Maple Wakizashi with Maple Horimono (Blade Carving)

This interesting custom wakizash has several unique features:

• Maple tree was hand carved on the blade by the master smith
• All fittings are based on a maple theme (menuki that shows a maple leave flowing in water, maple fuchi/kashira)
• Fitting materials is red brass
• Tsuba (hand guard) is a red brass that is blackened and hand-carved
• Real Japanese maple leave that we collected in the previous fall was inlayed in the saya. The saya is also inlayed with a layer of hemp.
• Handle core is half-blackened (white full same is blackened and partially shaved)

Look at the matching katana here.