Japanese Sword Glossary
The Japanese sword has its own language. This glossary defines 332 nihonto terms — from the hamon (temper line) and hada (steel grain) to koshirae (mountings), signatures and appraisal papers. Search, or filter by category, to find any term.
Compiled and maintained by Tokyo Nihonto, a Japan-based dealer of authentic antique Japanese swords. Kanji are given where standard.
332 terms
- AIKUCHI 合口Fittings & Mounts
- a tanto with no tsuba (guard)
- AOIFittings & Mounts
- hollyhock, commonly used as a Mon
- ARA-NIEHamon & Temper
- coarse or large nie
- ASHI 足Hamon & Temper
- legs (streaks of nioi pointing down toward the edge)
- ATO MEISignature & Tang
- signature added at a later date
- ATOBORIFittings & Mounts
- horimono added at a later date
- AYASUGI 綾杉Steel & Grain
- large wavey hada (grain)
- BAKUFU 幕府History & Culture
- military government of the Shogun
- bizen 備前Schools, Eras & Traditions
- the Bizen tradition (Okayama), most prolific of the gokaden, famous for choji and utsuri
- BO-HI 棒樋Shape & Geometry
- large or wide groove
- BO-UTSURISteel & Grain
- faint utsuri
- BOKKENSchools, Eras & Traditions
- wooden sword for practicing sword kata
- BONJI 梵字Steel & Grain
- sanskrit carvings
- BOSHI 帽子Hamon & Temper
- temper line in kissaki (point)
- BU 分General Terms
- Japanese measurement (approx 0.1 inch)
- BUKE 武家History & Culture
- military man, samurai
- BUSHIDO 武士道History & Culture
- the code of the samurai
- CHIKEI 地景Steel & Grain
- dark lines that appear in the ji
- CHISA KATANASword Types
- short katana
- CHOJI 丁子Hamon & Temper
- clove shaped hamon
- CHOJI OILHamon & Temper
- oil for the care of swords
- CHOJI-MIDAREHamon & Temper
- irregular choji hamon (temper line)
- CHOKUTO 直刀Sword Types
- prehistoric straight swords
- CHUGeneral Terms
- medium
- CHU-KISSAKI 中切先Shape & Geometry
- medium sized point (kissaki)
- DAI-MEISignature & Tang
- student smith signing his teacher's name
- DAIMYO 大名History & Culture
- feudal lord
- DAISHO 大小General Terms
- a matched pair of long and short swords
- DAITOSword Types
- long sword (over 24 inches)
- FUCHI 縁Fittings & Mounts
- collar on hilt
- FUCHI-KASHIRAHamon & Temper
- set of hilt collar (fuchi) and buttcap (kashira)
- FUKURA ふくらShape & Geometry
- curve of the ha or edge in the kissaki (point)
- FUKURE 膨れSteel & Grain
- flaw; usually a blister in the steel
- FUKURINFittings & Mounts
- rim cover of a tsuba
- FUNAGATASignature & Tang
- ship bottom shaped nakago
- GAKU-MEISignature & Tang
- original signature inlaid in a cut-off (o-suriage) tang
- GENDAITO 現代刀Fittings & Mounts
- traditionally forged sword blades by modern smiths
- GIMEI 偽銘Signature & Tang
- fake signature (mei)
- GINGeneral Terms
- silver
- GOKADEN 五箇伝Schools, Eras & Traditions
- the Five Schools of the Koto period
- GOMABASHIHamon & Temper
- parallel grooves
- GUNOME 互の目Hamon & Temper
- undulating hamon
- GUNOME-MIDAREHamon & Temper
- irregularly undulating hamon
- GUNTO 軍刀Sword Types
- army or military sword mountings
- GYAKUGeneral Terms
- angled back, reversed
- HA 刃General Terms
- cutting edge
- HABAKI 鎺Fittings & Mounts
- blade collar
- HABUCHI 刃縁Hamon & Temper
- the line of the hamon
- HADA 肌Steel & Grain
- grain in steel, pattern of folding the steel
- HAGANESteel & Grain
- steel
- HAGIRE 刃切れHamon & Temper
- edge cracks in the hamon (fatal flaw)
- HAKIKAKEHamon & Temper
- broom swept portions in the boshi
- HAKO BAHamon & Temper
- box shaped hamon
- HAKO-MIDAREHamon & Temper
- uneven box shaped hamon
- HAKO-MUNESteel & Grain
- square shaped blade back
- HAMACHI 刃区Shape & Geometry
- notch at the beginning of the cutting edge
- HAMIDASHISword Types
- tanto or dagger with a small guard (tsuba)
- HAMON 刃文Hamon & Temper
- temper pattern along blade edge
- HANDACHIHamon & Temper
- tachi mountings used on a katana or wakizashi
- HATARAKI 働きHamon & Temper
- activities or workings within the hamon or temperline
- HAZUYAHamon & Temper
- finger stones used to show the hamon and hada
- HI 樋Shape & Geometry
- grooves in the blade
- HIRA-MUNESteel & Grain
- flat blade backridge
- HITATSURAHamon & Temper
- full tempered hamon
- HITSU / HITSU-ANAFittings & Mounts
- holes in the tsuba for the kozuka or kogai
- HOFittings & Mounts
- kozuka blade
- HONAMIGeneral Terms
- family of sword appraissers
- HORIMONO 彫物Fittings & Mounts
- arvings on sword blades
- HOTSUREHamon & Temper
- stray lines from hamon into the ji
- hozon 保存Appraisal & Papers
- NBTHK Hozon ("worthy of preservation") certification, the entry tier of papers
- ICHIShape & Geometry
- one or first
- ICHIMAIGeneral Terms
- one-piece sword construction
- ICHIMAI BOSHIHamon & Temper
- point area (kissaki) that is fully tempered
- IHORI-MUNESteel & Grain
- peaked back ridge
- IKUBI 猪首Shape & Geometry
- boar's neck (a short, wide kissaki)
- INAZUMA 稲妻Hamon & Temper
- lightning (a type of activity in the hamon)
- ITAME 板目Steel & Grain
- wood grained hada
- ITO 糸Fittings & Mounts
- silk or cotton hilt wrapping
- ITO SUGUHamon & Temper
- thin, thread like hamon
- ITOMAKI NO TACHIFittings & Mounts
- tachi with top of saya wrapped with ito
- JI 地Hamon & Temper
- sword surface between the shinogi and the hamon
- JI-GANESteel & Grain
- surface steel
- JI-HADASteel & Grain
- surface pattern of the hada
- JI-NIEHamon & Temper
- islands of nie in the ji
- jigane 地鉄Steel & Grain
- the steel of the blade body (ji), and the character of its surface
- JINDACHIShape & Geometry
- tachi
- JIZO BOSHIHamon & Temper
- boshi shaped like a priest's head
- JUMONJI YARISteel & Grain
- a yari with cross pieces
- juyo 重要Appraisal & Papers
- NBTHK Jūyō Tōken ("important sword"), a high tier of certification
- JUYO TOKENAppraisal & Papers
- highly important origami for sword by NBTHK
- JUZUHamon & Temper
- hamon like rosary beads
- KABUTOGeneral Terms
- helmet
- KABUTO-GANEShape & Geometry
- tachi style pommel cap
- KABUTO-WARIGeneral Terms
- helmet breaker
- KAENHamon & Temper
- flame shaped boshi
- KAERI 返りHamon & Temper
- turnback (refers to the boshi at the mune)
- KAI GUNTOGeneral Terms
- naval sword
- KAJISteel & Grain
- swordsmith
- KAKIHANFittings & Mounts
- swordsmiths or tsuba makers monogram
- KAKU-MUNESteel & Grain
- square back ridge
- KAMIKAZIGeneral Terms
- divine wind
- KANJISteel & Grain
- Japanese characters
- KANMURI-OTOSHI 冠落しShape & Geometry
- backridge beveled like a naginata
- KANTEI 鑑定Appraisal & Papers
- sword appraisal
- KAOFittings & Mounts
- carved monogram of swordsmith on tang (nakago)
- KASANE 重ねShape & Geometry
- thickness of blade
- KASHIRA 頭Hamon & Temper
- sword pommel or buttcap
- KATAKIRIShape & Geometry
- sword with one side flat (no shinogi)
- KATANA 刀Sword Types
- sword worn in the obi, cutting edge up
- KATANA KAKEGeneral Terms
- sword stand
- KATANA-MEISignature & Tang
- signature side that faces out when worn edge up
- KAWAGANESteel & Grain
- skin or surface steel
- KEN 剣Sword Types
- straight double edged sword
- KENGYOSignature & Tang
- triangular or pointed nakago-jiri
- KESHO YASURIMESignature & Tang
- decorative file marks on nakago
- KIJIMATASignature & Tang
- pheasant thigh shaped nakago
- KIJIMOMOSignature & Tang
- pheasant leg shaped nakago
- KIKUGeneral Terms
- chrysanthemum
- KIKUBAHamon & Temper
- chrysanthemum temperline (hamon)
- KINGeneral Terms
- gold
- KIN-MEIFittings & Mounts
- gold inlay or gold lacquer appraiser's signature
- KINKOFittings & Mounts
- soft metal sword fittings (not iron)
- KINSUJI 金筋Hamon & Temper
- golden line (type of activity in hamon)
- KINZOGAN MEIFittings & Mounts
- same a kin-mei
- KINZOGAN-MEIFittings & Mounts
- attribution in gold inlay on nakago
- KIRIGeneral Terms
- paulownia
- KIRI HAGeneral Terms
- flat sword with both sides beveled to the edge
- KIRI KOMIGeneral Terms
- sword cut or nick on the blade from another sword
- KISSAKI 切先Shape & Geometry
- point of blade
- KITAEGeneral Terms
- forging
- KIZU 疵Flaws & Condition
- flaw
- KOGeneral Terms
- old or small
- KO-CHOJIHamon & Temper
- small choji hamon
- KO-MARUHamon & Temper
- small round boshi
- KO-MIDAREHamon & Temper
- small irregular hamon
- KO-MOKUMESteel & Grain
- small wood grain hada
- KO-NIEHamon & Temper
- small or fine nie
- KO-NIE DEKIHamon & Temper
- composed of small nie
- KOBUSESteel & Grain
- blade constructed with hard steel around a soft core
- KODACHI 小太刀Sword Types
- small tachi
- KODOGUFittings & Mounts
- all the sword fittings except the tsuba
- KOGAI 笄Fittings & Mounts
- hair pick accessory
- kogatana 小刀Fittings & Mounts
- the small utility knife that fits into a pocket of the saya, mounted with a kozuka handle
- KOIGUCHIFittings & Mounts
- the mouth of the scabbard or its fitting
- KOJIRI 鐺Fittings & Mounts
- end of the scabbard
- KOKUHOGeneral Terms
- national treasure class sword
- KOSHI-ZORIFittings & Mounts
- curve of the blade is near the hilt
- KOSHIATEGeneral Terms
- leather suspensors (hangers) for a sword
- KOSHIRAE 拵Fittings & Mounts
- sword mountings or fittings
- KOTO 古刀Schools, Eras & Traditions
- Old Sword Period (prior to about 1596)
- KOZUKA 小柄Fittings & Mounts
- handle of accessory knife
- KUBIKIRIGeneral Terms
- small tanto for cutting the neck or removing heads
- KUNISchools, Eras & Traditions
- province
- KURIJIRISignature & Tang
- rounded nakago jiri
- KURIKARAFittings & Mounts
- dragon horimono (engraving/carving)
- KURIKATAFittings & Mounts
- scabbard (saya) fitting for attaching the sageo
- KUZUREGeneral Terms
- crumbling or disintegrating
- KWAIKENGeneral Terms
- short knife carried by women
- MACHI 区Steel & Grain
- notches at the start of the ha and mune
- MACHI-OKURISteel & Grain
- blade shortened by moving up the ha-machi and mune-machi
- MARUGeneral Terms
- round
- MARU-DOMEShape & Geometry
- round groove ending
- MARU-MUNESteel & Grain
- round mune
- MASAME 柾目Steel & Grain
- straight grain (hada)
- MEI 銘Signature & Tang
- swordsmith's signature
- MEIBUTSUSignature & Tang
- famous sword
- MEKUGI 目釘Signature & Tang
- sword peg
- MEKUGI-ANA 目釘穴Signature & Tang
- hole for mekugi
- MEMPOFittings & Mounts
- face guard or mask
- MENUKI 目貫Fittings & Mounts
- hilt ornaments
- MIDARE 乱れHamon & Temper
- irregular, uneven temperline (hamon)
- MIDARE-KOMIHamon & Temper
- uneven pattern in boshi
- MIHABAShape & Geometry
- width of sword blade at the machi
- MIMIGATAHamon & Temper
- ear shaped hamon
- mino 美濃Schools, Eras & Traditions
- the Mino tradition (Seki), sharp pointed gunome and prolific wartime production
- MITOKOROMONOFittings & Mounts
- matching set of kozuka, kogai and menuki
- MITSU KADOShape & Geometry
- point where yokote, shinogi and ko-shinogi meet
- MITSU-MUNESteel & Grain
- three-sided mune
- MIZUKAGEHamon & Temper
- hazy line in ji commonly due to re-tempering
- MOKKOFittings & Mounts
- four lobe shaped (a tsuba shape)
- MOKUME 杢目Steel & Grain
- burl like hada
- MONFittings & Mounts
- family crest
- MONOUCHI 物打Fittings & Mounts
- main cutting portion of blade (first six inches from kissaki)
- MOROHAGeneral Terms
- double-edged sword
- MOTO-HABAFittings & Mounts
- blade width near habaki
- MOTO-KASANEShape & Geometry
- blade thickness
- MUGeneral Terms
- empty or nothing
- MU-SORIShape & Geometry
- no curvature
- MUJISteel & Grain
- no visible grain
- MUMEI 無銘Signature & Tang
- no signature (unsigned blade)
- MUNE 棟Steel & Grain
- back ridge of sword blade
- MUNEMACHI 棟区Steel & Grain
- notch at start of mune
- MUNEYAKI 棟焼Hamon & Temper
- regions of temper along the mune
- N.B.T.H.K.Appraisal & Papers
- Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kai (sword preservation group)
- NAGAMAKI 長巻Sword Types
- halberd weapon mounted as a sword
- NAGASA 長さSteel & Grain
- blade length (from tip of kissaki to munemachi)
- NAGINATA 薙刀Sword Types
- halberd
- NAKAGO 茎Signature & Tang
- sword tang
- nakago-jiri 茎尻Signature & Tang
- the shape of the tang end (kurijiri, ha-agari, kiri, etc.), a kantei clue
- NAMBAN TETSUSteel & Grain
- foreign steel
- NANAKOGeneral Terms
- raised dimpling (fish roe)
- NAOSHIShape & Geometry
- corrected or repaired
- NASHIJIHamon & Temper
- hada like pear skin
- NENGOSchools, Eras & Traditions
- Japanese era
- NIE 沸Hamon & Temper
- bright crystals in hamon or ji
- NIE-DEKIHamon & Temper
- hamon done in nie
- NIKUGeneral Terms
- meat (blade having lots of fullness)
- NIOI 匂Hamon & Temper
- cloud like hamon
- NIOI-DEKIHamon & Temper
- composed of nioi
- NIOI-GIREHamon & Temper
- break in hamon
- nioiguchi 匂口Hamon & Temper
- the bright boundary line of the hamon, where nie and nioi gather
- NODACHI 野太刀Sword Types
- large tachi worn by high officials
- NOTARE 湾れHamon & Temper
- wave like hamon
- NOTARE-MIDAREHamon & Temper
- irregular wave like hamon
- OGeneral Terms
- large
- O-CHOJIHamon & Temper
- large choji hamon
- O-DACHIShape & Geometry
- very long sword (over 30 inches)
- O-KISSAKI 大切先Shape & Geometry
- large kissaki
- O-MIDAREHamon & Temper
- large irregular hamon
- O-NIEHamon & Temper
- large nie
- O-NOTAREHamon & Temper
- large wave patterned hamon
- O-SEPPAFittings & Mounts
- large seppa (usually on tachi)
- O-SURIAGE 大磨上げSignature & Tang
- a shortened tang with the signature removed
- OBIGeneral Terms
- belt sash
- odachi 大太刀Sword Types
- an extra-long field sword (ōdachi/nodachi), blade well over 90 cm
- OMOTESignature & Tang
- signature side of the nakago
- ORIGAMI 折紙Appraisal & Papers
- appraisal certificate
- ORIKAESHI MEISignature & Tang
- folded signature
- OROSHIGANESteel & Grain
- specially processed steel for making swords
- OSHIGATASignature & Tang
- rubbing of the signature on the nakago
- sabi 錆Flaws & Condition
- rust or corrosion on a blade or tang; on the nakago it is prized patina, on the blade a flaw
- SAGEO 下緒Fittings & Mounts
- cord used for tying the saya to the obi
- SAGURIFittings & Mounts
- catch-hook on saya
- SAIHA/SAIJINHamon & Temper
- retempered sword
- SAKAGeneral Terms
- slanted
- SAKIShape & Geometry
- tip or point
- SAKI ZORIShape & Geometry
- curvature in the top third of the blade
- SAKI-HABAShape & Geometry
- blade width at yokote
- SAKUGeneral Terms
- made
- SAME'Fittings & Mounts
- rayskin used for tsuka (handle) covering
- SAMURAI 侍History & Culture
- Japanese warrior or the warrior class
- SAN-MAIGeneral Terms
- three-piece sword construction
- SANBONSUGIHamon & Temper
- "three cedars" (hamon with repeating three peaks)
- SAYA 鞘Fittings & Mounts
- sword scabbard
- SAYAGAKIFittings & Mounts
- attribution on a plain wood scabbard
- SAYAGUCHIFittings & Mounts
- mouth of the scabbard (koi-guchi)
- SAYASHIHamon & Temper
- scabbard maker
- SEKI-GANEFittings & Mounts
- soft metal plugs in the tsuka hitsu-ana
- SEPPA 切羽Fittings & Mounts
- washers or spacers
- SHAKU 尺General Terms
- Japanese unit of measure approximately one foot
- SHAKUDOFittings & Mounts
- copper and gold alloy used for sword fittings
- SHIBUICHIFittings & Mounts
- copper and silver alloy used for sword fittings
- SHIKOMI-ZUEGeneral Terms
- sword cane
- SHIN-SHINTOSchools, Eras & Traditions
- New-New Sword Period (1781 to 1868)
- SHINAESteel & Grain
- ripples in steel due to bending of blade
- SHINAIGeneral Terms
- bamboo sword used in Kendo
- SHINGANESteel & Grain
- soft core steel
- SHINOGI 鎬Shape & Geometry
- ridgeline of the blade
- SHINOGI-JISteel & Grain
- sword flat between the mune and shinogi
- SHINOGI-ZUKURIShape & Geometry
- sword with shinogi
- shinsakuto 新作刀Schools, Eras & Traditions
- a newly-made sword by a living smith, traditionally forged from tamahagane
- shinshinto 新々刀Schools, Eras & Traditions
- the New-New Sword period (~1781-1876), a revival of Koto styles
- SHINTO 新刀Schools, Eras & Traditions
- New Sword Period (1596 to 1781)
- SHIRASAYA 白鞘Fittings & Mounts
- plain wood storage scabbard
- SHITODOMEHamon & Temper
- small collars in the kurikata and/or kashira
- SHOTOSword Types
- short sword (between 12 and 24 inches)
- SHOWATOSchools, Eras & Traditions
- sword made during the Showa Era (usually refers to low quality blades)
- SHUMEISignature & Tang
- red lacquer signature
- SHURIKENGeneral Terms
- small throwing knife
- SORI 反りShape & Geometry
- curvature
- soshu 相州Schools, Eras & Traditions
- the Sōshū (Sagami) tradition of Masamune, celebrated for bold nie and hataraki
- SUGATAShape & Geometry
- shape of sword blade
- SUGUHA 直刃Hamon & Temper
- straight temper line
- SUKASHI - cut outSUNHamon & Temper
- Japanese measure, approx. one inch
- SUNAGASHI 砂流しHamon & Temper
- activity in hamon like brushed sand
- SURIAGE 磨上げSignature & Tang
- shortened tang
- TACHI 太刀Sword Types
- long sword worn with cutting-edge down
- TACHI-MEISignature & Tang
- signature facing away from body when worn edge down
- TAKABORIShape & Geometry
- high relief carving
- TAKANOHASignature & Tang
- hawk feather style of yasurime
- TAMAHAGANE 玉鋼Steel & Grain
- raw steel for making swords
- TAMESHI-MEISignature & Tang
- cutting test inscription
- TAMESHIGIRI 試し斬りGeneral Terms
- cutting test
- TANAGOSignature & Tang
- fish belly shaped nakago
- TANAGO-BARASignature & Tang
- fish belly shaped nakago
- TANTO 短刀Sword Types
- dagger or knife with blade less than 12 inches
- TATARASteel & Grain
- smith's smelter for making sword steel
- TOGeneral Terms
- sword
- TOBIYAKI 飛焼Hamon & Temper
- islands of tempering in the ji
- TOGARIShape & Geometry
- pointed
- TOGI 研ぎPolishing & Care
- sword polish or polisher
- togishi 研師Polishing & Care
- a trained Japanese sword polisher who restores the geometry and reveals hamon/hada
- TORANHamon & Temper
- high wave like hamon
- TORII-ZORIGeneral Terms
- sword curve in the middle of the blade
- TSUBA 鍔Fittings & Mounts
- sword guard
- TSUCHISignature & Tang
- small hammer/awl for removing mekugi
- TSUKA 柄Fittings & Mounts
- sword handle
- TSUKA-GUCHIFittings & Mounts
- mouth of handle
- TSUKA-ITOFittings & Mounts
- handle wrapping or tape
- TSUKAMAKIFittings & Mounts
- art of wrapping the handle of a sword
- TSUKURI / ZUKURI - swordTSUKURUGeneral Terms
- made by or produced by
- TSUNAGIFittings & Mounts
- wooden sword blade to display fittings
- TSURUGI 剣Sword Types
- double edged, straight sword
- UBU 生ぶSignature & Tang
- original, complete, unaltered tang (nakago)
- UCHIGATANAGeneral Terms
- fighting katana
- UCHIKOPolishing & Care
- fine powder used to clean sword blades
- UCHIZORIGeneral Terms
- curved inward
- UMA-HAHamon & Temper
- horse teeth hamon
- UMABARIGeneral Terms
- horse needle
- UMEGANEFlaws & Condition
- plug used to repair kizu
- URASignature & Tang
- side of the nakago facing toward the body
- URA-MEISignature & Tang
- signed on the ura (usually the date)
- UTSURI 映りHamon & Temper
- reflection of temperline in ji
- WAKIZASHI 脇差Sword Types
- short sword (blade between 12 and 24 inches)
- WARE 割れSteel & Grain
- opening in the steel
- WARI-BASHI / WARI-KOGAIHamon & Temper
- chop-sticks
- YA-HAZUHamon & Temper
- arrow notch shaped hamon
- YAKI DASHIHamon & Temper
- straight temperline near the hamachi
- YAKI-IREHamon & Temper
- fast quenching of sword (tempering)
- YAKIBAHamon & Temper
- hardened, tempered sword edge
- YAKIDASHIHamon & Temper
- hamon beginning just above the ha-machi
- YAKIHABAHamon & Temper
- width of yakiba
- YAKIZUMEHamon & Temper
- temperline in boshi with no turnback
- yamashiro 山城Schools, Eras & Traditions
- the Yamashiro tradition (Kyoto), refined suguha and tight ko-itame
- yamato 大和Schools, Eras & Traditions
- the Yamato tradition, oldest of the gokaden, masame grain and temple smiths
- YANONEGeneral Terms
- arrow head
- YARI 槍Sword Types
- spear
- YASURIME 鑢目Signature & Tang
- file marks on nakago
- YOKOTE 横手Steel & Grain
- line between ji and kissaki
- YOROIDOSHI 鎧通しSword Types
- armor piercing tanto
- ZOGAN 象嵌Fittings & Mounts
- inlay
- ZUKURISword Types
- sword
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