Ryūjin (龍神): the dragon god
Ryūjin is the dragon god of Japanese mythology, sovereign of the seas and tides. He dwells in a coral palace beneath the waves, the Ryūgū-jō, and holds the sacred jewels that command the rise and fall of the waters. Fishermen and sailors still honour him in hope of his protection.
This wakizashi pays homage to his legend: on the tsuba, the dragon appears among clouds in the company of figures, while across the saya he unfurls in bold relief. The habaki, with its rising sun over waves, is a constant reminder of his oceanic realm.
A two-tone T10 steel blade with a genuine gunome midare hamon
The blade is forged from T10 steel, a high-carbon steel prized for its hardness and edge retention. It has been clay-tempered, bringing forth a genuine gunome midare hamon of striking contrast.
It is distinguished by its two-tone appearance: a satin anthracite-grey body meeting a darker steel edge, between which the hamon traces its undulating line. The geometry follows a classical shinogi-zukuri profile with a chū-kissaki tip and no groove. Hand-sharpened, this is a blade whose finish reflects true artisanal care.
A dragon and figures mounting
The kakumaru-gata tsuba (square with softly rounded corners) is crafted from gilded patinated copper. It presents a high-relief (takabori) scene of a dragon among clouds with figures, set against a partially polished (migaki) ground and finished with a rounded rim (maru-mimi). A gilded brass seppa completes the ensemble.
The fuchi in gilded patinated copper bears scrolling foliage and clouds in relief, while the kashira features a stylised dragon among clouds. The handle combines wood with a white faux ray skin, bound in a brown tsuka-ito hineri-maki weave, with patinated copper menuki. The ichimai habaki in gilded copper depicts a rising sun and waves landscape.
A black saya with a dragon in bold relief
The saya is crafted from solid wood, coated in a glossy black lacquer, and decorated with a bold-relief dragon and clouds motif with orange highlights in the kawari-nuri manner. The koiguchi is finished in glossy black lacquer, and the kojiri extends the line of the scabbard seamlessly. The lacquered black kurikata accommodates a black and gold sageo.
Dimensions and handling of the wakizashi
With a blade of 51 cm and an overall length of 78 cm, Ryūjin carries the proportions of a wakizashi, the shorter companion to the katana. Its 23 cm handle offers a comfortable one-hand grip, with room for the supporting hand. At 1 kg, it remains agile and well-balanced. It measures 80 cm in its saya, an ideal format to showcase its dragon in relief.
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