Kiso Hida Katana - 飛騨刀

Hand-forged Kiso Hida Katana in red Damascus steel with visible folded grain in copper-rose tones. Full tang, sharpened. Copper tsuba with dragon-cloud sculptural relief and brass rim, copper honeycomb habaki, black cotton ito over genuine rayskin, brown wood-grain primary saya, black secondary saya with gold dragon engravings, black-white twisted sageo. Includes wooden display stand with 武 (Bu) kanji.

Kiso Hida Katana Specifications

Red Damascus Blade — Copper-Tone Grain

The blade is red Damascus steel — folded layers with a heat treatment that shifts the grain into copper and rose-gold tones. Where standard Damascus reads silver-grey, this blade reads warm brown, the folded pattern resembling bark grain or geological strata seen through amber. The Kiso Hida Katana is the only red Damascus blade in our catalog. The warm steel tone connects blade to brown saya, creating a material continuity absent from blades where cold steel contrasts with warm fittings.

Dragon-Cloud Tsuba — Honeycomb Habaki

The tsuba is copper with dragon and cloud forms carved in full sculptural relief, framed by a brass outer rim. The patinated surface creates depth as the creatures weave through three-dimensional space. The copper honeycomb habaki beneath connects the Kiso Hida Katana to our honeycomb series (Obsidian, Enbanaito, Kessho Sora) — the same hexagonal openwork pattern that bridges fittings across different price tiers and themes.

Dual Saya — Forest and Night

Two scabbards. The primary is brown with visible wood-grain texture — the surface reads as natural timber: growth rings, color shifts, the organic flow of figured wood. The secondary is glossy black lacquer with gold dragon engravings painted along its length. Brown for daylight forest, black-gold for night canopy. The Kiso Hida Katana is the twelfth dual-saya katana in our catalog, and the only one pairing natural wood-grain with lacquered dragon imagery.

Black Handle — Earth Palette

Black cotton ito over genuine rayskin with white menuki. The black handle grounds the warm palette: red-copper blade, brown saya, brass-copper fittings above, black wrapping below. The black-white twisted sageo matches the Kamakura's cord style, connecting both blades through their sageo finishing despite different themes. The palette stays within earth territory: brown, copper, black, gold, white. Zero cool tones except the steel's polished edge.

Kiso and Hida — Mountain Forest Regions

Kiso and Hida are mountain regions in central Japan's Japanese Alps, historically renowned for pristine forests and master woodworking. Kiso supplied hinoki cypress for Ise Grand Shrine's ritual rebuilding every 20 years. Hida craftsmen (Hida no takumi 飛騨の匠) were so skilled that the imperial court exempted them from taxes in exchange for construction labor. The Kiso Hida Katana channels that woodworking heritage: the brown saya honors timber, the red Damascus blade mirrors the warm tones of freshly cut hinoki, and the copper fittings echo the tools that shaped the wood.

Display

Ships with a wooden stand bearing 武 (Bu) kanji. Display the brown saya for natural-material presentation or the black dragon saya for dramatic contrast. Pair with the Ronin Wood (Damascus, dragon-carved rosewood) and the Mokuro Kageuchi (bare rosewood, minimal) for a wood-themed trio spanning ornate, natural, and minimal approaches.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is red Damascus?

Folded Damascus steel with a heat treatment that shifts the grain into copper and rose-gold tones. Same folding technique as standard Damascus, different color register.

Is the brown saya real wood grain?

The surface displays a wood-grain texture mimicking natural timber. The saya is solid wood with a finish that preserves the organic grain appearance rather than covering it with glossy lacquer.

Does this include two scabbards?

Yes. Brown wood-grain primary and black lacquer with gold dragon engravings secondary. Twelfth dual-saya katana in our catalog.

What is the twisted sageo?

Black-and-white cord spiraled together, same style as the Kamakura Katana. Creates a braided visual effect along the saya.

How does this compare to the Ronin Wood?

The Ronin Wood uses standard Damascus with a dragon-carved rosewood saya and cotton ito. The Kiso Hida uses red Damascus with a wood-grain saya and a secondary black dragon saya. Both celebrate wood but through different approaches.