You finally got that samurai sword you’ve been eyeing for a while now, and now that your katana, wakizashi, or tanto has arrived in your home, you simply cannot wait to display your sword in the space that you’ve cleared especially for it. But before you set everything up, you should be aware that a Japanese sword should not be displayed casually - you should get a sword stand that can withstand the weight of the sword, and secure it in place. We have a great collection of samurai sword stands to choose from - including table stands, wall hangers as well as sword display cases.
There are right and wrong ways of displaying Japanese samurai swords, and how they are presented expresses your intentions, as well as the status of your country.
The traditional order for displaying your samurai weapons on a multi-tier samurai sword stand is as follows: the tanto goes on the top tier, followed by the wakizashi on the middle tier, then lastly the katana sword is positioned on the bottom tier. This format directly matches the order that a japanese samurai follows as he prepares himself and puts on his swords each morning. A samurai carries his katana to the entrance of his home and wears it last; hence, it is placed on the bottom of the stand.
Swords should be displayed with the blade edge facing up for two reasons. First, the samurais historically wore their weapons on their left side with the edge facing up, when not on horseback. A blade worn on the left side of the samurai armor allowed them to draw their sword with their right hand, and an upward facing edge enabled them to cut downwards as they drew their sword. The second reason has a more practical basis; when a sword is displayed edge down, it puts pressure on both the edge and the scabbard. Placing the sword edge up eliminates that strain.
The orientation of the sword grip on a samurai sword stand is also important. When pointing to the right, it signifies mistrust and aggression, because one is able to draw the sword directly from the stand with the right hand and react to any immediate danger. A grip pointing to the left represents a cordial attitude, as the sword cannot be drawn directly with the right hand, and needs to be picked up and rotated (if already in the left hand) or transferred to the left hand (if picked up with the right) before it can be drawn. Your swords should be displayed with the grip to the left to indicate that there are no threats or hostilities. In addition, a sword with the grip to the left and the edge to the ceiling is a sword that is facing forward.
Most of the time, weapons on samurai sword stands should be sheathed. In some cases, it is appropriate to display them without the scabbard, and one of these is if your country were at war. Exposed sword blades indicate caution and belligerence. When displaying unsheathed swords, the grips should point to the right. However, displaying swords without the scabbard is not recommended. Not only is it very dangerous, it is also not good for the steel. But if you still decide to do so, make sure that the swords are in a safe location, and minimize the amount of time that they are unsheathed.
