12. Things to look for when viewing a sword
(1) The nihonto is a weapon made for use in battle.
However, even though today it has outlived its use in war, depending on its use it can still be a lethal weapon.
(2) Today the nihonto is treated only as a work of art. Nihonto with artistic value are registered by law, and it is possible to own, study and admire them.
(3) When viewing a sword consider there are two roles, that of the viewer and that of the person showing the sword.
i) When showing someone a katana, bringing it out on a spread cloth etc., whether it is ornamented or if it is in a plain sheath it should always be kept in a sack. This is to prevent it coming out of its sheath by accident. You should make sure the tsuka-gashira is upwards and hold it in your right hand when you put it in and take it out. This is considered polite. When showing the sword you should never allow the kissaki to face them, or hold it such that it is cutting towards them. When drawing the sword the cutting edge should face up and the back of the sword (the mune/mine) should be touching the saya as it is drawn. Tilt the cutting edge towards yourself and hand it to your guest from the tsuka-gashira.
ii) The person who takes the sword should grip the tsuka firmly and draw sideways being careful not to point the kissaki at the person showing the sword. Bow once before viewing the sword. When doing this it is recommended to use a "fukusa (cloth)". If you use your bare hand or a dirty hanky you run the risk of dirtying the tsuka.
iii) When looking at the katana always hold it upright and view its shape. At this stage you should avoid holding the katana sideways. You should never hold the tsuka as if to swing it, or strike poses with the sword.
After viewing the shape of the sword, hold it agains the light and view the hamon and boshi, starting from omote and moving to ura. At this time be careful as much as possible not to allow the kissaki to point towards your host. Because of lighting or for whatever reason you find you have to point the kensen at you host you should say "shitsurei-shimasu".
Next lay the blade sideways and draw your hands back, admiring the metal. When admiring the upright tempered blade and when drawing the hands back to admire the metal, use a "fukusa" in both hands. You should rest the blade lightly on the fukusa, being careful never to place the blade on your sleeve or the katana's saya. You may use "paper( 拭紙 ?) in place of the fukusa, but you should not thoughtlessly rub the blade. When viewing the blade the paper of fukusa should simply support the blade and sould not rub or wipe it.
iv) When presented with a sword in its saya, the way you draw and the way you sheath the sword is very important.
When drawing the sword you should hold the saya from below and grip the tsuka from above, with the cutting edge upwards you sould break the "Koi-guchi", and slowly draw without rattling. Drawing the sword quickly is something that sword enthusiasts generally dislike greatly. When sheathing the katana the hands are held the same, and the sword is inserted in the saya slowly without rattling the blade. You should never draw or sheath the sword with the the blade held horizontal, you should never draw the sword part way and then stop and look at it, and you should never grip the saya from above with your left hand. Also, however much of a work of art the sword may be, never forget that it is still capable of cutting and as such it should be treated with care
To be continued....
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Originally Posted by Nanbanjin
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