| Ara-nie（荒沸） | Large nie crystals |
|---|---|
| Ashi（足） | Literally legs, usually nioi, extending from the hamon towards the cutting edge. |
| Ashi-kanamono（足金物） | Fittings attached to the saya that attach to the obi-tori. |
| Ashi-kawa（足革） | Fixed length leather obi-tori straps in the case of ito-maki-tachi koshirae. |
| Ashi-ma（足間） | The space between the two ashi-kanamono. |
| Ayasugi-hada（綾杉肌） | Undulating grain pattern in the ji resembling a Japanese cedar grain pattern. |
| Bakufu（幕府） | Tent government |
|---|---|
| Bakumatsu（幕末） | An era in the late Edo period 1853-1867 |
| Banzashi-daisho（番差大小） | A pair of swords in matching mountings. The scabbards were plain black lacquer with horn fittings. The handle had a horn pommel, and the base had a shakudo-nanko fitting (fuchi), with plain black brocade wrap over a white ray-skin base. Other fittings, sword guard, the decorative handgrips (menuki), and other utensils (kogai and kozuka) were also made out of a gold and copper alloy called shakudo. |
| Bizen（備前） | Archeaic province of Japan, modern day Okayama prefecture |
| Bizen-to（備前刀） | Swords produced in Bizen |
| Bizen-zori（備前反り） | Deep curvature close to the tang area of the sword; also known as koshi-zori |
| Bo-hi（棒樋） | Long groove, carved into the blade, often mistakenly referred to as a blood groove |
| Bonji（梵字） | Sanscrit characters carved into the blade invoking Buddhist deities. |
| Boshi（帽子） | The hamon formed within the kissaki |
| Bo-utsuri（棒映り） | A straight formation of usturi |
| Bu（分） | Japanese imperial form of measurement (10 bu = 1 sun) |
| Bushi（武士） | Another term for samurai – the warrior class |
| Chikei（地景） | A curved line of nie, seen in the ji |
|---|---|
| Choji abura（丁子油） | Clove oil, used for preserving blades |
| Choji ashi（丁子足） | Clove-shaped ashi |
| Choji midare（丁子乱れ） | A hamon consisting of choji shapes, but the overall line of the hamon has no definable form. |
| Choji midare komi（丁子乱れ込み） | A choji midare hamon that continues into the kissaki |
| Choji utsuri（丁子映り） | Utsuri in the pattern of choji |
| Chokuto（直刀） | A straight sword, but similar in construction to the tachi |
| Chu-kissaki（中切先） | A medium sized kissaki, in relation to the overall size of the blade |
| Chu-suguha（中直刃） | A medium-sized straight hamon |
| Daimyo（大名） | Provincial samurai lords |
|---|---|
| Daisho（大小） | A pair of swords in matching fittings worn together: dai- being the long sword, and sho- being the shorter companion sword. Only the samurai were permitted to wear daisho during the Edo period. |
| Dewa（出羽） | Archaic name for region in present-day Akita & Yamagata Prefectures |
| Dogane（胴金） | Tubular fittings on the tsuka or saya. |
| Eto（干支） | Zodiacal calender often used for date inscriptions on swords, originally from China. |
|---|
| Fuchi（縁） | A decorative reinforcing collar attached to the base of the tsuka. |
|---|---|
| Fudo Myo-O（不動明王） | Buddhist deity, the immovable King of Light. Patron deity of swordsmen. Commonly used for horimono. |
| Fukusa（袱紗） | The curve of the cutting edge of the kissaki. |
| Fukurin（覆輪） | A gold, silver, or bronze band attached to the tsuka and saya on both the mune side and the ha side to secure the ji-ita. |
| Funbari（踏ん張り） | Used to describe a blade when it noticeably tapers between the base of the cutting edge and the tip, or tapers noticebly in the base of the blade. |
| Futasuji-hi（二筋樋） | Two parallel grooves carved into the blade |
| Gendaito（現代刀） | Japanese swords produced after 1876 |
|---|---|
| Goban-kaji（御番鍛冶） | The swordsmiths summoned to work for the retired emperor Gotoba |
| Goka-den（五箇伝） | The five original traditions of swordmaking from the koto period |
| Goki shichido（五畿七道） | The five home provinces and seven main roads. Originally used for units of governmental administration. Currently used for classifying swordsmiths by region and style. |
| Gomabashi（護摩箸） | A horimono in the form of the ritual chopsticks used in both Shinto and Buddhist rites. |
| Gunome（互の目） | A type of hamon that undulates in a series of semi-circles |
| Ha（刃） | The hardened part of the blade along the cutting edge. |
|---|---|
| Habaki（鎺） | The small metal collar (often decorated) that buffers the tsuba and secures the blade into the saya |
| Habaki-moto（鎺元） | The part of the blade that sits under the habaki |
| Ha-buchi（刃縁） | The line that divides the ha and the ji |
| Ha-cho（刃長） | The Length of the cutting edge, determined by measuring in a straight line from the mune-machi to the tip of the kissaki. See Nagasa. |
| Hada（肌） | The pattern in the steel skin of the blade, also called jihada |
| Hadori（刃取り） | A polishing technique which highlights the hamon, also known as kesho |
| Hagire（刃切れ） | A hairline crack in the blade rising up from the cutting edge |
| Haitorei（廃刀令） | The law administered in Japan 1876, banning the wearing of swords in public |
| Hakikake（掃掛） | Similar to sunagashi, ashi resembling brush strokes. |
| Haki-omote（佩表） | The side of a sword that faces outwards when worn with the cutting edge facing downwards (see tachi). |
| Ha-machi（刃区） | The notch where the cutting edge of the blade begins |
| Ha-mon（刃紋） | The crystalline structure which forms along the cutting edge of a blade as a result of the hardening process |
| Ha-saki（刃先） | The cutting edge that runs from the ha-machi to the tip of the kissaki. |
| Hataraki（働き） | The various activities within the hamon, created during the hardening process |
| Ha-watari（刃渡り） | See Nagasa |
| Heian Period（平安時代） | 794-1185 |
| Hi（樋） | A groove carved into the blade for weight decreasing or decorational purposes |
| Hikae-mekugi-ana（控え目釘穴） | A second hole close to the nakago-jiri, sometimes added for a second retaining peg. |
| Hira-ji（平地） | The surface area of the blade between the shinogi and the cutting edge. |
| Hira-dukuri（平造り） | A sword made without any ridgelines, flat on both sides |
| Hiro-suguha（広直刃） | A wide suguha hamon |
| Hitatsura（皆焼） | A type of hamon with tobiyaki liberally spread across the width of the blade. |
| Horimono（彫り物） | Decorative or religious blade carvings |
| Hyogo-gusari Koshirae（兵庫鎖拵） | A very durable and practical type of tachi koshirae that was popular with high-ranking samurai warriors of the late 12th Century. Hyogo-gusari koshirae ashi are constructed from chain. |
| Ichimonji School（一文字派） | A 13th C. school of swordsmiths working in the Bizen tradition |
|---|---|
| Ichi-no-ashi（一の足） | The ashi-kanamono closest to the saya mouth. |
| Ikubi kissaki（猪首切先） | A stout kissaki which is shorter in length than it is wide. |
| Inazuma（稲妻） | (lit. lightning) A line of nie inside the hamon resembling lightning |
| Iori-mune（庵棟） | A two-sided mune resembling the roof of a house |
| Ishiduki（石突） | The scabbard chape attached to protect the saya-jiri. |
| Itame-hada（板目肌） | A wood grain type pattern in the skin steel of the blade |
| Ito-maki-tachi-Koshirae（糸巻太刀拵） | A type of tachi koshirae that has the wrapping on the handle repeated on the upper part of the saya (watari-maki) |
| Ji（地） | The surface area of the blade between the shinogi and the hamon. |
|---|---|
| Jifu（地斑） | Patches of dense ji-nie |
| Jifu-utsuri（地斑映り） | Discontinuous utsuri |
| Ji-gane（地金） | The steel of a constructed blade |
| Ji-hada（地肌） | The surface area of the blade between the hamon and the shinogi, see hada |
| Ji-ita（地板） | A thin plate of gilded or carved metal applied to the saya and tsuka and fixed in place by the fukurin. |
| Ji-nie（地沸） | Nie in the ji |
| Ji-tetsu（地鉄） | See hada and jigane |
| Juka-choji（重花丁子） | Multiple grouped choji pattern |
| Kabuto-gane（兜金） | A pommel cap for the tsuka. |
|---|---|
| Kaen（火焔） | A type boshi that resembles burning flames |
| Kaeri（返り） | The part of the boshi that turns back towards the tang, along the mune |
| Kaeri-duno（返り角） | A small hook on the saya to stop the saya coming out of the belt. |
| Kaiken（懐剣） | A small concealable dagger |
| Kaki-toshi（掻通し） | A groove that ends by tapering within the tang |
| Kaki-nagashi（掻流し） | A type of groove that continues through to the end of the tang |
| Kaku-tome（角止め） | A groove end that is square, usually stops just before the habaki |
| Kamakura Period（鎌倉時代） | 1185-1333 |
| Kanbun Shinto（寛文新刀） | Blades made around the Kanbun era 1661-1673 |
| Kanitsume（蟹爪） | A type of gunome resembling crabs claws |
| Kanmuri-otoshi-dukuri（冠落とし造り） | The backridge of the blade is beveled like a naginata |
| Kara-tsuba（唐鐔） | Originally Chinese style formal tsuba for kara-tachi. |
| Kasane（重ね） | The thickness of the blade |
| Kashira（頭） | A decorative pommel attached to reinforce the end of the tsuka. |
| Kata-ochi gunome（片落互の目） | Flat topped gunome that slant in the same direction like saw teeth |
| Katana（刀） | Curved blades worn with the cutting edge up, when thrust through the sash |
| Katte-agari yasuri（勝手上り鑢） | File marks on the tang that slant downward to the left |
| Katte-sagari yasuri（勝手下り鑢） | File marks on the tang that slant downward to the right |
| Kawara-gane（瓦金） | A small strip of metal (or horn) used to reinforce the mouth of the kogai-hitsu. |
| Kawazu-ko choji（蛙子丁子） | Tadpole shaped choji |
| Kazari-tachi koshirae（飾太刀拵） | Richly decorated formal tachi koshirae that were popular during the peak of the aristocratic government in the Nara and Heian eras. |
| Kazu-uchimono（数打ち物） | Mass produced blades of little artistic quality |
| Ken（剣） | Straight ritual Chinese style sword, often associated with Fudo Myo-O |
| Keicho era（慶長） | 1596-1615 |
| Keicho Shinto（慶長新刀） | Blades produced around the Keicho era (1596-1615) at the start of the Shinto sword period |
| Kesho（化粧） | See Hadori |
| Kinsuji（金筋） | (Lit. Golden line) a small shiny line of nie inside the hamon |
| Kiriha-dukuri（切刃造） | A sword made with the shinogi close to the cutting edge |
| Kiri yasuri（切り鑢） | File marks on the tang that are horizontal |
| Kissaki（切先） | The tip of the blade, from the point to the yokote |
| Kissaki-moroha-dukuri（切先諸刃造り） | A blade made with a double edge in the monouchi area |
| Ko（小） | Prefix, meaning small (ex. Ko-nie – small nie) |
| Ko-ashi（小足） | small ashi |
| Kobuse（甲伏） | The most common type of blade manufacture, in which the steel used for the cutting edge is wrapped around a lower carbon steel, then hammered out into the shape of the blade |
| Kobushi-gata-choji（拳形丁子） | Fist shaped choji |
| Ko-dachi（小太刀） | A small tachi |
| Kogai（笄） | A bodkin like implement with a small scoop on the end. Used for fixing a samurai’s hair and cleaning his ears. |
| Kogai-hitsu（笄櫃） | The pocket on the obverse of a saya where the kogai is kept. |
| Kogatana（小刀） | Utility knife |
| Koi-guchi（鯉口） | The mouth of the saya |
| Ko-itame（小板目） | Small wood grain pattern |
| Kojiri（小尻） | A decorative fitting on the bottom of the saya. |
| Ko-maru（小丸） | A type of boshi that turns back in a small smooth circular motion |
| Ko-nie（小沸） | Small nie particles |
| Konuka-hada（小糠肌） | A term used mainly for Hizen blades, commonly referred to as rice grain hada |
| Koshi-ba（腰刃） | A flamboyant section of hamon at the base when compared to the rest of the blade |
| Koshi-bi（腰樋） | A short type of groove carved in the blade close to the tang |
| Ko-shinogi（小鎬） | The part of the shinogi that runs from the yokote to the tip in the kissaki |
| Koshi-no-hiraita（腰の開いた） | Wide based undulations that slope gently, usually with choji. |
| Koshirae（拵え） | A full set of sword mountings. |
| Koshi-zori（腰反り） | Swords with the deepest part of the curve near to the tang |
| Koto（古刀） | (Old swords) Swords made prior to the Edo period |
| Ko-wakizashi（小脇差） | A short wakizashi |
| Koduka（小柄） | A term used to refer to both a decorative handle for a small utility knife and for the complete handle and knife assembled together. |
| Koduka-hitsu（小柄櫃） | The pocket on the reverse of the saya where the kozuka is stored. |
| Kuchi-kanamono（口金物） | A metal fitting that protects the mouth of the saya. |
| Kuichigai-ba（食い違い刃） | An over-lapping break in the hamon, common in yamato-den blades |
| Kuri-jiri（栗尻） | Round-ended type of nakago, similar to the shape of a chestnut |
| Kurikara（倶利伽羅） | A horimono of a dragon wrapped around a ken, a representation of Fudo Myo-O |
| Kurikata（栗形） | A nodule with a hole affixed on the outside of the saya to attach the sageo. |
| Machi（区） | The notches that mark the end of the mune (mune-machi) and the end of the cutting edge (ha-machi) |
|---|---|
| Maru-dome（丸止め） | A carved groove end that is rounded |
| Maru-mune（丸棟） | A mune that is rounded |
| Masame-hada（柾目肌） | A straight grain pattern in the hada |
| Mei（銘） | Signature or inscription on the tang |
| Mekugi（目釘） | The bamboo peg used to secure the handle onto the tang |
| Mekugi-ana（目釘穴） | The hole on the tang where the mekugi is inserted |
| Mekugi-nuki（目釘抜き） | A tool for removing the mekugi |
| Menuki（目貫） | Decorative hand grips affixed to both sides of the tsuka |
| Midare-komi（乱れ込み） | A boshi where a midare hamon continues into the kissaki |
| Midare（乱れ） | A hamon of irregular form. All hamon are midare except suguha |
| Midare-utsuri（乱れ映り） | irregular utsuri |
| Mihaba（身幅） | The width of a blade: measured from the mune to the cutting edge. |
| Mitsu-gashira（三ツ頭） | The place where the Shinogi meets the ko-shinogi and the yokote |
| Mitsu-kado（三ツ角） | The point where the yokote, ha-saki, and fukura meet. |
| Mitsu-mune（三ツ棟） | A mune with three sides |
| Mokume-hada（木目肌） | A grain pattern in the hada similar to itame, but more rounded |
| Mune-machi（棟区） | See machi |
| Monouchi（物打） | One-third of the blade from the yokote towards the tang |
| Moroha-dukuri（諸刃造り） | An asymmetrical blade with a cutting edge on both sides |
| Mune(Also mine)（棟（峰）） | The back of the blade |
| Mu-zori（無反り） | A blade with no curvature |
| Nagare-hada（流れ肌） | A hada that flows along the blade like a flowing stream. |
|---|---|
| Nagasa（長さ） | The blade length; measured from the tip to the mune-machi |
| Naginata（薙刀） | A Japanese halberd |
| Nakago（茎） | The tang of a blade |
| Nakago-jiri（茎尻） | The tip of the tang |
| Nanatsu-gane（七ツ金） | Metal fittings used for adjusting the length of the obi-tori. There are three on the ichi-no-ashi, and four on the ni-no-ashi. |
| Nanbokucho Period（南北朝時代） | 1333-1392 |
| Nashi-ji（梨地） | Pear Skin |
| Nezumi ashi（鼠足） | Very small ashi |
| Nie（沸） | Small martensite crystals individually visible to the naked eye |
| Nie-deki（沸出来） | A blade with a predominantly nie hamon |
| Nihonto（日本刀） | Japanese swords |
| Ni-no-ashi（二の足） | The ashi-kanamono furthest away from the saya mouth. |
| Nioi（匂） | Martensite crystals not individually distinguishable to the naked eye. Similar to the milky way in appearance |
| Nioi-deki（匂出来） | A sword with a hamon consisting mainly of nioi |
| Nioi-guchi（匂口） | The dividing line between the hamon and the ji |
| No-dachi（野太刀） | Long swords popular during the Nanbokucho period |
| Notare（湾れ） | Gently undulating hamon |
| O（大） | Prefix, denoting large (ex. O-gunome – large gunome) |
|---|---|
| Obi-tori（帯執） | Leather straps for a belt to be passed through for a tachi. |
| O-busa（大房） | Large rising choji |
| O-dachi（大太刀） | A tachi with a cutting edge that exceeds 3 shaku (91cm). |
| Omote（表） | The front side of the blade (differs between tachi and katana). |
| O-seppa（大切羽） | Large sized spacers (seppa) that match the shape of the tsuba. |
| Oshigata（押し型） | A rubbing taken of the tang and outline of a blade. The hamon and activities are then drawn by hand. |
| Raden（螺鈿） | Mother of Pearl |
|---|---|
| Ryo-shinogi-dukuri（両鎬造り） | A shinogi on both sides. |
| Sageo（下げ緒） | A cord attached to the kurikata to help secure the sword in the belt. |
|---|---|
| Saka ashi（逆足） | Slanted ashi |
| Saka choji（逆丁子） | Slanted choji |
| Saki-hada（先肌） | Width of the blade at the yokote |
| Saki-zori（先反り） | When the curvature is deepest in the upper part of the blade |
| Sanbon-sugi（三本杉） | A type of hamon that resembles three cedar trees repeated along the blade. |
| Saru-te（猿手） | A ring for the attachment of a ude-nukio. |
| Saya（鞘） | Scabbard |
| Saya-jiri（鞘尻） | The bottom of the outside of the saya |
| Seoi-dachi（背負い太刀） | Swords worn across the back |
| Shaku（尺） | Japanese imperial form of measurement (1 shaku = 30.3cm) |
| Semegane（責金） | A decorated metal band that supports the saya between the ni-no-ashi and the ishizuke. |
| Sengoku jidai（戦国時代） | Age of the warring states 1493-1573 |
| Seppa（切羽） | Spacers that fit between the tsuka and the tsuba, and between the tsuba and the habaki to ensure the tsuka fits perfectly. |
| Shinogi（鎬） | The ridge line that that runs from the yokote to the end of the nakago |
| Shinogi-ji（鎬地） | The area between the shinogi and the mune |
| Shinogi-suji（鎬筋） | A ridgeline that runs the from the nakago-jiri to the yokote, separating the hira-ji from the shinogi-ji. |
| Shinogi-dukuri（鎬造り） | A sword manufactured with the ridgeline near to the mune |
| Shin-shinto（新々刀） | Swords made between 1781 and 1868 |
| Shinto（新刀） | Swords made between 1600 and 1781 |
| Shirasaya（白鞘） | A plain wooden sleeping scabbard and handle to protect the blade. |
| Soden-Bizen（相伝備前） | Bizen swords displaying soshu-den traits |
| Soe-bi（添樋） | A smaller carved groove that runs parallel to the large groove |
| Sori（反り） | Curvature of the blade |
| Soshu-den（相州伝） | The tradition of swordmaking originating from the archaic Sagami province. |
| Sudare-ba（簾刃） | A hamon that resembles brush strokes, or a bamboo curtain. |
| Sugata（姿） | The shape of the blade |
| Suguha（直刃） | A straight hamon |
| Sujikai yasuri（筋違鑢） | Acutely slanted file mark pattern on the nakago |
| Suken（素剣） | Also known as a ken, short straight ritual Chinese style sword, often associated with Fudo Myo-O |
| Sun（寸） | Japanese imperial form of measurement (1 sun = 3.03cm, 10 sun = 1 shaku) |
| Sunagashi（砂流し） | An activity in the hamon that resembles sweeping sands |
| Sunnobi tanto（寸延短刀） | Oversized tanto |
| Suriage（磨り上げ） | Blade that has been shortened from its original length |
| Tachi（太刀） | Swords made to be worn with the cutting edge down, suspended from the belt |
|---|---|
| Tachi-o(Haki-o)（太刀緒（佩緒）） | A thin, approximately three meter, cord belt that passes through the obi-tori. Used for tachi when worn during peacetime. |
| Tachi-mei（太刀銘） | A blade signed on the side of the tang that faces outward when worn with the cutting edge downward. |
| Taiko-gane(Mon-gane)（太鼓金（文金）） | A decorated metal stud used to fix the ashi-kawa. Often in the design of a clan mon. |
| Taiko-gawa（太鼓革） | A leather ashi-kawa strap has a round shape at the base like a taiko drum. |
| Tamahagane（玉鋼） | Japanese steel, used for the manufacture of Japanese swords, indigenous to Japan |
| Tanto（短刀） | Blades made shorter that 30cm |
| Tawarabyo（俵鋲） | Decorative pins originally used to secure the same-gawa on old tachi. |
| Togariba（尖刃） | Pointed shapes protruding from the hamon |
| Torii-zori（鳥居反り） | A blade with an even curve |
| Tsuba（鍔（鐔）） | A Japanese sword guard. |
| Tsuchioki（土置き） | The clay applied to the blade before the hardening process |
| Tsuka（柄） | The hilt |
| Tsurugi（剣） | Alternate Japanese word for sword. |
| Tsutsu-gane(Naga-kanamono)（筒金（長金物）） | Cylindrical decorative metal fittings. |
| Tsuyusaki-gane(Shizuku-gane)（露先金（雫金）） | Decorative fittings attached to the end of the ude-nukio. |
| Ubu（生ぶ） | Original, usually used when referring to the nakago. |
|---|---|
| Ubu-ha（生ぶ刃） | An area of the cutting edge from the ha-machi that has not yet been sharpened. This is typical with new blades. |
| Uchi-gatana（打ち刀） | Blades produced for one-handed use during the Muromachi period worn thrust through the belt with the cutting edge uppermost. |
| Uchi-gatana Koshirae（打ち刀拵え） | A general term for practical sword mountings of the Sengoku era. Later, katana-koshirae. |
| Uchi-noke（打除け） | Small crescent shapes appearing like niju-ba in the ji close to the hamon. |
| Uchi-zori（内反り） | The back of the blade curves toward the cutting edge |
| Ude-nuki-o(Te-nuki-o)（腕抜き緒（手抜き緒）） | A cord for wrapping around the wrist to secure the sword in the hand. |
| Ura（裏） | The back side of the blade |
| Ura-gawara（裏瓦） | A small strip of metal, or horn, used to reinforce the mouth of the kozuka-hitsu. |
| Utsuri（映り） | (Reflection) A white misty formation that runs parallel to the hamon in the ji. |
| Utsushi-mono（写し物） | Copies of past masterpieces (not to be confused with forgeries) |
| Wakizashi（脇差） | Blades over 30 cm in length, but shorter than 60 cm. Often a companion sword to the katana. |
|---|---|
| Watari-maki（渡巻） | The wrapping that matches the tsuka-maki on an ito-maki-tachi that runs from the koi-guchi to just past the ni-no-ashi. |
| Yagura-gane（櫓金） | A ring type fitting that allows the obi-tori to be attached to the yamagata-kanamono. |
|---|---|
| Yaki-ba（焼き刃） | The hardened area of the blade |
| Yaki-dashi（焼き出し） | A part of the hamon which starts off straight at the hamachi, but turns into a different hamon several centimetres along the blade |
| Yaki-haba（焼き幅） | The width of the Yakiba |
| Yaki-ire（焼き入れ） | The hardening process of the blade when it is heated, then quenched in water |
| Yaki-otoshi（焼き落とし） | A hamon which starts further along the blade, about 3-5cm from the ha-machi. |
| Yaki-dume（焼き詰め） | A type of boshi without a turn-back. |
| Yari（槍） | A Japanese spear usually mounted on a long shaft. |
| Yamagata（山形） | Mountain shaped |
| Yamagata-kanamono（山形金物） | The mountain shaped parts of the ashi-kanamono |
| Yasuri-me（鑢目） | File markings (on the tang) |
| Yo（葉） | An activity in the hamon that resembles falling leaves |
| Yokote（横手） | The dividing line between the kissaki and the body of the blade (mainly on shinogi-zukuri swords) |
| Yoroi-doshi（鎧通し） | Armour piercing (tanto) |
| Yubashiri（湯走り） | A concentration of nie in the ji |
| Zaimei（在銘） | A blade with an original signature |
|---|---|
| Zencho（全長） | The length of the sword, determined by measuring in a straight line from the tip of the nakago to the tip of the kissaki. |
