Shiryū Wakizashi (紫龍) – Purple Dragon

Shiryū (紫龍): the purple dragon

In Japan, purple (murasaki) was long considered the most prestigious of colours, reserved for the nobility and the highest ranks of the imperial court. United with the dragon (ryū), creature of water and sky, it gives birth to the Shiryū: the purple dragon, a figure of singular rarity and distinction.

This wakizashi takes that figure as its guiding theme: a blade in deep purple tones, and raised dragons that cover the handle, the scabbard, the guard, the fuchi and the kashira. The dragon envelops every surface of the piece.

A straight blade in purple damascus steel

The blade is crafted from damascus steel, formed by layering and folding multiple sheets of steel until the characteristic damascus pattern emerges clearly along its length. The profile is straight.

Its surface carries a purple tone with blue and orange reflections, which shifts with the light and brings the damascus pattern to life. The blade features neither hamon nor bo-hi.

A black mounting sculpted with dragons

The tsuba is a small round guard in black alloy, sculpted with motifs evoking air, water and dragons. The fuchi and kashira in black alloy bear raised dragon motifs, in keeping with the guard.

The handle is not wrapped: it is solid wood covered in faux leather carrying raised dragons, which provide a textured grip. The gilded brass habaki is pierced and reveals a black alloy finely hammered with small dots (nanako).

A scabbard dressed in raised dragons

The saya is solid wood, covered in faux leather with raised dragon motifs that match the handle. The koiguchi and kojiri in black alloy are sculpted to evoke a water dragon. Once sheathed, the wakizashi presents a continuous sculpted surface from kashira to kojiri.

Dimensions and handling of the wakizashi

With a blade of 51 cm and an overall length of 78 cm, Shiryū carries the proportions of a wakizashi, the shorter companion to the katana. Its 23 cm handle, with its well-defined relief, provides a secure single-handed grip. At 1 kg, it remains easy to handle. At 80 cm in its scabbard, a format that shows its sculpted surfaces to full effect.