I am not concerned about the actual "display" part, like to show them off or anything, which is why their in my room, to keep away from my kids or any potential intruder.
Cool… in that case, I'd side completely with Ken. I have, well, a relatively substantial arsenal of training tools (and some real weapons as well), most of which "live" in my bedroom. They're simply in a corner of the room, bunched up together. I do have a couple of katana-kake (sword stands), but they're for ease of access to bokuto in most cases.
That being said, I am wondering if there is a specific or traditional way of keeping them when not in use?
Well, yeah. It's not necessarily uniform, though, as different locations and time-periods in Japan had different preferences… but, when it comes to having a "display", if you're displaying the sword in it's saya (scabbard), and it's going to be on display for a long time, it's not uncommon to remove the actual blade and replace it with a bamboo one, in order to display the koshirae (fittings, the tsuba, tsuka, saya, sageo etc), and to house the blade in a "plain saya" (shirasaya) for it's protection. You never display a shirasaya, though, it's kinda the opposite to it's function… which is why I laugh when I see some of the Chinese-produced weapons with shirasaya sold with the description "Great for Display!", ha!
Like others have noted they store them blade up toward the heavens so the sharp side doesnt rest on the sheath and handle to left is non aggresive and to the right is a way to access quickly which is "more aggressive" these are traditional display methods I have read about but wasnt sure if a blade pointing toward my bed is a "no no"....but maybe im reading too much into it…
Yeah, probably reading too much into it… I'll put it this way: Traditionally, you wouldn't "display" weaponry in your bedroom… if you want to, you get to make up your own rules.
oh yea by the way...I just started Batto Do...and I am a beginner obviously but for instance in the beginning or before we start a Kata we place our sword specifically a certain way in front of us and bow to it to honor the maker and never step over our Katana...several specific ways of going about things...which is why I was wondering about storing them...I mean no disrespect at all...its hard to type a response or question and also convey sincerety...I get what your saying about it being a tool and a plumber wouldnt hang his wrench above his bed but he wouldnt bow to it either before practicing with it..and he would place it in a tool box because its specifically made for it, as is a Katana stand...but it seems maybe I am reading too much into it and shouldnt really wory about how it rests in my home...Thank you!
Cool. The thing to realise with the reiho and so forth is that it's as much about safety as any spiritual reasoning in most cases… you hold the sword a certain way, place it on the ground a particular way, manipulate the sageo in a certain fashion etc etc for a sense of awareness of where the entire sword is at all times, and to ensure that the sword doesn't fall out of the saya or anything similar… you don't step over it in case you slip, the sword isn't put away properly etc, and you cut yourself open… the bowing can be seen as reminding yourself that you're about to start swinging around a two-and-a-half foot razor blade (hopefully, though, as a beginner you're using an iaito, yeah?), so awareness has to come to the fore.
Just out of interest, which system of Batto are you studying?
i have to put in my two cents here,,, we are talking about a Japanese sword, yes? ok so i have to disagree with this idea of the sword being a tool. im sorry but that is a modern and western view.
Hi Hoshin,
Speaking as someone who's training involves 5 distinct sword systems, yeah, the sword is a tool. That's not all it is, but yeah, it's a tool. Same as many others. Specific reverence might be paid to it in some systems, but it's more commonly seen as just another of the warriors tools (the actual term for weapon in Japanese is "Buki" 武器, which literally translates as "warrior/martial tool"…
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"the sword is the soul of the samurai" its a very common saying.
And a fairly modern one, honestly.
Sure, along with the mirror and jewel… but the sword there isn't a katana… and the reasons for it being part of the treasures doesn't relate to it's usage as a warriors weapon, or even the samurai themselves… as well as predating such ideals for the katana itself.
prior to the Meiji era the sword in a samurai home was always displayed. if you threw it in a closet you would probably be disowned by your family and lord. not only did the sword have religious meaning it was also a symbol of your status in society. without it you were a commoner.
No, not really… commoners were allowed to own swords, even wear them… it was only after about 1630 that the edict of "only samurai could wear Daisho" came about… and even after that, any commoner could wear a long or short sword, just not both together. The main thing stopping them was the cost of the weapons… but some wealthy merchants could afford them, and did own them. As far as "throwing the sword in a closet" leading to being disowned by the family and lord? No, can't say I've ever come across anything like that… after all, putting the blade in a shirasaya, the closet is exactly where you would put it… it'd be a controllable (to a degree) location in terms of temperature, humidity etc… a closet's actually a pretty good spot for a sword. And, as mentioned earlier, if the koshirae are on display, typically the "sword" isn't… so the idea of "the sword was always displayed" isn't actually accurate either.
i will admit there were "battle" swords and low grade swords that might have a tool type status in earlier times in Japan but as the refinement of society progressed so did the status of the sword. many swords are named, and thought to absorb the ki or the owner.
The idea of absorbing the ki of the owner was not unique to swords, of course. It could apply to any weapon… so there's no separation to distinguish a katana here. There are many examples of yari, for instance, that were named, or famous the same way a sword was.
as westeners we think of Japanese battles with swords but the reality is that the Yumi, naginata and yari were by far more important in combat.
True. Of course, guns later became quite a major aspect as well (after the first three were purchased by the lord of Tanegashima Island, and given to his katanakaji [sword smith] to replicate, Japan quickly got so far into mass-production that they had more guns than Europe)… but do you know what the most common weapon to start a battle was? It was rocks. Both sides would throw rocks at each other. In fact, there were places where religious ceremonies would be held, and the offering brought would be a rock to bolster the supplies for the local daimyo and his ranks.
but to answer the original question...as with all things Japanese there are many rules concerning the "proper way" but most would be mundane and would not apply to you. traditional Japanese homes did not have "bedrooms" persay they had walls that moved and could be removed. every space in a home had multiple uses so there would be no rules applying to a bedroom. bedrooms are a western architecture design.
Not entirely true, there were often designated areas for sleeping, but again, it depends on exactly when and where you're talking about… as well as the station/position of the householder… obviously, a more well-to-do family would have a more elaborate house, which would allow for more specialist areas, whereas a lower-income family would have more of a "studio apartment" kinda abode.
yes the blade always goes up. i have never heard of a blade facing down "to let the oil run" you never had a oily blade. you oil, wipe clean and then powder the blade. the only blade that would go down is for a Tachi sword that is designed to be worn that way.
Yep, but that of course is only in the way it's worn (unless the wearer was a gunner…
, storage is another thing. Often tachi were stored standing up (tsuka at the bottom) on individual stands.
This is a pre-katana more chinese design.
In terms of the sword, I don't quite see the "Chinese design" of a tachi… it very much is a katana with a different mounting/koshirae set-up in most regards. In fact, the early katana (uchigatana) were the partner swords to tachi. There were earlier swords (pre-dating tachi), often referred to as tsurugi (or ken 剣
that were very much Chinese-design, but the tachi was a fairly radical departure from that.
as far as the tip pointing, it should never be pointed toward a religious items like a butsudan or kamidana. i can assume this would be the same for a picture of Jesus or a cross hanging on the wall. in short you are disrespecting anything you point it at so yes your bed would be a no no. a common way to keep a sword would be in a tokonama space. it doesnt have to be big. it could just be a corner of a room with a raised floor and a wall hanging. you could hang a rack on the wall or if you only had one sword you could keep it on a vertical stand.
Certain "rules" were easy to follow in a Japanese-style house… it might not be so easy in a Western one… Personally, I wouldn't worry too much, especially about anything so hard and fast, as, as mentioned, there wouldn't be swords on display there anyway.
There have always been "katana dansu," or sword cabinets-some meant for display, some just to put away.
Most of what I've seen in regard to orientation is in line with what I've heard before-blade up, katana on top rung of the kake, tsuba to the left. It's good enough for Otake sensei, and a few other authorities, it's good enough for me. As with all things Japanese, though, there are likely exceptions to the exceptions to the rule.....(amd that "tsuba to the left no aggression" thing? Likely merely being "polite." Odds are good there's a whole corpus of technique on removing and quickly drawing the sword from the kake with the tsuba on the left...)
In closing, I guess I'd say that it's your bedroom and your sword; show them how you want to....
This last line from Elder really sums it all up… if you want to display them in your bedroom, it's your bedroom, and your choice!
