Spare Saya for Minosaka Iaito

The Saya is made of two pieces of Japanese magnolia wood that are glued together. It is reinforced by the Sayajiri (end of the Saya), the Koiguchi, and of course, the lacquer. Unlike Shinken, Saya lacquers for Iaito are not made from traditional Urushi lacquer but from modern urethane lacquer, due to financial reasons.

Lacquers with a name ending in "ro" have a glossy finish, with a perfectly smooth surface. Lacquers with a name ending in "ishime" have a grainy finish, with a rough touch. The "ro" finish being smoother, the Saya is easier to slip in the Obi (belt).
If you plan on moving a lot with your Iaito, we recommend a "ishime" finish, which has a better resistance to scratches.

The Sayajiri is usually finished with buffalo horn (synthetic material for a Iaito), but it is possible to replace the buffalo horn by a piece of metal called a Kojiri, which significantly reinforces the Saya.

The classic shape of traditional Shinken Saya is slightly narrower at the end than at the koiguchi. It is therefore recommended to select a Kojiri that is slightly smaller than the fuchi.

The Kurikata is the piece placed 8 cm from the Koiguchi (Saya hole) on the Omote side of the Saya, used to interlock the Sageo.

The Kurikata is usually placed 8 cm from the Koiguchi. Depending on your body type and on the school you practice, you may want to move away the Kurikata a little. You can set the position up to 20 cm from the Koiguchi, but it shouldn't be farther than 12 to 15 cm. This option increases the production time to about 5 to 6 weeks.

The Shitodome is a small piece of brass, gold or silver plated, inserted in the Kurikata (the hole in which the Sageo goes). The Shitodome is purely decorative.
Shitodome can only be fitted on standard Kurikata. Selecting a Shitodome will change any special Kurikata (ie. Dotanuki) to a standard Kurikata.

Please note that Shitodome only fit on regular Kurikata. If you select a Shitodome for a Dotanuki model with a metal Kurikata, it will be replaced by a standard Kurikata.

The Sageo, the twisted lace which is provided on the Saya Kurikata, has two main purposes: it is tied to the Obi (belt) to prevent the Saya from falling when the sword is carried by its owner, and it has an ornamental purpose when the sword is displayed. Some Koryu also teach how to use the Sageo as a weapon or to tie an opponent's hands (Hojujutsu). It is also said that the lace serves as a spiritual bond between the samurai and the sword.

Iaito Sageo are usually made of lower quality synthetic silk (not offered here) cotton or silk.
Cotton Sageo are available in plain colors as well as in check patterns.
Silk Sageo are only available in plain colors. Silk Sageo are woven more tightly than cotton but are also thinner, which gives them a harder touch than the cotton ones.
Please note that for the Black Silk Sageo, the former weaving (Kakucho) has been replaced by a new one (Shigeuchi), giving the sageo a thicker look.
The colors may vary slightly depending on batches due to the traditional dyeing techniques.

The standard Sageo length is 210 cm. Only the silk Sageo is available in 240 cm.

All Iaito are delivered with the Sageo tied with a knot called "Ronin" knot, the way most craftsmen do. It is the most common knot for decorative purposes.