Sageo

The sageo is the ribbon used to tie the saya to the obi belt when worn. Its main purpose is to secure the samurai sword to the belt. For the samurai, the sageo had a special spiritual meaning. Through the sageo they felt a connection between them and the sword. As such, they took great care to secure and properly tie the sword when not in use.

The Sageo strap is made of different materials such as cotton, synthetic fibers, silk and also leather. The lengths vary depending on the size of the sword and the way it is tied. For the tanto this is approx. 90 cm in length, for a wakizashi the length is approx. 110 cm and for the katana a length of 180 cm to 220 cm.<

The Sageo is still used today in the various Japanese martial arts such as Iaido, Kenjutsu or in initiatic sword work.