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Tokyo National Museum: "We walked over to the swords. There were at least a dozen, each resting on a wooden stand holding two components. On top of each stand was a koshirae scabbard and tsuka hilt, suggesting a sword at rest within. But the gorgeous lacquered scabbards and tsukaito ray-skin-and-silk grips were for combat, not storage; for the latter, on the lower tier of each stand was a shirasaya, a plain wooden scabbard, with the blade inside and a plain wooden hilt attached. Nearby were some white cloths alongside a couple of glass jars—probably choji, a mixture of mineral oil, clove oil, and powder employed to protect the steel from corrosion and mold. These swords were spectacular, and it was good to see they were well cared for."