Rinka Wakizashi (輪花) – Flower Ring

Rinka (輪花): the flower in bloom

Rinka describes the silhouette of a flower with rounded petals seen face-on. This lobed form (known as rinka-gata) is a classical shape in tsuba and Japanese decorative arts, evoking blossoming, fullness and the beauty of the natural world.

This wakizashi takes it as its guard: an eight-lobed flower-form tsuba embellished with chrysanthemums. The three gilded floral kamon on the white saya extend the theme across the entire piece.

A blue T10 steel blade

The blade is crafted in T10 steel, a high-carbon steel prized for its hardness. It follows a shinogi-zukuri geometry with a chū-kissaki point and no groove.

A blue colouration covers the body of the blade, complemented by a satin edge and a white undulating frieze. This line is a decorative hamon.

A flower-form mounting

The rinka-gata tsuba, with its eight flower-shaped lobes, is in blackened alloy. It features broad openwork (sukashi), a frame engraved with floral motifs, and two chrysanthemums (kiku) in relief. A gilded brass seppa accompanies it.

The fuchi and kashira in polished blackened alloy are smooth. The handle pairs wood with faux white ray skin, beneath a midnight-blue tsuka-ito in hineri-maki, with black menuki. The ichimai habaki in gilded copper bears hatched bands and neko-gaki grooves.

A white saya with three gilded kamon

The saya is solid wood, finished in high-gloss white lacquer and adorned with three gilded floral kamon in alignment. The koiguchi and kojiri are lacquered white in keeping with the rest of the saya. The white-lacquered kurikata with a gilded shitodome holds a midnight-blue cotton sageo.

Dimensions and handling of the wakizashi

With a blade of 51 cm and an overall length of 78 cm, Rinka carries the proportions of a wakizashi, the shorter 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 nimble. It measures 80 cm in its saya, a format that shows the white lacquered scabbard to its finest advantage.