The Sageo - Parts of a Japanese KatanaThe sageo is the knitted material used to tie the sword to a martial artists obi (sash) and the ito or tsuka-ito is the knitted material that wraps the handle. This fabric can be of a variety of different materials depending on the preference of the blade furnishes and the value of the blade. It was common to use a basic woven wool as well as very high priced Japanese silk on high end swords. The Japaneses culture is very impressive when it comes to it's attention to detail. And like most things the creation of sageo is a well practiced and mastered skill. The sageo itself can take days to complete and be woven in very complex patterns creating vividly beautiful and colorful artistic creations. Today we also use modern synthetic materials and leathers for martial arts which can offer some additional grip to the tsuka.Sageo PhotosThese are some photo's of several different Sageo found on the Japanese katana that we offer.The textured black saya features an olive paracord sageo around a polymer kurikata and kojiri. See more of the Modern Tanto - BohiThe textured black saya features an olive paracord sageo around a polymer kurikata and kojiri. See more of the Modern Wakizashi - BohiThe textured black saya features an olive paracord sageo around a polymer kurikata and kojiri. See more of the Modern Katana - BohiHousing this subtle yet powerful blade is a black laquered wooden saya wrapped in han-samemaki ray skin with a buffalo horn kurikata with brown cotton sageo. See more of the Mukade Ni KatanaThe blue sageo matches the handle wrap on the Water Dragon Katana. See more of the Water Dragon KatanaThe silver Ryujin themed tsuba, fuchi and kashira are contrasted by the lacquered black saya, sageo and tsuka-ito over white same. See more of the Ryujin KatanaBlack cotton sageo to match the cotton wrapping on tsuka. See more of the Musashi Ko-KatanaThe black lacquered saya (scabbard) features a buffalo horn rimmed koiguchi (scabbard mouth) and kurikata (knob) with a black sageo (cord). See more of the Ginkgo Leaf KatanaThe black lacquered saya (scabbard) features a buffalo horn rimmed koiguchi (scabbard mouth) and a wooden kurikata (knob) with a black sageo (cord). See more of the Sakura KatanaThe textured black saya features an olive paracord sageo around a polymer kurikata and kojiri. See more of the Modern WakizashiThe textured black saya features an olive paracord sageo around a polymer kurikata and kojiri. See more of the Modern TantoThe textured black saya features an olive paracord sageo around a polymer kurikata and kojiri. See more of the Modern Katana