BASIC JAPANESE SWORD TERMINOLOGY

AIKUCHI - "flushed mouth", a tanto mount with no tsuba.
ARA-NIE - large granules of nie.
ASHI - "legs" thin areas of nioi found in hamon, perpendicular to blade edge.
ATARI - kantei term meaning "correct".
ATO MEI - signature inscribed as attribution.
AYASUGI - type of hada exhibiting a wave like pattern seen primarily in Gassan works.

BO-HI - a large or wide horimono or groove cut into sword blade
BOKKEN - wooden practice sword
BONJI - buddhist horimono or carvings found on sword blades
BO-UTSURI - straight pattern of utsuri, also called sugu utsuri.
BOSHI - "Hat", hamon found in the kissaki
BU - traditional Japanese unit of measure (approx. 0.030cm or 0.12 inch)
BUSHIDO - samurai way or code.

CHIKEI - bright black line of nie found on the ji.
CHISSAI KATANA - short katana worn by Daimyo.
CHOJI - "clove" , refers to having a clove or rounded shape.
CHOJI OIL - traditional lubricant used in the care of swords.
CHOJI MIDARE - irregular clove shaped hamon pattern.
CHOJI MIDARE KOMI - choji shaped hamon in the kissaki.
CHOJI UTSURI - clove shaped utsuri.
CHOKUTO - ancient uncurved swords predating the sword as we know it today.
CHU - "medium".
CHU-KISSAKI - medium sized kissaki, and the most prevelant.
CHU-SUGUHA - refers to the width of the suguha hamon.

DAI - large or great
DAI-MEI - signature sign by a substitute with permission of the smith.
DAIMYO - feudal lord
DAISHO - "dai" = large, "sho" = small. refers to a pair of swords(katana / wakizashi) mounted alike.
DAITO - long sword or katana greater than 2 shaku (60.60 cm or 23.86 inch).

FUCHI - collar on tsuka.
FUCHI-KASHIRA - set of collar and pommel cap or kashira.
FUKURA - curved edge of the kissaki.
FUNBARI - refers to a distinct taper of the blade from the machi to the kissaki
FURISODE GATA- a strong curvature in the nakago of tanto made in the kamakura period.

GAKU-MEI - a mei which has been cut out and reattached into the nakago.
GENDAITO - traditionally forged swords made after 1876
GIMEI - false or fake mei.
GOKADEN - refers to the Five Main Schools of sword production in the Koto period.
GOMABASHI - horimono representing shinto alter chopsticks, two parallel grooves.
GUNOME - hamon pattern of consistently spaced and sized peaks and troughs.
GUNOME-MIDARE - irregular hamon of peaks and troughs.
GUNTO - refers to military sword mountings

HA - cutting edge of sword
HABAKI - small metal collar used to stabilize and secure blade when in saya.
HABUCHI - border between the hamon and the ji.
HADA - surface grain pattern produced by forging.
HAGIRE - a crack in the edge of the blade, considered a fatal flaw.
HAKIKAKE - type of ashi seen in the edge of hamon.
HAKO - "box".
HAKO BA - box shaped hamon pattern.
HAKO-MIDARE - irregular box shaped hamon.
HAKO-MUNE - square or box shaped mune.
HAMACHI - notch separating the nakago from the cutting edge.
HAMON - the temper line separating the ha from the hiraji.
HATARAKI - activities seen within the hamon.
HI - grooves engraved into the blade
HIKE-KIZU - Surface scratches seen on a sword blade.
HIRA NIKU - "meat", refers to the fullness of the hiraji.
HIRA-ZUKURI - blade forged without shinogi or yokote.
HIRO-SUGUHA - wide, straight hamon.
HITATSURA - various hamon patterns with tobiyaki dispersed throughout the blade.
HORIMONO - carved engravings found on sword blades.

ICHI - one
ICHIMAI - sword construction utilizing only one piece of steel.
ICHIMAI BOSHI - fully tempered kissaki.
IKUBI - "boar's neck"
IKUBI KISSAKI - short wide kissaki.
INAZUMA - "lightning", refers to a bright, shining line of nie within the hamon near the habuchi.
IORI- "roof"
IORI-MUNE - mune which resembles an "A".
ITAME - type of hade resembling the annual rings of a tree.
ITO - material used to wrap the tsuka.
ITO SUGUHA - very thin and straight hamon


JI - area between the shinogi and the hamon, also called hira or jihada.
JI-GANE - the steel used to make a Japanese sword.
JI-HADA - hada grain pattern produced in the forging.
JI-NIE - nie in the ji
JIDAI - age or period.
JIZO - boshi which is constricted in the middle and round at the top, resembling a priests head.
JOSUN - standard length
JUKOTO - ancient swords.
JUMONJI YARI - a cross shaped yari.
JUYO TOKEN - highly important designation of swords issued by the NBTHK.
JUYO BUNKAZAI - important cultural assets.



KABUTO-GANE - tachi style pommel.
KAEN - "flame", a boshi which appears on fire related to hakikake and profuse nie.
KAERI - the part of the boshi which turns back toward the mune side.
KAI GUNTO - naval sword.
KAIKEN - a small dagger, usually carried by the wives and daughters of Samurai.
KAJI - a swordsmith.
KAKIHAN - swordsmiths monogram or Kao.
KAKU-MUNE - completely flat mune, known as hira mune.
KANJI - Japanese characters.
KANMURI-OTOSHI - exhibits a scalloped area along the shinogi ji, much like shobu zukuri.
KANTEI - sword attribution based on the individual characteristics.
KAO - monogram or seal used alone or accompanying a signature.
KASANE - blade thickness
KASHIRA - pommel cap
KATAKIRIHA - sword with one side hira-zukuri or shinogi-zukuri and the other side kiriha-zukuri.
KATANA - curved swords over 60cm, worn with the cutting edge up.
KATANA-MEI - mei inscribed to face to the outside, when worn cutting edge up.
KAWAGANE - surface steel known as outer skin.
KEN - straight double edged blade, a Buddhist implement rather than weapon.
KESHO YASURI - cosmetic file marks in various combinations on the nakago.
KIKU - chrysanthemum.
KIKUSUI - Hamon pattern depicting a chrysanthemum floating in a stream.
KIN - gold
KINZOGAN MEI - mei attribution added in gold, usually by the appraiser.
KINSUJI - "golden stripe" shiny straight line of nie in the hamon.
KIRI KOMI - cut or nick on the blade obtained in battle.
KISSAKI - point of blade above the yokote.
KITAE - relates to the forging's of the blade steel.
KIZU - scratch or scratches. This term is often used inaccurately for "flaw".
KO - old or small.
KOIGUCHI - the mouth of the saya.
KOJIRI - bottom end of the saya.
KOKUHO - national treasure art work and antiques.
KO-MARU - "small circle", a type of boshi which runs parrallel to kissaki, then arcs towards the mune.
KO-MIDARE - hamon of small irregular pattern.
KO-MOKUME - hada of small wood grain pattern.
KO-NIE - small or fine nie
KO-NIE DEKI - composed of small nie
KOSHIRAE - a complete sword mount.
KOSHI-ZORI - blade where curvature is nearest the munemachi.
KOTO - period which refers to old Swords, made prior to around 1595.
KURIJIRI - rounded nakago jiri, most commonly seen.
KURIKARA - dragon horimono.
KURIKATA - saya fitting for sageo.





MACHI - notches at the mune and ha which divide the nakago from the blade.
MACHI-OKURI - moving the hamachi and munemachi upward, reducing the blade length.
MARU - "round".
MARU-DOME - groove ending which is rounded.
MARU-MUNE - rounded mune, rare.
MASAME - straight grain hada pattern
MEI - swordsmith's signature engraved on nakago.
MEIBUTSU - masterpiece swords.
MEKUGI - sword retaining peg.
MEKUGI ANA - hole in nakago for mekugi, retains sword in tsuka.
MENUKI - tsuka ornaments
MIDARE - hamon of irregular, uneven pattern.
MIDARE-KOMI - hamon of uneven, irregular pattern found in boshi.
MIHABA - sword's width at the machi.
MITSU KADO - point at which the yokote, shinogi and ko-shinogi meet.
MITSU-MUNE - mune with three sides.
MIZUKAGE - a whitish reflection indicative of re-tempering, normal in some schools.
MOKUME - hada pattern resembling the burls of a tree.
MON - family crest or standard.
MONOUCHI - main cutting area of a blade, typically first several centimeters below yokote.
MOROHA-ZUKURI - double edged sword.
MOTOHABA - same as mihaba.
MOTOKASANE - blade thickness at the munemachi.
MU - empty or nothing.
MUJI - hada pattern which appears to exhibit no visible grain, seen in shinshinto blades.
MUKANSA - most skilled sword smith's.
MUMEI - unsigned blade.
MUNE - back ridge of blade.
MUNEMACHI - see machi, notch at mune side.
MUNESAKI - tip of mune at kissaki.
MUNEWARI - lengthwise crack in mune.
MUNEYAKI - a tempered spot on the mune.
MU-ZORI - having no curvature

NAGAMAKI - pole arm similar to naginata, not as wide or swept in the point, with or without yokote.
NAGAMAKI NAOSHI - cut down nagamaki, reshaped and mounted as a sword.
NAGASA - length of sword blade, measured from tip of kissaki to munemachi.
NAGINATA - pole arm, with large wide blade and point, no yokote.
NAKAGO - sword tang.
NAMBAN TETSU - foreign steel, first introduced by the Dutch in the sixteenth century.
NAOSHI - reshaped.
NASHIJI - refers to hada pattern resembling the flesh of a pear, tight ko-mokume with nie.
N.B.T.H.K. - Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon KyoKai, society for the preservation of the Japanese sword.
NENGO - Japanese dates or era.
NIE - distinct, individual particles of martensite, exhibited as bright crystals in hamon or ji.
NIE-DEKI - hamon consisting of primarily nie.
NIJI MEI - mei consisting of only two characters.
NIKU - "meat", refers to the fullness in the curvature of the blade from the shinogi down.
NIOI - particles of martensite similar to nie, only no individual particles can be distinguished, cloud like.
NIOI-DEKI - hamon composed of nioi.
NIOIGIRE - incomplete hamon.
NIOI KUZURE - like ashi, only seperated from and scattered throughout the hamon.
NOTARE - wave like hamon
NOTARE-MIDARE - hamon exhibiting a gentle wave like pattern.
N.T.H.K.. - Nihon Token Hozon Kai, sword appraisal group similar to NBTHK.

O - large, used as prefix to designate large.
OBI - belt sash
O-DACHI - sword over 2 shaku, 6 sun (78.75cm or 31 inches)
O-HADA - refers to a large grain pattern, regardless of type.
OMOTE - outer side of the nakago or sword blade when worn.
ORIGAMI - appraisal certificate or papers.
ORIKAESHI MEI - a mei which has been saved by cutting a portion of nakago away, then folding the mei over and attached to the other side. done when shortening a blade.
OSHIGATA - an impression of the nakago made as an ink rubbing.
OSORAKU -ZUKURI - sword made with a kissaki longer than the body of the blade.
O-SURIAGE - a greatly shortened nakago.

SABIGIWA - "rust border", area which seperates the habakimoto from yasurime.
SAGEO - cord used for tying the saya to the obi.
SAGURI - small hook on saya.
SAI HA - retempered blade.
SAKA - oblique or slanted.
SAKI-HABA - width of blade at yokote
SAKI ZORI - "upper curvature", refers to deepest part of curve being in the upper area.
SAKU - made this.
SAME' - rayskin used cover the tsuka.
SANJI MEI - mei consisting of three characters.
SANBONSUGI - "three cedars", refers to a hamon pattern resembling a grove of cedars.
SAN-MAI - three piece sword construction.
SAYA - scabbard
SAYAGAKI - attribution inscribed on a shirasaya.
SEPPA - washers or spacers
SHAKU - Japanese unit of measure, 30.30cm or 11.93 inch.
SHINAE - tiny ripples somtimes seen in blades, due to bending.
SHINGANE - core steel.
SHINOBI ANA - a second peg hole, located near nakagojiri.
SHINOGI - ridgeline located on the side of the blade between mune and cutting edge.
SHINOGI-JI - area between the mune and shinogi ridgeline.
SHINOGI-ZUKURI - blade style, meaning with shinogi, yokote and sori.
SHIN-SHINTO - "New-New Sword", refers to the Period (1781 to 1876).
SHINTO - "New Sword", refers to the Period (1596 to 1781).
SHINSAKUTO - "contemporary swords", forged by living smiths.
SHIRASAYA - plain wooden storage saya.
SHOBU ZUKURI - "iris" blade with no yokote, resembling an iris leaf.
SHOWATO - blades forged between 1926 and the end of WW II.
SHUMEI - signature in red lacquer.
SORI - amount of curvature in a blade.
SUDARE-BA - hamon pattern resembling bamboo blinds or curtains.
SUE - later made.
SUGATA - shape of the sword as a whole.
SUGUHA - straight hamon.
SUMEGANE - dark spots seen on the ji.
SUN - Japanese unit of measure, 3cm or 1.19 inch.
SUNAGASHI - "stream of sand", nie within hamon which appear to have been swept with a broom.
SURIAGE - shortened nakago
SURIDASHI - where file marks begin.
SUYARI - straight, double edged spear.

TACHI - curved sword > 60cm, worn edged down. primarily koto.
TACHI-MEI - mei inscribed to face to the outside, when worn cutting edge down.
TAKANOHA - "hawk feather", style of yasurime resembling hawk feathers.
TAMA - a round tempered spot seperate from the hamon.
TAMAHAGANE - native Japanese steel.
TAMESHIGIRI - cutting test.
TAMESHI-MEI - inscription relating the results of a cutting test.
TANAGOBARA GATA - nakago style where the top bulges then narrows resembling a fish belly.
TANTO - blades < 30cm.
TO - sword.
TOBIYAKI - tempered spots in the ji.
TORAN MIDARE - hamon pattern resembling large waves.
TORII-ZORI - refers to the deepest part of the curvature being in the middle of the blade.
TSUBA - sword guard.
TSUCHI - small hammer/awl for removing mekugi.
TSUKA - sword handle.
TSUKA-ITO - wrapping for tsuka.
TSUKAMAKI - art of tsuka wrapping.
TSUKURU - made by.
TSUNAGI - wooden sword blade used to hold together koshirae.
TSURUGI - double edged, thrusting sword

UBU - original.
UBU NAKAGO - nakago which is original or unaltered.
UCHIGATANA - deeply curved, one handed katana.
UCHIKO - fine powder used to clean sword blades.
UCHINOKE - like nijuba, but shaped like crescent moons, in the ji.
UCHIZORI - "inward curve", opposite of normal sori.
UMA NO HA - hamon pattern resembling horse teeth.
UMEGANE - steeel plug used to fill or repair a flaw.
URA - inside, refers to side facing the body.
URA-MEI - any inscription engraved on the ura side, typically dates.
UTSURI - light misty reflection seen on the ji and shinogiji.

WAKIZASHI - blade between one and two shaku.
WAKIMONO - swords produced which did not meet the criteria for any given school.
WARE - opening.
WAZAMONO - very sharp swords, rankings recorded by Yamada Asuemon.
YAKEMI - blades which have lost their hamon.
YAKIDASHI - point of hamon's beginning below the hamachi.
YA-HAZU - arrow notch shaped hamon.
YAKIBA - tempered edge of sword.
YAKIDASHI - hamon beginning just above the ha-machi.
YAKIHABA - width of yakiba.
YAKI-IRE - process of quenching the sword after heating to produce hardened cutting edge.
YAKITSUME - boshi with no turnback.
YARI - spear.
YASURIME - file marks on nakago.
YOKOTE - line at right angle to edge separating kissaki.
YOROIDOSHI - close quarters, armor piercing tanto

ZAIMEI - blades which still bear original signatures.