*There are some katana with 2 MEKUGI pins too!

Surprisingly, the blade of the Japanese katana sword is connected to the handle with only one pin called “目釘 Mekugi” that is made from bamboo.

Why didn’t they use stronger material like metal or just fully connect the blade and handle?

Here are the 3 main reasons why:

1. Softer pins have shock reducing effects
2. There was an abundant supply of bamboo in Japan
3. To make it easier to remove the blade for maintenance

Interestingly, there actually was a time when metal pins were used in ancient times. However, they soon realized that a strong impact would cause the blade to deform or the pin to become stuck.

Bamboo which is hard, flexible, and very easy to obtain in Japan, was the best material for it. During the sengoku era, it is believed that samurai always carried a few extra mekugi pins that they made themselves just in case.

But why didn't they just stick the blade to the handle permanently?

It is because when you perform maintenance on the katana, you must remove the handle and all the ornaments to do so. The katana were originally items dedicated to god, and carrying them with you meant that you are a noble warrior. From the centuries old katana swords still in beautiful condition, you can understand how important the katana were for the Japanese people.

▼Who is Shogo? What is this channel about?▼
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▼Related videos in this channel▼
-Iaitō, Dōgi, Obi... What Else? Find Everything You Need to Start IAIDO at Kyoto's Best Katana Shop!
https://youtu.be/Odd9vxn1ZdY
-Wear SAMURAI ARMOR and Cut Mats with Real KATANA! The One and Only Experience in Japan
https://youtu.be/MqBCAC42zAM
-A Must-watch Before Buying Katana or Training Iaido/Battodo! 5 Things NOT to Do When Handling KATANA
https://youtu.be/vttMXmAhfhg

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“To make every Japan lovers’ dream come true, by making Japan a more secure, comfortable, and safer place for everyone to visit, study, and live in”

I will be using the profit I gain from this channel at restaurants, hotels, and cultural facilities in Kyoto to introduce them. The more you watch the videos on this channel, Kyoto and Japan will become a more exciting place, and you can support your own and others’ dreams in the future even more.

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Not only will I be covering the topics in this main channel, but also some topics that you will only be able to enjoy in the sub-channel, like answering questions I receive, and my opinions towards some of the comments.

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▼Shogo’s profile▼
Hello everyone, and thank you for watching my videos!

I’m Shogo, a Kyoto born & Hiroshima raised Japanese, that grew up in Michigan USA for 6 years, and studied Mandarin in Beijing university for a year! I live in Kyoto now, as I train in Iaido(katana), Sado(tea ceremony), and Noh theatre(traditional stage art).

In this channel, you can take a closer look at Japanese traditional culture, tips on traveling to Kyoto, and social problems in Japan. So learners and lovers of Japanese language and culture, be sure to subscribe to enjoy more content!

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