DECORATIVE TSUBA

How an important practical feature of a sword became a decorative item.

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Atsuba is a hand guard that's placed between the blade and hilt of a sword. It's designed to protect the hands of a sword wielder from an opponent's blade sliding down their own and cutting them, or from their own hand slipping up onto the blade. The tsuba was also important for balancing the weight of the weapon. There are examples of tsuba in Japan dating back to the 5th century.