Tsuba / Sword Guard

鍔

Circular or oval handguard fitted to a Japanese sword or Shinai to protect the hands.

Quick Facts

CategoryEquipment

Pronunciation/[tsoo-bah]/

Alternative NamesSword handguard, Katana guard disk

Definition

Tsuba is the sword guard positioned between blade and hilt. It prevents the wielder's hand from sliding onto the sharp blade during thrusts while stopping incoming enemy strikes from reaching the grip.

Related Terms

Shinai竹刀

Bamboo sword constructed of four slats used for full-contact sparring in Kendo.

Bokken / Bokuto木剣 / 木刀

Traditional wooden sword shaped like a katana for safe practice in Kenjutsu, Aikido, and Iaido.

Tsuka / Sword Hilt柄

Hilt or handle section of a Japanese sword (Katana, Bokken) or Shinai.

Associated Martial Arts

Kendo