Kanji

Roman Alphabet

Category

Definition

A
Ai-guchi

Nomenclature

Aki

Mei

Aku

Manufacture

Ama

Mei

Amakusa

Culture

Aoko

Ashi

Ashi-kanamono

Ate-zuchi

Awa
Azuchi-momoyama

Litt. "fitting mouths"; A type of koshirae which is characterized by

the absence of a guard. See Koshirae, Tsuba
Litt. respectively "bright" and "autum". A character used in proper
nouns. See Mei
Charred straw; Usually rice straw, combusted in a charcoal
making fashion that results in "straw charcoal". Used during
tanren. See Tanren, Wara
Litt. "heaven". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

The name of the place of origin of the natural binsui polishing

stones, located in Nagasaki prefecture. Also used to refer to the
binsui stones. See Binsui
Litt. "blue powder"; A type of polishing compound mostly used in
Manufacture
the final stages of the polishing of grooves.
Litt. "leg"; A feature seen in the hamon; Refers to stripes of nioi
running down from the hamon, perpendicular or at an angle to
Nomenclature
the edge, sometimes all the way to it, most of the time not. See
Nioi, Hamon
Litt. "foot metal fitting"; A type of attachement fitting; Intended
Nomenclature to secure fittings to the scabbard body, usually the Obi-tori on
tachi scabbards. See Tachi, Obi-tori
A type of set hammer (i.e. applied to the work and hit directly
Manufacture
on its butt-end).
Mei

Litt. "millet". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

Culture

AD1573-1600 Period in japanese history. Also refered to more

simply as Momoyama.

B
Binsui

Manufacture

A type of polishing stone used in the shaping of a sword. Finer

than kongo stone. Grit equiv. approx. #400-600. See Kongo

Bizen-den

Culture

One of the five main traditions of sword making as popularized by

the Kunzan-Kanzan school (NBTHK). Present-day Okayama. See
Yamashiro, Yamato, Mino, Soshu-den(Sagami), NBTHK

Bshi

Nomenclature The hamon specifically on the kissaki. See Kissaki

Bu

Nomenclature make 1 sun and 100 bu make 1 shaku. It is divided in 10 rin. See

Chika

Mei

Chikei

Chji

Ch-

Nomenclature

Litt. "middle"; Average; M-size; Often used as a prefix to modify

or precize a noun, such as in chu-kissaki (average size kissaki).

Ch-nagura

Manufacture

A type of polishing stone used in the fine shaping of a sword;

Comes after koma-nagura. See Nagura, Koma-nagura

Chtetsu

Manufacture

Litt. "cast iron"; Cast steel. See Tetsu, Sentetsu, Zuku

Daimy

Culture

Warlord; Feudal lord; Refers to the leaders of the individual

provinces or countries that constituted Japan until its various
unifications made the archipelago a single country.

Daish

Nomenclature sword; Implies a katana and a wakizashi; Popularized from the

Manufacture

A traditional unit of length measurement. Equival. to 3mm. 10 bu

Shaku, Sun, Rin

D
E

Litt. respectively "near" and "parent". A character used in proper

nouns. See Mei
Dark and short streaks of nie in the ji near the hamon. See Nie,
Nomenclature
Ji, Hamon
Litt. "clove"; A type of hamon pattern. Refers to long sine curves
in which each circle's opening towards the edge is narrower than
Nomenclature
its diameter (it is called gunome in the case it is not narrower).
See Gunome, Hamon

Litt. "big-small"; Set of a long sword and its companion short

Edo period (1600-1867). See Katana, Wakizashi, Edo
Copper.

Edo

AD1600-1867 Period in Japanese history. Also called the

Tokugawa period because of the uninterupted reign of the
Tokugawa clan throughout this period. Saw the emergence of the
arts and crafts, the absence of wars, the isolation of Japan from
other countries and its unification.

Culture

Nomenclature usually matches the kashira in style. It is called Kabuto-gane on

Fuchi

Metal fitting inserted at the opened end of the tsuka on katana; It

Tachi. See Tsuka, Kashira, Katana, Tachi, Kabuto-gane

Fud My

Culture

Named cala in Vajrayana Buddhism (India), Fud My ("the

enlightened king of immovability") is the most popularized of the
Five Wisdom Kings of the Womb Realm. He is the destroyer of
delusion and the protector of Buddhism. His immovability refers
to his ability to remain unmoved by carnal temptations. Despite
his fearsome appearance, his role is to aid all beings by showing
them the teachings of the Buddha, leading them into self-control.
Fud My is often used as a theme in horimono. See Horimono

Fuigo

Manufacture

Bellows.

Mei

Litt. "wisteria". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

Fukai

Fukuoka

Culture

Fumaegi

Manufacture

Funbari

Nomenclature of most kot tachi and sometimes on other swords. See Kot,

Fuji

Nomenclature

Deep; Used mainly to describe the curvature or sometimes other

irrational impressions
A place in ancient-days Bizen province; In sword making refers to
a school called Fukuoka Ichimonji.
Litt. "step on wood"; A wood implement used to hold a polishing
stone with one's body weight while rubbing the work on it.
Litt. "firm stand"; Refers to the trumpet-like tapering at the base

Tachi
Counter for swords; One sword is pronounced "hito-furi", two
Nomenclature swords are "futa-furi" and then the common way of counting (3>san; 4->yon;5->go; etc.).

Furi ( -furi)

Fusa

Mei

Fusuma
Futs-zori

Nomenclature even all along the length of the sword, or rather centered. See

Fuyu

Mei

Nomenclature performed, the part with the mei was cut off and re-inserted in

Gatsu / Getsu

Culture

Litt. "moon"; Month. Thus the first moon, or month, "ichi-gatsu",

would be January, and so forth. Used in the mei. See Mei, Ichi

Gendait

Culture

AD1867-Present; Litt. "modern swords"; Period in japanese sword

history. Also refers to the actual swords made during this period.

Gimei

Nomenclature sword. Relatively common, depending on the period of

Gin

Manufacture

Silver.

Culture

Five. Used in the mei. See Mei

Litt. "village"; A character used in proper nouns. Used almost
exclusively for the swordsmith G Yoshihiro . See Mei

Litt. "chamber". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

Nomenclature The flap-valves installed on japanese bellows. See Fuigo

Litt. "regular curvature"; Describes a sword curvature which is

Sori, Torii-zori, Wa-zori, Saki-zori, Koshi-zori
Litt. "winter". A character used in poper nouns. See Mei

G
Gaku-mei

Go

A process of mei-reinsertion. On a sword that has had o-suriage

the newly formed tang. See Mei, O-suriage

Litt. "imitation inscription"; A fake signature on the tang of a

manufacture. See Mei

Mei

Goj

Culture

Gokaden

Culture

Gunome

Nomenclature

Litt. "fifth avenue"; A school of the late Heian and early Kamakura
period, usually linked to that of Sanjo; Refers to a famous "fifth
avenue" in the old capital of Kyoto. See Sanj
Litt. "five traditions"; Refers to five famous traditions in japanese
sword manufacture, i.e. (see each entry) Yamato, Yamashiro,
Bizen, Sshu and Mino. This approach was popularized in the 20th
century.
Litt. "eye between"; A type of hamon pattern. Refers to short sine
curves in wich the opening of each circle towards the edge is not
narrower than its diameter (it is called chji in the case it is
narrower). See Hamon, Chji

Litt. "army sword"; 20th century army-issued sword. Usually not

traditionally made. Some traditionally made swords were
mounted in gunt mounts so as to be carried in service.

Culture

Nomenclature Actual cutting edge; Hardened section of a blade. See Ha-saki

Ha

Habaki

Nomenclature

Habuchi
Hachi

Culture

Hagane

Manufacture

Haguchi

Manufacture

Ha-machi

Hamon

Hara

Mei

Litt. "plain". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

Mei

Litt. "spring". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

Hazuya

Heian

Culture

Hera

Manufacture

Hi

Nomenclature Groove; Usually running along the shinogi-ji. See Shinogi-ji

Hi

Culture

Hide

Mei

Hira-bashi

Hira-niku

Nomenclature hira-niku" when the blade is profiled in the shape of a V; "Much

Hira-sen

Manufacture

Hira-zukuri

Hiro

Hisa
Hi-sen

Hi-zukuri

Gunt

H
Ha

Hako-bashi

Haru
Ha-saki
Hashi

Hikaki
Hira

Culture

School; Clan; Group

Colar tapered lengthwise and inserted up the tang against the

machi. Its function is to hold the sword in its scabbard. It is
usually made of copper and decorated with gold. Some are made
of silver or iron. See Machi
Refers to the limit where the hamon starts; Delimitation between
Nomenclature
the ji and the hamon. See Ji, Hamon

Manufacture

Eight. Used in the mei. See Mei

Steel. Hagane is the common usage. Originally thought to have
come from ha-gane , litt. "edge-metal". Also called ktetsu.
See Tetsu, Sentetsu, Tamahagane
Litt. "feather mouth"; The tuyre outlet into the forge. Usually
made of clay or steel.
Boxed tongs.

Notch at the junction between the tang and the ha; Where the ha
starts. See Machi, Ha, Mune-machi
Litt. "edge decoration"; Refers to the cloud-like mark appearing
Nomenclature near the edge and that is the result of differential quenchhardening.
Nomenclature

Nomenclature Litt. "cutting edge tip"; Actual edge of the cutting edge. See Ha
Manufacture
Manufacture

Tongs.
A type of polishing stone; Made from uchigumori stone. Used to
polish the ha. See Uchigumori, Ha
AD794-1185 Period in japanese history. Saw the emergence of
the japanese sword as we know it today.
Litt. "spatula"; In sword making refers to the spatulas used
when applying the yakiba-tsuchi in preparation for quenching.
See Tsuchi-oki, Yakiba-tsuchi
Litt. "sun"; Day. Thus the 15th sun, or day, of the month, is
pronounced "j-go nichi". Also pronounced nichi. Used in the mei.
See Mei, J, Go
Respect. litt. "excellence" and "England". Characters used in
proper nouns. See Mei

Manufacture

A forge rake. Used to push and pull the coals in the forge

Mei

Litt. "flat". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

Manufacture

Flat tongs.
Litt. "plane meat"; Refers to the roundness of the ji; "Not much
hira-niku" when it is rather profiled in the shape of a U. See Ji

Litt. "plane drawknife"; A drawknife. Used to remove material on

the surfaces of blades. See Sen
A type of sword shape which doesn't display any ridgeline. Most
Nomenclature
are tant or wakizashi. See Tant, Wakizashi
Respect. litt. "broad"(modern form in parenthesis) and "broad".
Mei
Characters used in proper nouns. See Mei
Litt. "a long time". Also read ku. A character used in proper
Mei
nouns. See Mei
Manufacture

A groove drawknife. See Hi, Sen

Manufacture

The actual shaping of the sunobe into the shape of a sword;

Involves drawing out the ji, the shinogi-ji, the mune and the
kissaki by hand forging. See Sunobe, Ji, Shinogi-ji, Mune, Kissaki

Hch-tetsu

Manufacture

Litt. "kitchen knife iron"; The traditional japanese equivalent of

wrought iron; A by-product of the kera-oshi process. Hchtetsu is used as a base material in knife and tool making for parts
other than the edge. It has a relatively low carbon content and is
characterized by a rough, uneven and heterogenous structure.
Also called wa-tetsu. See Kera-oshi, Kera, Wa-tetsu

Hodo

Manufacture

The actual forge where the fire is held.

Horimono

Nomenclature decorated with engravings in bas-relief on buddhist, sanskrit or

Hosoi

Nomenclature

Ichi

Culture

One. Used in the mei. See Mei

Ichimonji

Culture

Litt. "character 1"; A famous school of the Kamakura period in

Bizen province, present-day Okayama prefecture. See Bizen-den

Ie

Mei

Litt. "house". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

Nomenclature

Litt. "boar-neck point"; Describes a sword point which usually is

as or less long than it is wide. See Kissaki

Nomenclature

A pattern resembling wood grain. Used to describe jihada. See

Jihada

Ji

Nomenclature

Refers to the area between the hamon and the shinogi; Area
where the jihada is appreciated. See Hamon, Shinogi, Jihada

Jigane

Nomenclature

Jihada

Nomenclature See Ji
Nomenclature Agglutinations of nie in the ji. See Nie, Ji

Normal; Refers to a characteristic that is common in a given

Nomenclature

school or tradition, such as in "width is jinjo".

Mei
Litt. "real". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

A type of polishing stone; Made from Narutaki stone. Used to

Manufacture

polish the ji. See Narutaki, Ji

Culture
Ten. Used in the mei. See Mei

Culture

Jka-chji

Nomenclature A type of hamon pattern; Overlapping chji. See Chji

J-nin

Culture

Litt. "dwell person"; Resident; Dweller. Used in the mei in

reference to the living place of the person mentioned (usually the
maker). See Mei, J

Jn

Manufacture

Fire shovel. Used to shovel the hot coals in and out of the forge.

Manufacture

Litt. "pure iron"; Pure iron. See Tetsu

Kabuto-gane

Nomenclature tachi pommels. Those on most other types of swords are called

Kado

Mei

Litt. "carved thing"; Engraving. Japanese swords are often

japanese themes.
Slim; Narrow; Used to describe either a sword or its
characteristics, such as its hamon. See Hamon

Ikubi-kissaki
Iori-mune
Itame

Nomenclature Two-faced mune. See Mune

Jimon
Ji-nie
Jinj
Jitsu
Jizuya

Juntetsu

Litt. "base metal"; Steel; Refers to the very stuff that the sword
or other object is made of.
Litt. "skin(texture) of base material"; Refers to the very texture of
Nomenclature
the steel made visible through proper polishing.

Litt. "dwell"; Resides; Lives. Used in the mei in reference to the

living place of the person mentioned (usually the maker). See
Mei, J-nin

Kaeri-tsuno

Kage

Kaji-oshi

Kamakura

Litt. "helmet metal"; Pommel. Used specifically in regards to

Kashira. See Tachi, Kashira
Litt. "gate". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

Litt. "return horn"; A tiny piece of fitting made from horn usually
in the shape of a water drop and placed on the side of the
scabbard at about its center lengthwise. Its purpose is to prevent
Nomenclature
the scabbard from slipping out of the obi belt when the sword is
unsheathed. Those made of metal are rather called origane. See
Obi, Origane
Respect. litt. "scenery" and "concurrently". Characters used in
Mei
proper nouns. See Mei
The final stages of the swordsmith's work in shaping a sword.
Manufacture Further work on the blade will then be performed by the polisher
after the swordsmith has completed kaji-oshi.
AD1185-1333 Period in japanese history. Saw the golden age of
Culture
japanese sword manufacture.

Culture

Title, comparable to "sir" or "lord", used in combination with a

name.

Manufacture

Anvil. Also called kanatoko (more common). See Kanatoko

Mei

Kane

Kanmuri-otoshi-zukuri

Nomenclature to a half of the length in a curve from the tip to the mune. See

Kasane

Nomenclature

Kashira

Nomenclature

Kata-kiri-ha

Nomenclature

Katana

Nomenclature

Kata-ochi-

Nomenclature

Kazu

Kera

Manufacture

Kera-oshi

Manufacture

Kesho-yasuri

Nomenclature

Litt. "cosmetic filing"; Decorative filemarks; Usually applied on

sword tangs and on one side of ko-gatana. See Ko-gatana

Kichi-jitsu

Culture

Litt. "lucky day"; An auspicious day. Used in the inscription of

dates in the mei. See Mei

Manufacture

Gold.

Mei

Litt. "gold". Also read kane. A character used in proper nouns.

See Mei

Ko-

Kbuse

Kgai

Kami
Kanashiki
Kanatoko
Kane

Katsu

Kin
Kin
Kinsuji
Kinzgan mei
Kissaki
Kitaeru
Kiyo

Manufacture

Mei

Most common appellation for an anvil. Also called kanashiki. See

Kanashiki
Litt. "gold". Also read kin. A character used in proper nouns. See
Mei
Litt. "wrap". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei
A type of sword shape, which has a shinogi running only one third

Mei
Mei

Shinogi-zukuri, Shinogi
Thickness of a sword at either the shinogi or the mune. See
Shinogi, Mune
Litt. "head"; Pommel. Used specically for katana, wakizashi and
tant, and usually matches the fuchi in style. It is called Kabutogane on tachi. See Fuchi, Kabuto-gane, Tachi
Litt. "one-sided cutting edge"; A type of sword shape in which
there is a ridgeline only on one side and it is nearer to the edge
than to the back.
Litt. "sword", "blade", knife", etc; A sword. Defined as any blade
with a nagasa over two shaku (>60.6cm), and usually refering to
those worn edge up and inserted in the obi belt. See Shaku,
Nagasa
Slenting on one side; Usually a prefix modifying the description of
a hamon. See Hamon
Litt. "win". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei
Respect. litt. "harmony" and "one". Characters used in proper
nouns. See Mei
Sponge iron; The actual product of the kera-oshi process; A
lump of a mixture of wrought iron, various grades of steel and
cast steel. See Kera-oshi, Zuku, sentetsu, Zuku-oshi
A type of archaic low-furnace iron smelting process which
produces a lump of sponge iron, a mixture of wrought iron,
various grades of steel, and cast steel. See Kera, Zuku, Sentetsu,
Zuku-oshi

Nomenclature Litt. "gold strips"; Bright streaks in the hamon. See Hamon
Nomenclature

A mei inlayed in gold; Usually performed by an appraiser long

after the making of the sword, but not always. See Mei

Nomenclature Point. See Boshi

Manufacture

To forge(v.).

Mei

Litt. "pure". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

Small; Often used as a prefix to modify or precize a noun, such

as in ko-kissaki (small kissaki).
A type of sword construction involving the shaping in U of harder
Manufacture
steel and the inserting of softer steel in it.
Implement inserted on the side of the scabbard and thought to be
Nomenclature used in arranging the samurai hair knot and also for cleaning
one's ears.
Nomenclature

Ko-gatana

Litt. "small knife"; A pocket knife; A knife. Refers to a type of

utilitarian pocket knife inserted on the side of japanese sword
scabbards. They were usually of the kata-kiri-ha shape, thus
Nomenclature
having one side finely polished and the other left with keshoyasuri. Their hilt, called kozuka, were usually highly decorated.
See Kata-kiri-ha, Kessho-yasuri, Kozuka

Kojiri

Nomenclature Butt-end fitting on scabbards. Also called saya-jiri. See Saya-jiri

Koma-nagura

Manufacture

A type of polishing stone used in the fine shaping of a sword, and

more precisely to remove the marks of the chu-nagura stone. See
Nagura, Chu-Nagura

Kona-zumi

Manufacture

Powdered charcoal.

Kong

Manufacture

A type of polishing stone used in the rough shaping of a sword.

Grit equiv. approx. #120-220. The roughest stone in sword
polishing.

Kore

Culture

This; As in "made this". Used in the mei. See Mei

Mei

Litt. "right"(opp. of wrong). A character used in proper nouns.

See Mei

Kore

Koshi-gatana

Usually a shorter sword worn edge up and simply inserted in the

obi belt. Uchigatana and wakizashi are koshi-gatana, technically
Nomenclature speaking. However, koshi-gatana were often in ai-guchi mounting.
These differences seem to find their origins in popular use rather
than actual proper definition. See Uchigatana, Wakizashi, Ai-guchi

Koshirae

Nomenclature

Koshi-zori

Ktetsu

Mountings of a sword, incl. the scabbard, the metal fittings, the

hilt, etc.
Litt. "hip curvature"; Describes a sword curvature which is
Nomenclature
strongest at the base of the sword. See Sori
Litt. "steel iron"; Steel. More commonly refered to as hagane.
Manufacture
See Hagane, Tetsu, Sentetsu, Tamahagane

Kot

Culture

Kozuka

Nomenclature

Ku

Mei

Kuni

Mei

Kurikata

Nomenclature

Litt. "marron shape"; Piece of fitting through which is inserted the

sageo; Intended as a fixture to attach the sageo. See Sageo

Kyu / Ku

Culture

Nine. Used in the mei. See Mei

AD987-1596; Litt. "old swords"; Period in japanese sword history.

Also refers to the actual swords made during this period.
Litt. "small hilt"; Refers to the hilt of a ko-gatana. Usually highly
decorated. See Ko-gatana
Litt. "a long time". Also read hisa. A character used in proper
nouns. See Mei
Litt. "country" or "province" (modern form in parenthesis). A
character used in proper nouns. See Mei

M
Machi
Maro
Masa

Notch; Both notches at the junction between the tang and the

Nomenclature

sword itself. See Ha-machi, Mune-machi

Mei
A character used in classical male names. See Mei

Respect. litt. "correct", "prosperous", "government" and "way".

Mei
Characters used in proper nouns. See Mei

A pattern characterized by relatively straight, parallel lines. Used

to describe Jihada. See Jihada

Matsuba-kado

Matsuba-saki

Litt. "pine-needle edge"; Used to describe the shape of the mune

at the kissaki. See Matsuba-saki
Litt. "pine-needle tip"; Used to describe the shape of the mune at
Nomenclature
the kissaki. See Matsuba-kado

Mei

Nomenclature

The signature of a sword; Usually engraved with a punch on the

tang. May include the name of the maker, the date, the place, the
name of the commissioner, a thought, a poem, a saying, results
of cutting tests performed with the sword, etc.

Mei-kiri

Manufacture

The actual action of engraving a signature in the tang of a sword

with the help of a hammer and a specialized chisel. See Tagane

Mekugi

Nomenclature

Peg used to hold the tsuka on the tang, and thus all fittings
together.

Menuki

Nomenclature placed under the hilt wrap in order to provide texture and thus

Mi

Nomenclature Refers to the section of the sword above the machi. See Ue

Michi

Midare / Midare-ba

Nomenclature In fact most hamon are midare since only a hanful actually follow

Midare-utsuri

Nomenclature

Mihaba

Nomenclature Litt. "body width"; In sword appreciation, the width of the sword.

Minamoto

Mei

Masame
Masu

Mekugi-ana
Mekugi-nuki

Nomenclature
Mei
Nomenclature

Nomenclature Peg hole in the tang.

Nomenclature Specialized hammer used to push the mekugi out.

Piece of fitting. Intricately decorated button-size bas-reliefs

better grip. See Koshirae
Mei

Litt. chaotic; Used as a modifyer in describing an irregular hamon.

a book definition-like pattern. See Hamon
A type of utsuri; A more or less exact reflection of the hamon in
the ji. See Utsuri, Hamon, Ji

Litt. "origin"; A legendary family name in Japan. A character used

in proper nouns. See Mei

Mei

Mine

Min-den

Culture

Mitsu

Mei

Mine

Mitsu-kashira
Miya

Mizu-heshi / Mizu-beshi

Nomenclature

Litt. "Shint shrine". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

Manufacture

A process involving the flattening of chunks of tamahagane into

3-5mm plates, which are then quenched and broke into pieces.
These pieces are then sorted according to their quality (carbon
content, purity, structure, etc) and used as raw material for
tanren. See Tamahagane, Tanren

Culture

Mune-machi

Mune-saki

Mura

Momoyama
Mori
Moro
Moto
Muk-zuchi
Mumei
Mune
Mune

Mura-nie

Muromachi

Litt. "light". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

Mei

Mei

Mokume

Litt. "back ridge of a sword". More commonly called mune. See

Mune
One of the five main traditions according to the Kunzan-Kanzan
school (NBTHK). Present-day Gifu. See Yamashiro, Yamato, Bizen,
Soshu-den(Sagami)

Nomenclature See Mitsu-kado

Mochi

Litt. "peak". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

Nomenclature

A pattern resembling wood burl. Used to describe jihada. See

Jihada
AD1573-1600 Period in japanese history. Full name is Azuchimomoyama ().

Mei
Mei
Mei
Manufacture

Litt. "hammer across"; Sledge hammer.

Nomenclature Refers to an unsigned a sword; A sword without a mei. See Mei

Nomenclature Back; Backridge
Mei

Notch at the junction between the tang and the mune; Where the
mune starts. See Machi; Ha-machi
The very edge of the mune (the edge created by the two faces on
a iori-mune; the top surface of a mitsu-mune, it is less clearly
Nomenclature
defined in the case of a maru-mune but should be obvious
enough).
Nomenclature

Mei

Litt. "village".

Nomenclature Litt. "bush nie"; Small agglutinations of nie. See Nie

Culture

Mei

AD1392-1573 Period in japanese history. Saw important wars and

much trouble, including the Sengoku period when the various
warlords were constantly struggling for power. Saw the birth of
the uchi-gatana, which became the wakizashi and katana. See
Sengoku, Uchigatana, Wakizashi, Katana

N
Naga

Litt. "long wrap"; A peculiar type of long sword with a

disproportionately long hilt, or haft, which is wrapped in a way
Nomenclature similar to tsuka-maki. Its overall length is in-between the long
sword (tachi) and the naginata or yari. See Tsuka-maki, Tachi,
Naginata, Yari
Refers to a specific length measured in a straight line from the tip
Nomenclature
to the mune-machi. See Zen-nagasa
Litt. "mow sword"; A polearm weapon similar the the european
Nomenclature
glaive and fauchard.

Nagamaki

Nagasa

Naginata

Nakago-saki

Nambokuch

Culture

AD1333-1392 Period in japanese history. Saw the existence of

two imperial courts, that of the North, and that of the South.

Nana

Culture

Seven; Also pronounced shichi. Used in the mei. See Mei, Shichi

Mei

Litt. "straight".

Nagura
Nakago
Nakago-jiri

Nao
Nari

Manufacture

A type of polishing stone used in the fine shaping of a sword.

Nomenclature Tang
Nomenclature

Tang butt; bottom-end of a tang, its shape being important in

Nomenclature.

Nomenclature See Nakago-jiri

Mei

Manufacture

A type of polishing stone. Used to make Jizuya. See Jizuya

Nata

Manufacture

Small hachet in the shape of a sturdy kitchen knife.

NBTHK

Culture

Nendo-j

Manufacture

Ni

Culture

Two. Used in the mei. See Mei

Nichi

Culture

Day. See Hi (Culture)

Nie

Nomenclature enough to be visible to the eye individually, and usually appearing

Nie-deki

Nomenclature

Narutaki

Nie-utsuri

Refers to martensite crystals, either in the hamon or in the ji, big

Nihont Bunka Shink

Kykai
Nioi
Nioi-deki

black. See nioi

Litt. "made in nie"; Refers to a sword which hamon's main
constituant is nie. See nie

Nomenclature A type of spot-like utsuri in the ji. See Utsuri, Ji

Nihon Bijutsu Tken Hozon

Culture
Kykai

Nihon Tken Hozon Kai

Acronym for "Nihon Bijutsu Tken Hozon Kykai". See related

entry
Litt. "clay soup"; Refers to the clay slurry used during tanren.
Clay softened in water to a creamy consistency is applied on the
steel during tanren in order to create a coating that permeates
against oxydizing. See Tanren

Litt. "Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords";

Founded as a merging of several sword organizations after the
war in the hope of preserving and promoting the japanese sword,
its culture and crafts in the aftermaths of the war devastations.

Litt. "Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords". The oldest

such society in Japan, founded in October 1912. Eventually split
into two factions, now refered to as the NTHK and NTHK-NPO,
Culture
both claiming to be the actual society. A court ruling recognized
the NTHK.
Litt. "Society for the Promotion of the Culture of the Japanese
Culture
Sword". Founded on December 1st, 2008.
Refers to martensite tiny martensite crystals forming a whitish
Nomenclature cloud along the hamon, each crystal being usually too small to be
seen by the naked eye. See nie
Litt. "made in nioi"; Refers to a sword which hamon's main
Nomenclature
constituant is nioi. See nioi
Abbreviation for "NIHon Bijutsu Tken HOzon
Culture
Kykai". See Nihon Bijutsu Tken Hozon Kykai

Mei

Nori

Noro

Manufacture

Notare

Slag found at the bottom of the forge after performing tanren. It

is composed of melted clay and straw ash and contains scale and
charcoal to a certain extent.
A type of hamon pattern. Refers to long sinusod curves. See
Nomenclature
Hamon

NSK

Culture

Acronym for "Nihont Bunka Shink Kykai". See related entry

NTHK

Culture

NTHK-NPO

Culture

Acronym for "Nihon Tken Hozon Kai". See related entry

An independent faction of the Nihon Tken Hozon Kai. See related
entry

Nugui

Manufacture

Oil-based iron oxyde mixture used in the final stages of polishing.

Nomenclature

Big; Often used as a prefix to modify or precize a noun, such as

in o-kissaki (big/long kissaki).

Obi

Nomenclature gatana, koshi-gatana, katana, wakizashi and tant are all inserted

Obi-tori

Nomenclature

Litt. "obi belt hanger"; Fittings installed on tachi koshirae to allow

their hanging from the waist. See Tachi, Koshirae

-dachi

Nomenclature

Litt. "great sword"; Extravagantly grand swords, either for

religious purposes or sometimes for actual use, although probably
more for the visual effect on the battlefield than actual fencing.
Some -dachi's lengths would measure in meters.

Oite

Culture

At; In; On, As for; On one's part. Used in the mei when
describing a location such as in "in Edo" -- "Edo (ni) oite"
(the "ni" is always pronounced although not inscribed). See Mei

Oka

Mei

Nittho
Nobu

Mei

Oki

The traditional belt used to hold the kimono together. Uchiin it. See Uchi-gatana, Koshi-gatana, Katana, Wakizashi, Tant

Mei

Face, in opp. to ura, back. In relation to swords, it refers to the

side of the sword that facing forward when worn, meaning tachi
Nomenclature and katana have a different omote, explaining expressions such
as "tachi-mei" and "katana-mei", the maker's name always being
on the omote.

Origane

Litt. "juncture metal"; A tiny piece of metal fitting often made in

the shape of a water drop and placed on the side of the scabbard
at about its center lengthwise. Its purpose is to prevent the
Nomenclature
scabbard from slipping out of the obi belt when the sword is
unsheathed. Those made of horn are rather called kaeri-tsuna.
See Obi, Kaeri-tsuno

Ori-kaeshi mei

Nomenclature mei was bent and inlayed on the ura of the tang. See Mei, -

Ori-kaeshi-tanren

Manufacture

Oroshigane

Manufacture

-suriage

Nomenclature

Type of work involving the shortening of a sword by cutting off a

section of its nakago. It is called -suriage (great suriage) when it
has been shortened to the point that the mei has had to be
removed or displaced. See Suriage

Mei

Litt. "come".

Manufacture

Litt. "refined steel"; Wrought steel. See Hagane

Rentetsu

Manufacture

Litt. "refined iron"; Wrought iron. See Tetsu

Rin

Nomenclature rin make 1 bu, 100 rin make 1 sun and 1000 rin make 1 shaku.

Roku

Culture

Nomenclature Rust.

Sagami

Sage

Manufacture

Sageo

Nomenclature

Saka-ashi

Nomenclature A type of hamon pattern; Slented ashi. See Ashi

Omote

On a sword that has had o-suriage performed, the part with the
suriage
Refers to what is commonly called tanren, the forge folding of
steel. See Tanren
Litt. "wholesale metal"; Recycle smelting of iron and steel. Refers
to both the process and the type of steel created through it. It
implies the re-smelting of pieces of iron and steel, such as old
tetsubin, into a regular forge in order to either raise or lower their
carbon content. See Tetsubin

P
R
Rai
Renk

A traditional unit of length measurement. Equival. to 0.03cm. 10

See Shaku, Sun, Bu
Six. Used in the mei. See Mei

S
Sabi
Sada

Saka-chji
Saki

Mei
Culture

Name of a province in ancient Japan; Present-day Kanagawa. See

Soshu-den
Litt. "the lowering of"; In sword making, refers to the
decarburization of zuku-oshi pig iron, thus the lowering of its
carbon content. See Zuku, Zuku-oshi, sentetsu
Litt. "lowering cord"; Cord. Attached to the scabbard through its
kurikata and used to prevent the entire sword from sliding off the
obi, or to prevent only the scabbard from following the sword and
sliding off the obi. See Kurikata, Obi

Nomenclature A type of hamon pattern; Slented chji. See Chji

Mei

Litt. "first hand"; Assistant; Helper. Refers to the apprentice(s)

working around their master at work, usually proving him with
Manufacture forge fuel, tools, assisting him at work by pumping the bellows,
holding the work or hammering it with the muk-zuchi. See
Muk-zuchi
Litt. tip-curvature; Describes a sword curvature which is strongest
Nomenclature
at towards the tip of the sword. See Sori

Sakite

Saki-zori

Saku

Culture

Litt. "make"; Made by-. Used in the mei. See Mei, Z, Tsukuru

San

Culture

Three. Used in the mei. See Mei

Sanbonsugi

Nomenclature

A type of hamon pattern based on gunome. Originally found in

the work of Mino smith Kanemoto. See Hamon, Gunome, Min

Sane

Mei

Sanj

Culture

A school of the late Heian and early Kamakura period, often

linked with that of Gojo; Refers to a famous "third avenue" in the
old capital of Kyoto. See Gojo

Nomenclature Scabbard

Seid

Manufacture

Bronze.

Seik

Manufacture

Steel manufacture. Used generally in reference to the industrial

process. The traditional process is refered to as tatara. See Tatara

Seiren

Manufacture

Litt. "manufactured refined"; Steel smelting. Used generally in

reference to the industrial process. The traditional process is
refered to as tatara. See Tatara

Sekkaboku

Nomenclature Solid ink used on nakago in the making of oshigata.

Seme-gane

Nomenclature

Litt. "torture metal"; Metal collar applied mostly on tachi

scabbards at a short distance from the butt-end. See Tachi

Sen

Manufacture

A drawknife. There are many types used. See Hi-sen, Hira-sen

Saya
Saya-jiri

Nomenclature Butt-end fitting on scabbards. Also called kojri. See Kojiri

Litt. "pig iron-iron"; Refers to all cast steels, including the product
of the zuku-oshi tatara; the actual pig iron; also called zuku.
sentetsu contains a very high rate of carbon which makes it brittle
Manufacture
and unusable as is in a forge. It must pass through a
decarburizing process called sage. See Zuku, Zuku-oshi tatara,
Kera, Kera-oshi tatara, Sage
A traditional unit of length. Equival. to 30.3022cm. It is divided in
Nomenclature
10 sun, 100 bu and 1000 rin. See Sun, Bu, Rin

Sentetsu

Shaku

Shinogi-ji

Shinogi-zukuri

The surface between the shinogi and the mune on shinogi-zukuri

swords. See Shinogi, Mune, Shinogi-zukuri
Type of sword; Refers to those swords with a ridgeline running
Nomenclature
about one third of their width from the back.

Shinsakut

Culture

Litt. "newly made swords"; Used to refer to newly made swords.

Shin-shint

Culture

AD1781-1867; Litt. "new new swords"; Period in japanese sword

history. Also refers to the actual swords made during this period.

Shint

Culture

AD1596-1781; Litt. "new swords"; Period in japanese sword

history. Also refers to the actual swords made during this period.

Shirasaya

Nomenclature

Litt. white scabbard; Refers to an undecorated plain wooden

storage scabbard. See Saya

Shiro

Shobu-zukuri

Nomenclature

Shumei

Sori

Sosh-den

Sugata

A type of sword shape which is similar to shinogi-zukuri, but

doesn't display a yokote, the shinogi simply runs directly to the
tip. The name shobu was given after the name of a plant which
leaves have a similar blade shape. See Shinogi-zukuri
A mei calligraphied in urushi lacquer on the tang; Usually
Nomenclature performed by an appraiser long after the making of the sword.
See Mei
Curvature; Its length is measured at the widest from the muneNomenclature saki to an imaginary straight line running from the very tip to the
mune-machi.
One of the five main traditions according to the Kunzan-Kanzan
school (NBTHK). Present-day Kanagawa. Also refered by the
Culture
actual name of the province at that time, Sagami. See Sagami,
Yamashiro, Yamato, Bizen, Mino
Shape; Refers to all aspects of the shape and profile of a sword:
Nomenclature
its curvature, length, width, proportions, etc.

Suguha / Suguba

Nomenclature the edge. It can then be described as having all sorts of additional

Nomenclature Line; Streak, Vein; For reference the shinogi is a suji by definition.

Shi
Shichi
Shige
Shinogi

Suji

Culture

Four; Also pronounced yon. Used in the mei. See Mei, Yon

Culture

Seven; Also pronounced nana. Used in the mei. See Mei, Nana

Mei
Nomenclature Ridgeline
Nomenclature

Mei

A type of hamon pattern. Refers to a straight hamon, parallel to

characteristics, such as ashi. See Hamon, Ashi