The scabbard are lacquered using techniques including 'ishime-nuri' (powdered lacquer surface to produce a coarse finish), and 'tataki-nuri' (semigloss uneven coating) to obtain a non-slip effect, 'ro-nuri' (gleaming lacquer finish), and highly ornate 'kinpun-chirashi' (sprinkling of gold powder), 'aogai-chirashi' (sprinkling of mother-of-pearl), 'kin-makie' (gold lacquer), 'scabbard covered with scraped shark skin,' 'xx kizami' (inro-kizami, grooved line patterns), and rare techniques using 'leather' or 'scales.'
鞘の塗りには、滑り止めの効果を狙った「石目塗り」「叩き塗り」、凹凸の無い「呂塗り」（ツヤ塗り）、高い装飾性をもつ象嵌の「金粉散らし」「青貝散らし」「金蒔絵」「鮫皮研ぎ出し鞘」、滑り止め効果と装飾性をあわせもつ「～分刻み」（印籠刻み）などがあり、「革」や「鱗」を使った特殊なものもある。