Mitsudomoe Katana - 三巴刀

Specifications:

• Handcrafted
• Full tang construction
• SHARP blade
• Blade: 1060 carbon steel
• Cotton sageo / ito
• Synthetic ray skin on the tsuka
• Iron-alloy tsuba
• Total length: 105 cm
• Blade length: 72 cm
• Blade width: 3.2 cm
• Blade thickness: 0.7 cm

• Handle length: 30 cm

Mitsudomoe Katana - Triple Tomoe Japanese Samurai Sword

See that three-comma swirl pattern? That's the mitsudomoe - one of Japan's most recognizable spiritual symbols. This katana doesn't just feature it; it celebrates it obsessively. The black guard showcases a massive version in carved openwork. The glossy black scabbard displays four more in golden brass at regular intervals. Even the scabbard's wooden end cap has the pattern carved out like a window. It's pattern repetition done with intention and style.

The mitsudomoe traditionally represents the flow of energy in three directions - earth, heaven, and humanity in eternal rotation. Samurai clans adopted it as their mon (family crest), Shinto shrines display it prominently, and martial arts schools use it to symbolize the cyclical nature of combat training. Having it repeat across this entire katana creates this sense of continuous motion even when the sword is still.

The blade itself features elaborate engravings along the fuller - intricate patterns that look almost like script or decorative borders running the blade's length. It's subtle compared to the bold mitsudomoe symbols everywhere else, but that restraint works. The mirror polish and traditional curvature maintain classical katana aesthetics while the ornate engraving shows this isn't some basic production piece.

That golden habaki collar carries the mitsudomoe symbol prominently, creating a warm metallic accent that coordinates with the golden emblems on the scabbard. The black guard's oversized version of the symbol creates dramatic negative space - those three comma shapes carved out so you can see through to the blade collar beneath. It's architectural, almost hypnotic when you really look at it.

The handle keeps things traditional with black diamond wrapping, but notice those blue menuki accents breaking through. Just enough color to prevent the black-and-gold scheme from feeling too monotone. The blue suggests water, which ties back into the flowing, cyclical nature of the mitsudomoe symbol itself.

What's clever about this design is the hierarchy of mitsudomoe presentations. The guard's version is huge and structural. The scabbard's emblems are medium-sized and golden. The habaki's is smaller and integrated. The end cap's is carved wood. Each iteration uses different materials and scales, creating visual interest through variation rather than just copying the same thing five times.

The glossy black lacquer on the scabbard creates this high-end, almost automotive finish that makes those golden symbols pop even harder. It's the kind of black that shows reflections and creates depth. Combined with the natural wood stand and that repeating golden mitsudomoe, you get this balance of contemporary polish and traditional symbolism.

For collectors interested in Japanese spirituality, martial arts philosophy, or family crest aesthetics, the Mitsudomoe delivers serious symbolic weight. It's not trying to tell some abstract story - it's directly invoking one of Japan's most enduring cultural symbols and presenting it with the respect and prominence it deserves.

One practical note: all that glossy black will show fingerprints and dust, so keep a microfiber cloth handy. But that's a small price for owning something this visually cohesive and symbolically rich.