Myougamusubi

This is a sageo tying technique used for tantou, kogatana, wakizashi and kodachi.

Different from the generally used 茗荷結 (myougamusubi), this is a Tenshinryuu-original 茗荷結 (myougamusubi).

The length of a sageo used for kodachi should be about four shaku (ca. 120 cm).

The tying technique for a sageo of a tantou, kogatana, wakizashi or kodachi is called 茗荷結 (myougamusubi). Its shape resembles that of a 茗荷 (myouga – Japanese ginger), hence we call it 茗荷結 (myougamusubi – “myouga knot”).

It looks like the generally used one, however, Tenshinryuu’s 茗荷結 (myougamusubi) is extremely peculiar, so I’d like to show and explain it to you.

Well then, let’s start tying.

First, fold the sageo in the middle. Make the upper string longer than the lower one.

Then, wrap the upper one around the lower one, stick it through from below and tie a knot.

It should look like this.

Then, recompose the string you’ve just sticked through back to the top.

Keep the now upper one straight while you bend the lower one to the left. Bring the latter up and back into position.

Please be careful not to change the angle when doing this. If you change the angle, the strings might end up coming off.

Then from here turn it over to the right. Here I keep pushing down this part with my left hand. When you turn it over to the right, please be careful not to fold it over like this. Just turn it over like this. This is important.

Then pass the end through this gap in the sageo and bring it to the upper right.

After that, turn around the whole knot and stick the string through the lowest loop.

Then pull from above, then from below and make it tight.

You have to be careful about this string as it’s still freely movable and therefore can’t be fastened, so only pull and tighten all the other parts.

Once you’re finished, if the two string don’t have the same length, readjust and match them.

If you tie it near the ends, since it can still move around, it might end up coming undone right away, so it’s better to tie it up higher a bit.

I’m next going to explain not the Tenshinryuu-original 茗荷結 (myougamusubi), but the one that is generally used.

Please allow me to explain the general 茗荷結 (myougamusubi). Generally speaking, we do not make use of this one in Tenshinryuu.

Starting from this sageo bundle of two strings, wrap the upper one around the lower one and tie a knot.

Next, take the now upper string, in other words the one we didn’t just used to tie the knot, wrap it around once from the right and pass it through this gap. After that, turn around the entire knot and stick the string through the lowest loop.

Then, if you straighten out everything, you’ve successfully tied the general 茗荷結 (myougamusubi).

Unlike the Tenshinryuu-original 茗荷結 (myougamusubi), this one is neat and tidy. In exchange for that, none of the strings can be pulled out. Well, if you’re not going to use the sageo, this would come in more handy if you will.

However, when you have to use the sageo in an instant, untying will become extremely difficult and complex.

Untying it like this does take some effort. Since in Tenshinryuu there this mentality of “the sageo has to be usable at any time”, we don’t use this knot.