Japanese ornamental knots

[Martin]

Hi all,

 

does anybody know any online ressources or instructions (maybe images) on how to tie koshirae or shirasaya bags? They sometimes have very nice ornamental knots.

 

cheers,

Martin

[myochin]

Hello Martin, Hello to All,

 

I am new to this forum and hope that my little contributions can be of some help.

 

Sanmei.com have a nice little (and cheap) book that shows you, stage through stage, with nice pictures, on how to tie knots for your swords, sword bages and boxes. The book title is:

Introduction to Japanese Swords through Pictures

 

Paul.

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

I own and appreciate that little book. Warmly recommended for other

reasons too.

EDIT TO ADD : courtesy of Paul Martin. Cheers Paul, if you're lurking out there.

 

 

About on-line sources :

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/sageo.htm

 

http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/sageotying.html

 

http://www.budoya.es/katana/sageo.html

[BC Smith]

Here's a link for tying the bag

 

http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/tyingcord.html

[Nobody]

Also this site shows the tying the bag as well as other tyings.

 

http://collect.jp/~sword-ebay/musubi/imageidx.html

[Martin]

Hi,

 

thanks very much so far - especially Usagiya has nice step by step instructions.

Any ideas on how to tie shirasaya bags? Are there some nice knots too?

They only have one loose end so the tying should be different.

 

cheers,

Martin

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

  Martin said:

Hi,

 

thanks very much so far - especially Usagiya has nice step by step instructions.

Any ideas on how to tie shirasaya bags? Are there some nice knots too?

They only have one loose end so the tying should be different.

 

cheers,

Martin

 

Shirasaya usually has less elaborated and less large Fukuro, being not a Tsuba on mounting. Mines are blue with stripes, quite boring, without a long Sageo but with a simple, quiet short Sageo made of the same fabric of the bag. Not so fancy when tied. Just my 2 eurocents.

[Ron S]

Does anyone know where I might purchase the book?

[Brian]

Ron,

 

Try these 3:

http://www.sanmei.com/shop_e/enter.html (under books)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-Sword-Cho- ... dZViewItem

http://www.namikawa-ltd.co.jp/cgi-bin/list_e.cgi

 

Regards,

Brian

[Ron S]

Thanks Brian,ordered one from Tokagawa site.

The ebay guy has some great books but seems considerably dearer than anyone else. I really must try to learn to read Japanese, I have pretty much everything from Amazon but theres always room for more

[John A Stuart]

Hi Martin, I have only seen a wrap with the trailing end pulled back through a previous wrap on shirosaya. John

[Ed]

Martin,

Nothing to either of those knots.

 

Folding either: Put sword in all the way to the bottom of bag (duh). Fold top over to top of kashira. Fold all down over sword. Fold vertically around tsuka and begin tying.

 

Koshirae: Once the bag is folded, wrap Fusahimo around snugly and evenly in a spiraling pattern. When approx. 6-8 inches remain, pull both cords under last loop of the wrap. Pull til snug. Seperate the two loops(that you pulled under). Lay the tassels over this and tie a simple overhand knot. Pull the tassels and knot alternately until tight. Viola.

 

Shirasaya: once folded, wrap the cord around tightly in a spiraling pattern until 5-6 inches remain. Fold the remainder and push the doubled end under the last loop of the wrap. Pull Tight. Viola again.