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This is the glossary of Japanese swords, including major terms the casual reader might find useful in understanding articles on
Japanese sword
A is one of several types of traditionally made swords from Japan. Bronze swords were made as early as the Yayoi period (1000 BC – 300 AD), though most people generally refer to the curved blades made from the Heian period (794 – 1185) to the ...
s. Within definitions, words set in boldface are defined elsewhere in the glossary.
A
* – thin line that runs across the temper line (hamon) to the cutting edge (ha).
* – regular wavy surface grain pattern (jihada). Also known as gassan-hada after the name of a school which usually produced swords of this type.
B
* – an authentically shaped wooden (practice) sword (or other bladed weapon).
* – temper line (''hamon'') of the blade point (kissaki). (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
) (also see ko-maru)
C
* – black gleaming lines of nie that appear in the ji.
* – distinctly visible mokume-hada with a clearer steel than in similar but coarser patterns.
* – an irregular hamon pattern resembling
clove
Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands (or Moluccas) in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring or fragrance in consumer products, ...
s, with a round upper part and a narrow constricted lower part.
* – a straight sword primarily produced during the ancient period (jokotō). Their definition as is specifically chronological, as it refers solely to ancient pre- Heian swords, unlike which refers to later swords. These ancient Japanese swords are also known as .
* – Commonly used as a calque for the broadest definition of (European)
long sword
A longsword (also spelled as long sword or long-sword) is a type of European sword characterized as having a cruciform hilt with a grip for primarily two-handed use (around ), a straight double-edged blade of around , and weighing approximately ...
s.
* – either a nagakatana (due to long blade) or a naginata (due to long handle).
D
* – in context any pair of Japanese swords of differing lengths (daitō and shōtō) worn together.
* – any type of Japanese
long sword
A longsword (also spelled as long sword or long-sword) is a type of European sword characterized as having a cruciform hilt with a grip for primarily two-handed use (around ), a straight double-edged blade of around , and weighing approximately ...
, the larger in a pair of daishō. Commonly a katana.
F
* – the cutting edge (ha) of the blade point (kissaki). (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – tapering of the blade from the base (machi) to the point (kissaki)
G
* – see ayasugi-hada.
* – swords produced after 1876. Also the name for the period in sword history from 1876 to the present day, i.e., the period that succeeded the shinshintō period.
* – swordsmiths summoned by the retired
Emperor Go-Toba
was the 82nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1183 through 1198.
This 12th-century sovereign was named after Emperor Toba, and ''go-'' (後), translates literally as "later"; an ...
to work at his palace in monthly rotations.
* – the five basic styles of swords which during the kotō period were associated with the provinces:
Yamashiro,
Yamato
was originally the area around today's Sakurai City in Nara Prefecture of Japan, which became Yamato Province and by extension a name for the whole of Japan.
Yamato is also the dynastic name of the ruling Imperial House of Japan.
Japanese his ...
,
Bizen,
Sagami Sagami may refer to:
* Sagami, an 11th-century ''waka'' poet
*Sagami Province, an old province in Japan
*Sagami River, a river in Kanagawa and Yamanashi
*Sagami Bay, a bay south of Kanagawa Prefecture in Honshū
*Sagami Line, a railway roughly along ...
/Sōshū and
Mino Mino may refer to:
Places in Japan
* Mino, Gifu, a city in Gifu Prefecture
* Mino, Kagawa, a former town in Kagawa Prefecture
* Mino, Tokushima, a town in Tokushima Prefecture
* Mino, an alternate spelling of Minoh, a city in Osaka Prefecture
* Mi ...
.
* – pair of parallel grooves running partway up the blade resembling chopsticks.
* – a wave-like outline of the temper line (hamon) made up of similarly sized semicircles.
H
* – the
tempered cutting edge of a blade. The side opposite the mune. Also called hasaki or yaiba. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – misty spots in the temper line (hamon) resulting from repeated
grinding
Grind is the cross-sectional shape of a blade.
Grind, grinds, or grinding may also refer to:
Grinding action
* Grinding (abrasive cutting), a method of crafting
* Grinding (dance), suggestive club dancing
* Grinding (video gaming), repetitive and ...
or faulty tempering.
* – notch in the cutting edge (ha), dividing the blade proper from the
tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
(nakago). (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – border between the tempered part of the ha (cutting edge) and the untempered part of the rest of the sword; the temper-line. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – see ha.
* – patterns and shapes such as lines, streaks, dots and hazy reflections that appear in addition to the grain pattern (jihada) and the temper line (hamon) on the surface of the steel and are a result of sword polishing.
* – see matsukawa-hada.
* – see hiraji.
* – curved surface between ridge (shinogi) and temper line (hamon). Also called hira. If polished, the hiraji appears blue-black. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – a nearly flat blade without ridge (shinogi) or yokote. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – temper line (hamon) with tempering marks visible around the ridge and near the edge of the blade.
* – see shinogi-zukuri.
I
* – a fully tempered point area (kissaki) because the hamon turns back before reaching the point.
* – a bōshi which turns back in a straight horizontal line with a short kaeri.
* – a short, stubby blade point (kissaki).
* – top ridge of the back edge (mune), the back ridge. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – surface grain pattern (jihada) of scattered irregular ovals resembling
wood grain
Wood grain is the longitudinal arrangement of wood fibers or the pattern resulting from such an arrangement.
Definition and meanings
R. Bruce Hoadley wrote that ''grain'' is a "confusingly versatile term" with numerous different uses, including ...
. The small/large grain pattern of this type is called ko-itame-hada/ō-itame-hada.
J
* – area between the ridge (shinogi) and the hamon.
* – generally used to refer to the material of the blade.
* – visible surface pattern of the steel resulting from hammering and folding during the
construction
Construction is a general term meaning the art and science to form objects, systems, or organizations,"Construction" def. 1.a. 1.b. and 1.c. ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) Oxford University Press 2009 and com ...
. (also see masame-hada, mokume-hada, itame-hada and ayasugi-hada)
* – nie that appears in the hiraji.
* – a sword produced before the mid-
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
. Unlike later blades, these are straight swords. The term is also used to refer to the respective period of swordsmanship which was followed by the kotō period.
* – multiple overlapping
clove
Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands (or Moluccas) in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring or fragrance in consumer products, ...
shaped chōji midare patterns.
* – a
bayonet
A bayonet (from French ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon.Brayley, Martin, ''Bayonets: An Illustr ...
.
K
* – part of the temper line (hamon) that extends from the tip of the bōshi to the back edge (mune).
* – a dagger concealed in the clothing.
* – blade thickness measured across the back edge (mune). (see also motokasane and sakikasane)
* – curved sword with a blade length (nagasa) longer than . Worn thrust through the belt with the blade edge (ha) facing upward. It superseded the older starting in the
Muromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate (''Muromachi bakufu'' or ''Ashikaga bakufu''), which was officially established in 1338 by t ...
, after 1392.
Also a (now rare) general term for single-edged blades, see tō.
* – a gunome with a straight top and an overall slant.
* – a variation of the chōji midare pattern with the peaks resembling
tadpole
A tadpole is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial. Tadpoles have some fish-like features that may not be found i ...
s.
* – a double-edged blade (sword/dagger) of any size or shape.
* – short straight thin radiant black line of nie that appears in the temper-line (hamon).
* – fan-shaped point of the blade; separated from the body of the sword by the yokote. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – a skewer for the owner's hair-do, carried in a pocket of the scabbards of katana and wakizashi on the side opposite of the kozuka.
* – any knife, particularly a small utility knife carried in a pocket of the scabbards of katana and wakizashi.
* – see itame-hada.
* – a bōshi that runs parallel to the cutting edge of the point area (kissaki) and then forms a small circle as it turns back towards the back edge (mune).
* – see mokume-hada.
* – diagonal line that separates the point of a blade (kissaki) from the shinogiji and extends the ridge (shinogi) to the back edge (mune) in the kissaki area. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – curvature (sori) of the blade with the center of the curve lying near or inside of the
tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
(nakago).
* – a pre-
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
sword as opposed to a shintō. The year of transition is generally taken to be 1596. The term is also used to refer to the respective period of swordsmanship where the lower limit is given by the appearance of curved swords in the mid-
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
. The kotō period succeeded the jokotō period.
* – handle of a small utility knife (''kogatana'') carried in a pocket of the scabbards of katana and wakizashi on the side opposite of the kōgai. Also used to refer to the whole knife, i.e. hilt plus blade.
* – Register of masterpiece swords (meibutsu) compiled by the Hon'ami family in the
Kyōhō
, also pronounced Kyōho, was a after '' Shōtoku'' and before '' Gembun.'' This period spanned the years from July 1716 through April 1736. The reigning emperors were and .
Change of era
* 1716 : The era name of ''Kyōhō'' (meaning "Underg ...
era.
M
* – notches that divide the blade proper from the
tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
. (also see munemachi and hamachi)
* -straight surface grain pattern (jihada).
* – ten excellent students of
Masamune
, was a medieval Japanese blacksmith widely acclaimed as Japan's greatest swordsmith. He created swords and daggers, known in Japanese as ''tachi'' and ''tantō'', in the ''Sōshū'' school. However, many of his forged ''tachi'' were made into ...
: Gō Yoshihiro, Norishige, Kaneuji, Kinju, Rai Kunitsugu, Hasebe Kunishige, Osafune Kanemitsu, Chogi, Samonji, Sekishi Naotsuna.
* – surface grain pattern (jihada) resembling the bark of a pine tree. A type of ō-mokume-hada or ō-itame-hada with thick chikei. Also known as
hijiki
(''Sargassum fusiforme'', syn. ''Hizikia fusiformis''), sometimes called hiziki, is a brown sea vegetable growing wild on rocky coastlines of East Asia.
Hijiki has been a part of the Japanese culinary sphere and diet for centuries. It is rich ...
-hada.
* – signature, usually engraved on the tang (nakago).
* – swords designated as masterpieces. Sometimes used to refer specifically to swords listed in the Kyōhō Meibutsuchō.
* – a peg of bamboo or horn which passes through the mekugiana to secure the
tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
in the
hilt
The hilt (rarely called a haft or shaft) of a knife, dagger, sword, or bayonet is its handle, consisting of a guard, grip and pommel. The guard may contain a crossguard or quillons. A tassel or sword knot may be attached to the guard or pommel. ...
.
* – hole in the
tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
(nakago) for the retaining peg (mekugi) that secures the tang in the
hilt
The hilt (rarely called a haft or shaft) of a knife, dagger, sword, or bayonet is its handle, consisting of a guard, grip and pommel. The guard may contain a crossguard or quillons. A tassel or sword knot may be attached to the guard or pommel. ...
. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – an irregular temper line (hamon). (also see suguha)
* – irregular temper line (midareba) that continues into the point (kissaki).
* – distance from the blade edge (ha) to the back edge (mune). (also see sakihaba and motohaba)
* – see tantō.
* – point at which the yokote, shinogi and ko-shinogi meet. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – surface grain pattern (jihada) of small ovals and circles resembling the
burl
A burl (American English) or burr (British English) is a tree growth in which the grain has grown in a deformed manner. It is commonly found in the form of a rounded outgrowth on a tree trunk or branch that is filled with small knots from do ...
-
grain
A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and legum ...
in wood. The small/large grain pattern of this type is called ko-mokume-hada/ō-mokume-hada.
* – blade width (mihaba) at the bottom of the blade (machi).
* – blade thickness (kasane) at the bottom of the blade (machi).
* – back edge of a blade, i.e., the side opposite the cutting edge (ha). (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – notch in the back edge (mune), dividing the blade proper from the
tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
(nakago). (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
N
* – any sword with a blade longer than a tantō, particularly exceptionally large ones (e.g. nodachi). Also called chōtō.
* – a large sword with a usually katana-sized blade and a very long handle of about equal length. Successor design to the ōdachi/nodachi.
* –
pole weapon
A polearm or pole weapon is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is fitted to the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, thereby extending the user's effective range and striking power. Polearms are predominantly ...
wielded in large sweeping strokes. Typically with a wide blade, long tang and without yokote. It often has a distinctive carved groove. Also called chōtō.
* – unpolished part of a blade that is concealed by the
hilt
The hilt (rarely called a haft or shaft) of a knife, dagger, sword, or bayonet is its handle, consisting of a guard, grip and pommel. The guard may contain a crossguard or quillons. A tassel or sword knot may be attached to the guard or pommel. ...
. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – end of the
tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
(nakago), i.e., the butt of a blade. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – blade length measured from the point to the back edge notch (munemachi).
* – surface grain pattern (jihada) resembling the flesh of a sliced pear (jap. ''
nashi''); i.e. essentially fine dense ko-mokume-hada with surface nie throughout.
* – small distinct crystalline particles due to
martensite
Martensite is a very hard form of steel crystalline structure. It is named after German metallurgist Adolf Martens. By analogy the term can also refer to any crystal structure that is formed by diffusionless transformation.
Properties
Mart ...
,
austenite
Austenite, also known as gamma-phase iron (γ-Fe), is a metallic, non-magnetic allotrope of iron or a solid solution of iron with an alloying element. In plain-carbon steel, austenite exists above the critical eutectoid temperature of 1000 K ...
,
pearlite
Pearlite is a two-phased, lamellar (or layered) structure composed of alternating layers of ferrite (87.5 wt%) and cementite (12.5 wt%) that occurs in some steels and cast irons. During slow cooling of an iron-carbon alloy, pearlite forms ...
or
troostite
Willemite is a zinc silicate mineral () and a minor ore of zinc. It is highly fluorescent (green) under shortwave ultraviolet light. It occurs in a variety of colors in daylight, in fibrous masses and apple-green gemmy masses. Troostite is a var ...
that appear like twinkling stars.
* – a curved blade with ridge (shinogi).
* – indistinguishable crystalline particles due to
martensite
Martensite is a very hard form of steel crystalline structure. It is named after German metallurgist Adolf Martens. By analogy the term can also refer to any crystal structure that is formed by diffusionless transformation.
Properties
Mart ...
,
austenite
Austenite, also known as gamma-phase iron (γ-Fe), is a metallic, non-magnetic allotrope of iron or a solid solution of iron with an alloying element. In plain-carbon steel, austenite exists above the critical eutectoid temperature of 1000 K ...
,
pearlite
Pearlite is a two-phased, lamellar (or layered) structure composed of alternating layers of ferrite (87.5 wt%) and cementite (12.5 wt%) that occurs in some steels and cast irons. During slow cooling of an iron-carbon alloy, pearlite forms ...
or
troostite
Willemite is a zinc silicate mineral () and a minor ore of zinc. It is highly fluorescent (green) under shortwave ultraviolet light. It occurs in a variety of colors in daylight, in fibrous masses and apple-green gemmy masses. Troostite is a var ...
that appear together like a wash of stars.
* – see yō.
* – very large and heavy sword with lengths (nagasa) up to for the use in field battles. Worn across the back.
* – gently waving temper line (hamon).
O
* – very large sword invented in the 14th century. with lengths (nagasa) of . Worn slung from the shoulder.
* – a large grain pattern (jihada).
* – see itame-hada.
* – see mokume-hada.
* – alternative reading of ōdachi.
S
* – blade width (mihaba) at the yokote.
* – blade thickness (kasane) at the yokote.
* – curvature (sori) of the blade with the center of the curve lying near the point.
* – bōshi seen in the works of the three swordsmiths: Osafune Nagamitsu, Kagemitsu and Sanenaga: hamon continues as straight line inside the point (kissaki) area running towards the tip of the blade. Just before reaching the tip, the bōshi turns in a small circle (ko-maru) a short distance to the back edge (mune) remaining inside the kissaki.
* – sword of the
Imperial Japanese Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
with a metal
scabbard
A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade. As well, rifles may be stored in a scabbard by horse riders. Military cavalry and cowboys had scabbards for their saddle ring carbine rifles and Lever action, lever-action ...
(saya) produced from the 1930s to the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
in 1945.
* – a real sword as opposed to unsharpened or wooden practice weapons (bokutou).
* – ridge running along the side of the sword, generally closer to the back (mune) than the cutting edge (ha). (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – flat surface between ridge (shinogi) and back edge (mune). (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – a curved blade with yokote and a ridge (shinogi) quite close to the back edge (mune). Also known as . (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – period in sword history characterized by the revival of old sword styles, especially those from the
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle bet ...
. It follows the shintō period and is generally dated from the late 18th century to about 1876, when the wearing of swords was prohibited. The term is also used to denote swords produced in this period.
* – post-
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
swords produced after the end of the ''kotō'' period (after 1596) and before the period of revival of old styles at the end of the 18th century which is known as shinshintō. The term is also used to refer to the respective period of swordsmanship.
* – a curved blade without yokote and a ridge (shinogi) quite close to the back edge (mune); basically shinogi-zukuri without yokote. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – any type of Japanese
short sword
The English language terminology used in the classification of swords is imprecise and has varied widely over time. There is no historical dictionary for the universal names, classification or terminology of swords; a sword was simply a double e ...
, the smaller in a pair of daishō. Commonly a wakizashi.
* – curvature of the sword measured as the greatest perpendicular distance between the back edge (mune) and the chord connecting the back edge notch (munemachi) with the point of the blade.
* – the overall shape of the blade.
* – straight temper line (hamon). (also see midareba)
* – plain dark spots on the ji that differ considerably from the surface pattern in both color and grain.
* – marks in the temper line (hamon) that resemble the pattern left behind by a broom sweeping over sand.
T
* – straight sword (
chokutō
The is a straight, single-edged Japanese sword that was mainly produced prior to the 9th century. Its basic style is likely derived from similar swords of ancient China. Chokutō were used on foot for stabbing or slashing and were worn hung from ...
) produced in ancient times with a blade length (nagasa) longer than . Not to be confused with the .
* – curved sword with a blade length (nagasa) longer than and typically . Worn slung across the hip with the blade edge (ha) facing down. Primarily produced in the kotō period. Not to be confused with the .
* –
knife
A knife ( : knives; from Old Norse 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced ...
or
dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or popular-use de ...
(strictly speaking only the latter) with a length (nagasa) shorter than and typically about . Usually constructed in flat style (hira-zukuri). (also see tantō, kaiken)
Commonly used as a calque for the broadest definition of (European)
short sword
The English language terminology used in the classification of swords is imprecise and has varied widely over time. There is no historical dictionary for the universal names, classification or terminology of swords; a sword was simply a double e ...
s.
* –
knife
A knife ( : knives; from Old Norse 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced ...
or
dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or popular-use de ...
(strictly speaking only the former) with a length (nagasa) shorter than and typically about . Usually constructed in flat style (hira-zukuri). Also called mijikagatana. (also see tanken, kaiken)
* – single-edged blades (saber/knife) of any size or shape.
* – a tempered spot within the ji not connected to the main temper line (hamon).
* – umbrella term for all single- and double-edged blades of any size and shape.
* – curvature (sori) of the blade in which the center of the curve lies roughly in the center of the blade resembling the horizontal bar of ''
torii
A is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred.
The presence of a ''torii'' at the entrance is usually the simplest ...
''.
* – an ancient (jokotō) very short knife with blade length (nagasa) of or less.
* – sword
guard
Guard or guards may refer to:
Professional occupations
* Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault
* Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street
* Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning
* Prison ...
; generally a round metal plate with a central wedge shaped hole for the blade and if needed up to two smaller holes for the kozuka or kōgai
* – symmetrical double-edged thrusting weapon popular in the
Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
and early
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
.
Also a (now rare) general term for double-edged blades, see ken.
U
* – curvature (sori) of the blade with a slight curve toward the cutting edge (ha).
* – misty reflection on the ji or shinogiji usually made of softer steel.
W
* – blades with a length (nagasa) between . Shorter of the two swords worn by warriors in the
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
.
Y
* – see ha.
* – without turn-back (kaeri); a bōshi that continues directly to the back edge (mune).
* – file marks on the
tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
(nakago) applied as a kind of additional signature and before engraving the real signature (mei). (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* – activity (hataraki) in the temper line (hamon) that resembles fallen leaves or tiny footprints. After the late
Sengoku period
The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615.
The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...
(late 16th century) referred to as nioi kuzure.
* – line perpendicular to the ridge (shinogi) which marks off the kissaki from the rest of the blade. (see
image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
)
* –
dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or popular-use de ...
used for cutting through armour. Their length (nagasa) was originally fixed at , a value that was later reduced to . Originally worn thrust vertically through the back of the belt; later carried at the ride side with the hilt to the front and the edge facing up.
* – spot or spots where nie is concentrated on the ji.
See also
*
List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-swords)
The term " National Treasure" has been used in Japan to denote cultural properties since 1897,
although the definition and the criteria have changed since the introduction of the term. The swords and sword mountings in the list adhere to the ...
References
Bibliography
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*
*
External links
Nihonto forum{{Japanese (samurai) weapons, armour and equipment
Samurai weapons and equipment
Japanese swords
Japanese swords
A is one of several types of traditionally made swords from Japan. Bronze swords were made as early as the Yayoi period (1000 BC – 300 AD), though most people generally refer to the curved blades made from the Heian period (794 – 1185) to t ...