The Japanese word for the scabbard of a sword or knife is saya. As a category of objects, they are often called yari saya, yarizaya or yarisaya, since yari is the name of a particular type of spear with a very long shaft.

These yari were used to dramatic effect during the long processions undertaken by the local daimyô as required by the Tokugawa shogun during the sankin kotai, when they would repeatedly move from their estates to the capital of Edo and back again. In the illustration above, the samurai can be seen holding their spears aloft with a variety of saya shapes. As I find more pictorial examples of the use of saya, I’ll post them on this page.