Japanese tachi (Military fighting sword). The hilt of the tachi consists of two pieces of bamboo joined together longitudinally to form the grip. The bamboo grip is covered with black ray-skin, and is bound with two pieces of flat dark brown cotton tape, twisted about one another. The grip is secured to the tang 23mm from the ferrule (fuchi) at the top of the grip by a bamboo rod. The gilt white metal ferrule (fuchi), fits like a cup over the end of the handle and is fitted with a button-operated spring with which to secure the tachi in the throat of the scabbard. The ferrule (fuchi) is decorated with an embossed running design of leaves and flowers, the end of the button and the hilt ornaments are also decorated with the flower motif. The hilt ornaments are repeated three times and are executed in gilt copper.

The steel blade is slightly curved, single-edged with a ridge running near the back, curving in conformity with it to the medium curved-edge point. The blade has a low-ridged back and is fitted with a copper collar (habaki) at the shoulder. The tang is flat-backed and has a square-cut tip and three rivet holes. There are extensive areas of rust throughout the tachi. The obverse of the blade has a temper line, which is obscured by rust, but is visible for most of its length; it may be of either the straight invected type or of the three cedars type. The reverse of the blade is decorated in the same way as the obverse of the blade. The scabbard is made from twin pieces of bamboo covered with lacquered brown ray-skin with a gilt copper throat, twin pear-shaped lockets fitted with rings, an ornamental lower ring and chape. One or more small screws secure each of the metal fittings. There are heart-shaped apertures in each locket and the chape is identical to the pommel. The scabbard is decorated with leaves and flowers executed on a stippled ground.

This tachi is in a poor condition - much of the blade is rusty and a lot of the gilt has worn off the mounts, most of which are now loose.