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Japanese Tantō Red Cherry Blossom (Sakura) – 1045 Steel
Availability: 4 in stock
SKU: TAN-001The tantō (短刀) is a short, single-edged Japanese dagger that samurai carried as a secondary weapon, complementing the katana or wakizashi in close combat, and also as an object of daily use or personal status outside the battlefield. This piece is made of 1045 steel, a modern, single-piece steel that allows for reliable tempering and a firm edge without the irregularity of traditional Japanese steel. The blade features a decorative engraving (horimono, 彫物) of a cherry blossom branch: the cherry blossom (sakura, 桜) is one of the most beloved symbols of Japanese culture, long associated with the fleeting beauty of life, and frequently appears in art and weapon ornamentation from the samurai era. The sheath is also covered in authentic red-dyed galuchat —real ray skin, not a synthetic substitute—, a material traditionally valued by Japanese artisans for its toughness and characteristic grainy texture.
Identification
- Type of piece
- Tantō (短刀) - Japanese short-bladed dagger
- Model
- Red Cherry Blossom (Sakura) Tantō - 1045 Steel
- Historical period depicted
- Edo period inspiration (江戸時代, 1603-1868), modern one-piece steel
Blade (Ha)
- Steel type
- 1045 carbon steel, forged in one piece
- Overall length
- 34 cm
- Blade length
- 21 cm (長さ, nagasa)
- Blade width
- 2.5 cm
- Spine thickness
- 5 mm
- Tip type (kissaki)
- Tantō-type point, straight and sharp
- Hamon type
- Suguha (直刃), straight temper line
- Hardening method
- Differential hardening (焼き入れ, yaki-ire) on 1045 steel
- Blade finish
- High-gloss finish, with floral engraving (horimono, 彫物) of a cherry blossom branch along the spine
- Edge condition
- Sharpened, with a real edge (刃, ha)
Grip (Tsuka)
- Tsuka length
- 10 cm (柄, tsuka)
- Core material
- Magnolia wood (朴の木, honoki)
- Samegawa (rayskin)
- Cream-coloured synthetic samegawa (鮫皮)
- Tsuka-ito (wrap cord)
- Black and cream cord, diamond-wrapped (柄糸)
- Menuki (ornaments under the wrap)
- Small golden cherry blossoms (桜, sakura), integrated under the wrap (目貫)
- Fuchi and kashira
- Fuchi (縁) and kashira (頭) in black with gold details
Guard and mounting (Koshirae)
- Tsuba (guard)
- Round, black, with a sober profile (鍔)
- Tsuba material
- Darkened iron
- Habaki
- Gilded brass with green collar (鎺)
- Seppa (spacers)
- Gilded brass (切羽)
- Mekugi (peg)
- Black lacquered bamboo (目釘)
Scabbard (Saya)
- Scabbard material
- Wood covered with genuine dyed galuchat (ray skin) (鞘)
- Colour and finish
- Red, dyed natural galuchat
- Sageo (scabbard cord)
- Matching black and cream cord (下緒)
- Koiguchi (scabbard mouth)
- Black lacquered, integrated with the saya (鯉口)
General information
- Predominant colour
- Red and black
- Materials
- 1045 carbon steel, wood, dyed natural galuchat, iron, brass, textile cord
- Total weight
- 350 g
- Blade weight
- 220 g
- Balance point
- 3 cm above the tsuba (鍔)
- Recommended use
- Collecting, decoration, ceremonial piece
- Practitioner level
- Intermediate (blade with a real edge, requires careful handling)
This dagger is forged from a single piece of 1045 carbon steel, which is heated and cooled differentially to temper the edge, and then polished to a high shine. A decorative motif of a cherry blossom branch is hand-engraved on the spine of the blade. The handle (柄, tsuka) is covered in cream-coloured samegawa (鮫皮) and wrapped with a black and cream cord in a diamond pattern, beneath which small golden cherry blossoms (目貫, menuki) are placed as decorative elements. The black, understated guard (鍔, tsuba) and the remaining gilt brass fittings are assembled before the entire dagger is attached to the scabbard (鞘, saya) made of wood covered with genuine red-dyed galuchat, and secured with a matching black and cream cord (下緒, sageo).
- Tantō (短刀) forged from a single piece of 1045 carbon steel.
- Sharpened blade, with a real edge (刃, ha) and an engraving (彫物, horimono) of a cherry blossom branch.
- Menuki (目貫) in the form of small gilt cherry blossoms (桜, sakura).
- Black and cream tsuka-ito (柄糸), diamond-wrapped.
- Saya (鞘) covered in genuine red-dyed galuchat, real ray skin.
- Black tsuba (鍔) with a sober profile; fittings in gilt brass.
- Compact dagger format, ideal as a complementary collector's piece.
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