Terminos Forja de Nihonto

Roman Alphabet

Kanji

Category Definition A

Ai-guchi

合口

Nomenclature

Aki

明 ・ 秋

Mei

Aku

藁灰

Manufacture

Ama

天

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

Amakusa

天草

Culture

Aoko

青粉

Manufacture

Ashi

足

Nomenclature

Ashi-kanamono

足金物

Nomenclature

Ate-zuchi

当て鎚

Manufacture

Awa

粟

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

Azuchi-momoyama

安土桃山

Culture

B

Binsui

備水

Manufacture

Bizen-den

備前伝

Culture

Bōshi

帽子 ・ 鋩子

NomenclatureThe hamon specifically on the kissaki. See Kissaki

Bu

分

Nomenclature C Chika

近 ・ 親

Mei Chikei

地景

Nomenclature Chōji

丁子

Nomenclature Chū-

中

Nomenclature Chū-nagura

中名倉

Manufacture Chūtetsu

鋳鉄

Manufacture Daimyō

大名

Culture Daishō

大小

Nomenclature Dō

銅

Manufacture E

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

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 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 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 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 on its butt-end).

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

A type of polishing stone used in the shaping of a sword. Finer than kongo stone. Grit equiv. approx. #400-600. See Kongo 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

A traditional unit of length measurement. Equival. to 3mm. 10 bu make 1 sun and 100 bu make 1 shaku. It is divided in 10 rin. See Shaku, Sun, Rin

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, 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 its diameter (it is called gunome in the case it is not narrower). See Gunome, Hamon

Litt. "middle"; Average; M-size; Often used as a prefix to modify or precize a noun, such as in chu-kissaki (average size kissaki). A type of polishing stone used in the fine shaping of a sword; Comes after koma-nagura. See Nagura, Koma-nagura Litt. "cast iron"; Cast steel. See Tetsu, Sentetsu, Zuku 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.

Litt. "big-small"; Set of a long sword and its companion short sword; Implies a katana and a wakizashi; Popularized from the Edo period (1600-1867). See Katana, Wakizashi, Edo

Edo

江戸

Culture

F

Fuchi

縁

Nomenclature

Fudō Myōō

不動明王

Culture

Fuigo Manufacture

Fuji

藤

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

Fukai

深い

Nomenclature

Fukuoka

福岡

Culture

Fumaegi

踏木

Manufacture

Funbari

踏ん張り

Nomenclature

Furi ( -furi)

振

Nomenclature

Fusa

房

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

Fusuma

弁

Nomenclature

Futsū-zori

普通反り

Nomenclature

Fuyu

冬

Mei Litt. "winter". A character used in poper nouns. See Mei G

Gaku-mei

額銘

Nomenclature

Gatsu / Getsu

月

Culture

Gendaitō

現代刀

Culture Gimei

偽銘

Nomenclature Gin

銀

Manufacture Go

五

Culture Gō

郷

Mei Gojō

五条

Culture Gokaden

五ヵ伝

Culture Gunome

互の目

Nomenclature

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.

Metal fitting inserted at the opened end of the tsuka on katana; It usually matches the kashira in style. It is called Kabuto-gane on Tachi. See Tsuka, Kashira, Katana, Tachi, Kabuto-gane

Named Ācala in Vajrayana Buddhism (India), Fudō Myōō ("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. Fudō Myōō is often used as a theme in horimono. See Horimono

鞴 / 吹子

Bellows.

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 of most kotō tachi and sometimes on other swords. See Kotō, Tachi

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

The flap-valves installed on japanese bellows. See Fuigo Litt. "regular curvature"; Describes a sword curvature which is even all along the length of the sword, or rather centered. See Sori, Torii-zori, Wa-zori, Saki-zori, Koshi-zori

A process of mei-reinsertion. On a sword that has had o-suriage performed, the part with the mei was cut off and re-inserted in the newly formed tang. See Mei, O-suriage

Litt. "moon"; Month. Thus the first moon, or month, "ichi-gatsu", would be January, and so forth. Used in the mei. See Mei, Ichi AD1867-Present; Litt. "modern swords"; Period in japanese sword history. Also refers to the actual swords made during this period. Litt. "imitation inscription"; A fake signature on the tang of a sword. Relatively common, depending on the period of manufacture. See Mei

Silver.

Five. Used in the mei. See Mei

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

Litt. "five traditions"; Refers to five famous traditions in japanese sword manufacture, i.e. (see each entry) Yamato, Yamashiro, Bizen, Sōshu 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 chōji in the case it is narrower). See Hamon, Chōji

Guntō

軍刀

Culture H Ha

刃

Nomenclature Ha

派

Culture Habaki

鎺

Nomenclature Habuchi

刃

縁

Nomenclature Hachi

八

Culture Hagane

鋼

Manufacture Haguchi

羽口

Manufacture Hako-bashi

箱鋏箸

Manufacture Ha-machi

刃区

Nomenclature Hamon

刃文 ・ 刃紋

Nomenclature

Hara

原

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

春

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

Ha-saki

刃先

Nomenclature Hashi

鋏箸

Manufacture Hazuya

刃艶

Manufacture Heian

平安

Culture Hera

篦

Manufacture Hi

樋

Nomenclature Hi

日

Culture Hide

秀 ・ 英

Mei Hikaki

火掻

Manufacture

Hira

平

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

Hira-bashi

平鋏箸

Manufacture Hira-niku

平肉

Nomenclature Hira-sen

平鐫

Manufacture Hira-zukuri

平造

Nomenclature Hiro

廣（広） ・

Mei Hisa

久

Mei Hi-sen

樋鐫

Manufacture Hi-zukuri

火造

Manufacture

Litt. "army sword"; 20th century army-issued sword. Usually not traditionally made. Some traditionally made swords were mounted in guntō mounts so as to be carried in service.

Actual cutting edge; Hardened section of a blade. See Ha-saki 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 the ji and the hamon. See Ji, Hamon

Eight. Used in the mei. See Mei

Steel. Hagane is the common usage. Originally thought to have come from ha-gane 刃金, litt. "edge-metal". Also called kōtetsu. See Tetsu, Sentetsu, Tamahagane

Litt. "feather mouth"; The tuyère 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 near the edge and that is the result of differential quench-hardening.

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

Groove; Usually running along the shinogi-ji. See Shinogi-ji Litt. "sun"; Day. Thus the 15th sun, or day, of the month, is pronounced "jū-go nichi". Also pronounced nichi. Used in the mei. See Mei, Jū, Go

Respect. litt. "excellence" and "England". Characters used in proper nouns. See Mei

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

Litt. "plane meat"; Refers to the roundness of the ji; "Not much hira-niku" when the blade is profiled in the shape of a V; "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 are tantō or wakizashi. See Tantō, Wakizashi

Respect. litt. "broad"(modern form in parenthesis) and "broad". Characters used in proper nouns. See Mei

Litt. "a long time". Also read ku. A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

A groove drawknife. See Hi, Sen

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

Hōchō-tetsu

包丁鉄

Manufacture Hodo

火床

Manufacture Horimono

彫物

Nomenclature Hosoi

細い

Nomenclature I Ichi

一

Culture Ichimonji

一文字

Culture

Ie

家

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

Ikubi-kissaki

猪首鋒

Nomenclature

Iori-mune

庵棟

NomenclatureTwo-faced mune. See Mune

Itame

板目

Nomenclature

J

Ji

地

Nomenclature

Jigane Nomenclature

Jihada

地肌

Nomenclature

Jimon

地文 ・ 地紋

NomenclatureSee Ji

Ji-nie

地沸

NomenclatureAgglutinations of nie in the ji. See Nie, Ji

Jinjō

尋常

Nomenclature

Jitsu

実

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

Jizuya

地艶

Manufacture

Jū

十

Culture

Jū

住

Culture

Jūka-chōji

重花丁子

NomenclatureA type of hamon pattern; Overlapping chōji. See Chōji

Jū-nin

住人

Culture

Jūnō Manufacture

Juntetsu

純鉄

Manufacture

K

Kabuto-gane

兜金

Nomenclature

Kado

門

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

Kaeri-tsuno

返角

Nomenclature

Kage

景 ・ 兼

Mei

Kaji-oshi

鍛冶押

Manufacture

Kamakura

鎌倉

Culture

Litt. "kitchen knife iron"; The traditional japanese equivalent of wrought iron; A by-product of the kera-oshi process. Hōchō-tetsu 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

The actual forge where the fire is held.

Litt. "carved thing"; Engraving. Japanese swords are often decorated with engravings in bas-relief on buddhist, sanskrit or japanese themes.

Slim; Narrow; Used to describe either a sword or its characteristics, such as its hamon. See Hamon One. Used in the mei. See Mei

Litt. "character 1"; A famous school of the Kamakura period in Bizen province, present-day Okayama prefecture. See Bizen-den Litt. "boar-neck point"; Describes a sword point which usually is as or less long than it is wide. See Kissaki

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

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

地鉄 / 地金

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 the steel made visible through proper polishing.

Normal; Refers to a characteristic that is common in a given school or tradition, such as in "width is jinjo".

A type of polishing stone; Made from Narutaki stone. Used to polish the ji. See Narutaki, Ji

Ten. Used in the mei. See Mei

Litt. "dwell"; Resides; Lives. Used in the mei in reference to the living place of the person mentioned (usually the maker). See Mei, Jū-nin

Litt. "dwell person"; Resident; Dweller. Used in the mei in reference to the living place of the person mentioned (usually the maker). See Mei, Jū

十能 / 十納

Fire shovel. Used to shovel the hot coals in and out of the forge. Litt. "pure iron"; Pure iron. See Tetsu

Litt. "helmet metal"; Pommel. Used specifically in regards to tachi pommels. Those on most other types of swords are called Kashira. See Tachi, Kashira

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 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 proper nouns. See Mei

The final stages of the swordsmith's work in shaping a sword. 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 japanese sword manufacture.

Kami

守

Culture

Kanashiki

金敷

Manufacture

Kanatoko

金床

Manufacture

Kane

金

Mei

Kane

包

Mei Litt. "wrap". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei Kanmuri-otoshi-zukuri

冠落造

Nomenclature Kasane

重ね

Nomenclature Kashira

頭

Nomenclature Kata-kiri-ha

片切刃

Nomenclature Katana

刀

Nomenclature Kata-ochi- Nomenclature

Katsu

勝

Mei Litt. "win". A character used in proper nouns. See Mei Kazu

和 ・ 一

Mei Kera

鉧

Manufacture Kera-oshi

鉧押し

Manufacture Kesho-yasuri

化粧鑢

Nomenclature Kichi-jitsu

吉日

Culture Kin

金

Manufacture Kin

金

Mei

Kinsuji

金筋

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

Kinzōgan mei

金象嵌銘

Nomenclature

Kissaki Nomenclature

Kitaeru

鍛える

Manufacture

Kiyo

清

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

Ko-

小

Nomenclature

Kōbuse

甲伏

Manufacture

Kōgai

笄

Nomenclature

Ko-gatana

小刀

Nomenclature

Kojiri

鐺

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

Koma-nagura

細名倉

Manufacture

Kona-zumi

粉炭

Manufacture

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

Anvil. Also called kanatoko (more common). See Kanatoko Most common appellation for an anvil. Also called kanashiki. See Kanashiki

Litt. "gold". Also read kin. A character used in proper nouns. See Mei

A type of sword shape, which has a shinogi running only one third to a half of the length in a curve from the tip to the mune. See 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 tantō, and usually matches the fuchi in style. It is called Kabuto-gane on tachi. See Fuchi, Kabuto-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

片落-

Slenting on one side; Usually a prefix modifying the description of a hamon. See Hamon 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

Litt. "cosmetic filing"; Decorative filemarks; Usually applied on sword tangs and on one side of ko-gatana. See Ko-gatana Litt. "lucky day"; An auspicious day. Used in the inscription of dates in the mei. See Mei

Gold.

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

A mei inlayed in gold; Usually performed by an appraiser long after the making of the sword, but not always. See Mei

鋒 / 切先

Point. See Boshi To forge(v.).

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 steel and the inserting of softer steel in it.

Implement inserted on the side of the scabbard and thought to be used in arranging the samurai hair knot and also for cleaning one's ears.

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 having one side finely polished and the other left with kesho-yasuri. Their hilt, called kozuka, were usually highly decorated. See Kata-kiri-ha, Kessho-yasuri, Kozuka

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

Kongō

金剛

Manufacture Kore

之

Culture Kore

是

Mei Koshi-gatana

腰刀

Nomenclature Koshirae

拵

Nomenclature Koshi-zori

腰反り

Nomenclature Kōtetsu

鋼鉄

Manufacture Kotō

古刀

Culture Kozuka

小柄

Nomenclature Ku

久

Mei Kuni

國（国）

Mei Kurikata

栗形

Nomenclature Kyu / Ku

九

Culture M Machi

区

Nomenclature

Maro

麿

Mei A character used in classical male names. See Mei Masa

正・昌・政・

Mei Masame

柾目

Nomenclature Masu

舛

Mei Matsuba-kado

松葉角

Nomenclature Matsuba-saki

松葉先

Nomenclature Mei

銘

Nomenclature Mei-kiri

銘切り

Manufacture Mekugi

目釘

Nomenclature

Mekugi-ana

目釘穴

NomenclaturePeg hole in the tang.

Mekugi-nuki

目釘 き

抜

NomenclatureSpecialized hammer used to push the mekugi out.

Menuki

目貫

Nomenclature

Mi

身

NomenclatureRefers to the section of the sword above the machi. See Ue

Michi

道 ・ 陸 ・

Mei

Midare / Midare-ba

乱れ刃

Nomenclature

Midare-utsuri

乱れ映り

Nomenclature

Mihaba

身幅

NomenclatureLitt. "body width"; In sword appreciation, the width of the sword.

Minamoto

源

Mei

A type of polishing stone used in the rough shaping of a sword. Grit equiv. approx. #120-220. The roughest stone in sword polishing.

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

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

Usually a shorter sword worn edge up and simply inserted in the obi belt. Uchigatana and wakizashi are koshi-gatana, technically 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 Mountings of a sword, incl. the scabbard, the metal fittings, the hilt, etc.

Litt. "hip curvature"; Describes a sword curvature which is strongest at the base of the sword. See Sori

Litt. "steel iron"; Steel. More commonly refered to as hagane. See Hagane, Tetsu, Sentetsu, Tamahagane

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

Litt. "marron shape"; Piece of fitting through which is inserted the sageo; Intended as a fixture to attach the sageo. See Sageo Nine. Used in the mei. See Mei

Notch; Both notches at the junction between the tang and the sword itself. See Ha-machi, Mune-machi

Respect. litt. "correct", "prosperous", "government" and "way". Characters used in proper nouns. See Mei

A pattern characterized by relatively straight, parallel lines. Used to describe Jihada. See Jihada

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 the kissaki. See Matsuba-kado

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.

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

Piece of fitting. Intricately decorated button-size bas-reliefs placed under the hilt wrap in order to provide texture and thus better grip. See Koshirae

Litt. chaotic; Used as a modifyer in describing an irregular hamon. In fact most hamon are midare since only a hanful actually follow 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

Mine

峰

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

峰 ・ 峯 ・

Nomenclature

Minō-den

美濃伝

Culture

Mitsu

光

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

Mitsu-kashira

三つ頭

NomenclatureSee Mitsu-kado

Miya

宮

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

Mizu-heshi / Mizu-beshi

水 し

圧

Manufacture

Mochi

用 ・ 持

Mei Mokume

杢目

Nomenclature Momoyama

桃山

Culture Mori

守 ・ 盛

Mei Moro

師

Mei Moto

元 ・ 基

Mei

Mukō-zuchi

向鎚

Manufacture Litt. "hammer across"; Sledge hammer.

Mumei

無銘

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

Mune

棟

NomenclatureBack; Backridge

Mune

宗

Mei

Mune-machi

棟区

Nomenclature

Mune-saki

棟先

Nomenclature

Mura

村

Mei Litt. "village".

Mura-nie

叢沸

NomenclatureLitt. "bush nie"; Small agglutinations of nie. See Nie

Muromachi

室町

Culture N Naga

長 ・ 永

Mei Nagamaki

長

巻

Nomenclature Nagasa

長さ

Nomenclature Naginata

薙刀

Nomenclature

Nagura

名倉

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

Nakago NomenclatureTang

Nakago-jiri

茎尻

Nomenclature

Nakago-saki

茎先

NomenclatureSee Nakago-jiri

Nambokuchō

南北朝

Culture

Nana

七

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

直

Mei Litt. "straight".

Nari

成

Mei

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)

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

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

AD1573-1600 Period in japanese history. Full name is Azuchi-momoyama (安土桃山).

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 defined in the case of a maru-mune but should be obvious enough).

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

Litt. "long wrap"; A peculiar type of long sword with a disproportionately long hilt, or haft, which is wrapped in a way 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 to the mune-machi. See Zen-nagasa

Litt. "mow sword"; A polearm weapon similar the the european glaive and fauchard.

茎 / 中心

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

AD1333-1392 Period in japanese history. Saw the existence of two imperial courts, that of the North, and that of the South.

Narutaki

鳴滝

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

鉈

Manufacture Small hachet in the shape of a sturdy kitchen knife.

NBTHK - Culture

Nendo-jū

粘土汁

Manufacture

Ni

二

Culture Two. Used in the mei. See Mei

Nichi

日

Culture Day. See Hi (Culture)

Nie

沸

Nomenclature

Nie-deki

沸出来

Nomenclature

Nie-utsuri

沸映り

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

日本美術刀剣保存協会Culture

Nihon Tōken Hozon Kai

日本刀剣保存会

Culture

日本刀文化振興協会Culture Nioi

匂

Nomenclature Nioi-deki

匂出来

Nomenclature Nittōho

日刀保

Culture Nobu

延 ・ 信 ・

Mei Nori

法 ・ 則 ・

Mei Noro

ノロ

Manufacture Notare

湾れ

Nomenclature

NSK - Culture Acronym for "Nihontō Bunka Shinkō Kyōkai". See related entry NTHK - Culture Acronym for "Nihon Tōken Hozon Kai". See related entry

NTHK-NPO - Culture

Nugui

拭い

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

大

Nomenclature Obi

帯

Nomenclature Obi-tori

帯執

Nomenclature Ō-dachi

大太刀

Nomenclature Oite

於

Culture Oka

岡

Mei Oki

興

Mei

Acronym for "Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai". 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

Refers to martensite crystals, either in the hamon or in the ji, big enough to be visible to the eye individually, and usually appearing black. See nioi

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

Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai

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, both claiming to be the actual society. A court ruling recognized the NTHK.

Nihontō Bunka Shinkō

Kyōkai Litt. "Society for the Promotion of the Culture of the Japanese Sword". Founded on December 1st, 2008. Refers to martensite tiny martensite crystals forming a whitish 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 constituant is nioi. See nioi

Abbreviation for 日本美術刀剣保存協会 "NIHon Bijutsu TŌken HOzon Kyōkai". See Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai

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 sinusoïd curves. See Hamon

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

Big; Often used as a prefix to modify or precize a noun, such as in o-kissaki (big/long kissaki).

The traditional belt used to hold the kimono together. Uchi-gatana, koshi-Uchi-gatana, katana, wakizashi and tantō are all inserted in it. See Uchi-gatana, Koshi-gatana, Katana, Wakizashi, Tantō Litt. "obi belt hanger"; Fittings installed on tachi koshirae to allow their hanging from the waist. See Tachi, Koshirae

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 ō-dachi's lengths would measure in meters.

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

Omote

表

Nomenclature

Origane

折金

Nomenclature

Ori-kaeshi mei

折返銘

Nomenclature

Ori-kaeshi-tanren

折返し鍛錬

Manufacture

Oroshigane

卸金

Manufacture

Ō-suriage

大磨上げ

Nomenclature

P R

Rai

来

Mei Litt. "come".

Renkō

錬鋼

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

錬鉄

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

Rin

厘

Nomenclature

Roku

六

Culture Six. Used in the mei. See Mei

S Sabi

錆

Nomenclature Sada

定 ・ 貞

Mei Sagami

相模

Culture Sage

下げ

Manufacture Sageo

下緒

Nomenclature

Saka-ashi

逆足

NomenclatureA type of hamon pattern; Slented ashi. See Ashi Saka-chōji

逆丁子

NomenclatureA type of hamon pattern; Slented chōji. See Chōji

Saki

先

Mei

Sakite

先手

Manufacture

Saki-zori

先反り

Nomenclature

Saku

作

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

San

三

Culture Three. Used in the mei. See Mei

Sanbonsugi

三本杉

Nomenclature

Sane

実 ・ 真 ・

Mei

Sanjō

三条

Culture

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 and katana have a different omote, explaining expressions such as "tachi-mei" and "katana-mei", the maker's name always being on the omote.

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 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

On a sword that has had o-suriage performed, the part with the mei was bent and inlayed on the ura of the tang. See Mei, Ō-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

Type of work involving the shortening of a sword by cutting off a section of its nakago. It is called ō-suriage (great suriage) when it has been shortened to the point that the mei has had to be removed or displaced. See Suriage

A traditional unit of length measurement. Equival. to 0.03cm. 10 rin make 1 bu, 100 rin make 1 sun and 1000 rin make 1 shaku. See Shaku, Sun, Bu

Rust.

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

Litt. "first hand"; Assistant; Helper. Refers to the apprentice(s) working around their master at work, usually proving him with forge fuel, tools, assisting him at work by pumping the bellows, holding the work or hammering it with the mukō-zuchi. See Mukō-zuchi

Litt. tip-curvature; Describes a sword curvature which is strongest at towards the tip of the sword. See Sori

A type of hamon pattern based on gunome. Originally found in the work of Mino smith Kanemoto. See Hamon, Gunome, Minō 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

Saya

鞘

NomenclatureScabbard

Saya-jiri

鞘尻

NomenclatureButt-end fitting on scabbards. Also called kojri. See Kojiri

Seidō

青銅

Manufacture Bronze.

Seikō

製鋼

Manufacture

Seiren

製錬

Manufacture

Sekkaboku

石華墨

NomenclatureSolid ink used on nakago in the making of oshigata.

Seme-gane

責金

Nomenclature

Sen

鐫

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

Sentetsu

銑鉄

Manufacture

Shaku

尺

Nomenclature

Shi

四

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

Shichi

七

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

Shige

重 ・ 繁

Mei

Shinogi

鎬

NomenclatureRidgeline

Shinogi-ji

鎬地

Nomenclature

Shinogi-zukuri

鎬造

Nomenclature

Shinsakutō

新作刀

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

Shin-shintō

新々刀

Culture Shintō

新刀

Culture Shirasaya

白鞘

Nomenclature Shiro

代

Mei Shobu-zukuri

菖蒲造

Nomenclature Shumei

朱銘

Nomenclature Sori

反り

Nomenclature Soshū-den

相州伝

Culture Sugata

姿

Nomenclature

Suguha / Suguba

直刃

Nomenclature

Suji

筋

NomenclatureLine; Streak, Vein; For reference the shinogi is a suji by definition. Steel manufacture. Used generally in reference to the industrial process. The traditional process is refered to as tatara. See Tatara Litt. "manufactured refined"; Steel smelting. Used generally in reference to the industrial process. The traditional process is refered to as tatara. See Tatara

Litt. "torture metal"; Metal collar applied mostly on tachi scabbards at a short distance from the butt-end. See Tachi

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 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 10 sun, 100 bu and 1000 rin. See Sun, Bu, Rin

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 about one third of their width from the back.

AD1781-1867; Litt. "new new swords"; Period in japanese sword history. Also refers to the actual swords made during this period. AD1596-1781; Litt. "new swords"; Period in japanese sword history. Also refers to the actual swords made during this period. Litt. white scabbard; Refers to an undecorated plain wooden storage scabbard. See Saya

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 performed by an appraiser long after the making of the sword. See Mei

Curvature; Its length is measured at the widest from the mune-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 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: its curvature, length, width, proportions, etc.

A type of hamon pattern. Refers to a straight hamon, parallel to the edge. It can then be described as having all sorts of additional characteristics, such as ashi. See Hamon, Ashi