper features hatched bands and neko-gaki striations.

A deep, high-gloss black saya

The saya is crafted from solid wood, dressed in a deep, high-gloss roiro-nuri black lacquer, smooth and entirely unadorned. Both the koiguchi and kojiri are finished in black. The black-lacquered kurikata, set with a gilt shitodome, carries a midnight-blue sageo that echoes the handle binding.

Dimensions and handling of the wakizashi

With a blade of 51 cm and an overall length of 78 cm, the Kingin Ryū holds the true proportions of a wakizashi, the shorter companion to the katana. Its 23 cm handle provides a secure single-handed grip with room for a supporting second hand. At 1 kg, the piece remains responsive and easy to manoeuvre. In its saya, it measures 80 cm, an ideal format for display alone or alongside a katana.