Nihonto

Art and Attraction

History

Some people may feel that the Japanese sword has a long history. Although the Japanese sword is a weapon, it has also become an object of art, faith and a symbol of authority. Some people may also feel the spirit of bushido when looking at the Japanese sword, which is said to be the soul of the Samurai. In the history of Japan, Japanese swords have been carefully preserved for over a thousand years. Their historical role has been significant and even today, they still shine brilliantly as a reminder of its creation. The Japanese swords are one of the most unique Japanese cultural assets in the world. Finding the beauty in Japanese swords is finding Japanese culture. 

Sugata (shape)

There may be many people who find the beauty in Japanese swords that pursues function and eliminates all kind of waste of movement. Their shape and curvature were born out of the history of their creation, according to the needs of each, and tell the story of their history and the trends and aspects of their times. 

Jigane (Steel Pattern)

Many people may be attracted to the beauty and charm of Jigane. In order to satisfy the requirements for Japanese swords to be “unbreakable, unbending and sharp”, high quality Tama-hagane is forged over and over again to produce a strong, tough sword by wrapping the low-carbon content Shin-Gane (soft iron) with the high-carbon content Kawagane (hard iron). 

These patterns appear on the surface of Jigane, which is likened to the bark of a tree and called “Itamehada“, “Masamehada“, “Mokumehada“, “Ayasugihada” etc., and they have a variety of attractive features. 

The most common type is Itame-hada, and it is often found in Sōshū-mono (swords made around current Kanagawa prefecture), which are famous for Masamune swords. 

Also, small-grained Ko-itame-hada is often found in swords made by swordsmiths from Yamashiro (currently Kyoto Prefecture) in the Kamakura period, and the ones that are especially fine and tightly packed are called Nashiji-hada. And, the swords in the end of the Edo period are called Muji-hada or Kagami-hada since they are so tight and very fine-grained that it’s hard to see the grains. 

The Aoe School of Bicchū (present-day Okayama Prefecture) features Mokume, and the Masame-hada is said to be the characteristic of Yamato-mono (the swords made in present Nara prefecture). Furthermore, apart from Hamon, sometimes Utsuri, a white haze like the shadow of Hamon, appears on Jigane. The Bizen swords have the most beautiful Utsuri, which is a big highlight. 

Hamon (Temper Pattern)

Speaking of the beauty of the Japanese swords, the beauty of “Hamon” must be mentioned along with its Sugata and Jigane. Hamon is a pattern created by quenching techniques. Clay called Yakibazuchi is applied to the blade using a spatula. Depending on how it’s applied, it can be either Suguha or Midareba or etc., and the shape of Hamon is determined. This is called Tsuchitori. When the clay of Tsuchitori is dry, put it in the furnace and then put it in the tank after checking the degree of burning of the blade. This is called Yakiire, and is said to be the most important process that requires the most skill. 

The patterns of Hamon are attractive and varied, as they reflect the era in which they were created, the lineage and characteristics of the swordsmiths. 

Hamon has two types such as Nie and Nioi caused by quenching. What looks like a glittering star in the autumn night sky is called Nie, and what looks like a hazy view of the Milky Way is called Nioi.* This can be said to be the sum total of the swordsmith’s aesthetic sense.  

                    　　　　　　                  

*Nie is the coarse particles that can be seen by the naked eye. Nioi is so fine that it can only be seen with a microscope. 

Some Keshiki (patterns, appearance) are called “Hataraki“. For example, Nie on the blade are joined and become a thin line, and the one that appears to shine and more brightly is called Kinsuji, the one that is thicker and longer is called Inazuma. If such similar one is to seen on the base part of the blade, it’s called Chikei. If Nie has hardened in one area, it is called Tobiyaki. There are also many other interesting features, such as Ashi, Yō, Sunagashi, etc. that appear in the blade’s surface.  

Horimono (Blade Engraving)

Engraving of blades was already practiced since the Heian period. Some are from the practical, some are from faith, some are decorative, and some are distinctive depending on the fashions and linage of the times. 

In the old sword, there are many engravings that show faith in addition to grooving along the blade. There are characters such as 梵字 (Siddhaṃ script), 剣 (sword), 不動明王 (Acala), 倶利迦羅 (Kulika), 三鈷剣 (three-pronged vajra), 護摩箸 (Goma chopsticks), 八幡大菩薩 (Hachiman Daibosatsu = great Bodhisattava Hachiman), 南無妙法蓮華経 (Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō = Glory to the Dharma of the Lotus Sutra), etc. 

In the era of new swords, they became more and more decorative, with carvings of 鶴亀 (cranes and turtles), 上下竜 (ascending and descending dragons), 松竹梅 (pine, bamboo and plum trees = an auspicious grouping), and more. 

Types and construction of swords

Japanese swords can be classified into the following types according to their shape and size.

Chokuto

Chokutō (straight sword) is a sword before Wantō (curved sword), and was produced from the Kofun period to the Nara period. It’s almost straight or slightly curved inward, and Hirazukuri or Kirihazukuri structure.

Tachi

Tachi-swords are displayed with the blade edge down when you look at them in museums, and were worn from the late Heian period (12th century) to the early Muromachi period, wearing them around the waist (i.e., hanging ). They are highly curved, and the blade length is usually about 2 Shaku 3 to 6 Sun (70 to 80 cm).

Katana

Used in place of the Tachi from the mid-Muromachi period (late 15th century) to the end of the Edo period (mid-19th century). The blade length is over 2 Shaku (60.6 cm), but slightly shorter than a Tachi. Contrary to the sword, point to the waist with the blade facing up. When a sword is shortened by doing Suriage (making shorter from the tang to change its length), it’s called a Katana, and is worn at the waist with the blade edge up.

Wakizashi

1 Shaku (30.3 cm) or more and 2 Shaku (60.6 cm) or less, and worn around the waist like a sword. There is also the one called Kowakizashi, 1 Shaku 2 to 3 Sun (36 cm to 40 cm). In the Momoyama and Edo periods, it was used as Sashizoe (held as a spare) of a sword as a set, and called Daishō (large and small).

Tanto

Less than 1 Shaku (30.3 cm) in length and also called Koshigatana. The short swords before the appearance of Wantō were called Katana, also.

Ken/Tsurugi

A Ken/Tsurugi is the ones that have a blade on both sides with no curvature.

Tsukurikomi

Tsukuri-komi is a three-dimensional expression of the structure of a sword. There are various types such as Hira-zukuri (flat), Shinogi-zukuri (curved blade with Yokote and a ridge), Kiriha-zukuri (cutting edge), and Moroha-zukuri (double-edged).

History of Japanese swords

The shifting from Chokutō (straight swords) to Wantō (curved swords) is thought to have occurred after the middle of the Heian period, and it is generally thought that it was after the Taira no Masakado and Fujiwara no Sumitomo no Ran (Jōhei/Tengyo no Ran) in the first half of the 10th century. Prior to that, swords were called Jōkotō, a continental style straight sword brought to Japan from the continent.

The Japanese swords that appeared after the middle of the Heian period changed dramatically along the battle style changing in that era, and were improved and achieved more practical effects in each battle. Also, Japanese swords were produced mainly in the five countries of Yamato, Bizen, Yamashiro, Sagami, and Mino, by master craftsmen in various areas, so since the Meiji period this had been called “Gokaden“. In the Shintō (new sword) period of the Edo period, some people who were not satisfied with this and created new techniques combined the methods they learned by themselves with other methods to create new techniques, and these techniques were passed on to the modern swords.

1. Jōkotō

Jōkotō is a straight swords without warping, and mostly made of Hira-zukuri (flat blades) and Kiriha-zukuri (cutting blade). There are two types of materials about swords from this era: one excavated from ancient burial mounds and the other from the Shōsōin estate in the Nara period.

2. Late Heian period – early Kamakura period

From the late Heian period, the “warped” curved swords, the Shinogi-zukuri, that we now commonly see have appeared. These swords are generally slender and curved strongly from the Nakago (tang) to the Koshi-moto (bottom of the blade), and the top width is significantly narrower than the bottom width, making it Ko-kissaki (small tip). This is called Koshi-zori (Highest curvature lower than the center). From the middle to the top, the curve is pushed down as if pressed from the Mune (spine).

3. Mid-Kamakura period

During the Kamakura era, when the samurai were at the height of their power, the Tachi was also at it peak construction. There is little difference in width between the bottom and the top (it does not become thin even), and the curve is a Koshi-zori, but there is some warp at even from the middle to the top, and becomes the Chū-kissaki (medium tip), “Ikubi (boars neck) –fū“. The gorgeous Chōji-midare became popular Hamon (pattern) style.

4. Late Kamakura period

There are some that have a slightly extended sword, which is almost the same as the middle of the Kamakura period, and some that are slightly slender and look like those of the end of the Heian period or the beginning of the Kamakura period. Warpage is added. The blade design begins to appear as Gunome (an undulated pattern) or Notareba (a gently undulating pattern). It’s said that Gorōnyūdō Masamune from Sagami Province had perfected the style of Nie. 

5. Nanboku-chō period

In this era, wide swords with a blade length of 3 Shaku (90.9 cm) were made, and short swords also became a large swinging figure. All of them were built with the thin layers to reduce the weight. In addition, more and more grooves were carved along the blade. Also, in later times (mainly during the Tensho and Keicho eras), many swords were transformed into Uchigatana (unnamed swords) by becoming O-suriage (swords that were shortened from the Nakago).

6. Early Muromachi period

In the early Muromachi period, the swords shows a style which resembles the style of the early Kamakura period. The blade length is 2 Shaku, 4 or 5 Sun (72.7 cm to 75.8 cm), and the body width is a little narrow, and it’s warped. At first glance, it looks like it was from the Kamakura period, but it ihas a characterized style by a slight warp.

7. Late Muromachi period

In the late Muromachi period, the battle style became a group battle on foot, and battling swords with the blade up and worn inside the waistband became more common. After the Onin and Bunmei civilization wars, warfares broke out in many places, and Kazu-uchimono (ready-made products) appeared on the market. In particular, the ones which have been carefully trained by ordering are distinguished and called Chūmon-uchi. Bizen (Okayama Prefecture) and Mino (Gifu Prefecture) are the two major production areas. The size of the sword became shorter, and most of them are about 2 Shaku 1 Sun (63.6 cm) and have a strong tip warp. Also, the Nakago (tang) is made short, so that it is suitable for one-handed striking.

8. Azuchi-Momoyama period

In the history of swords, those before the Keichō (1596-1614) era are called Kotō (old swords), and those after that are called Shintō (new swords). In the Azuchi and Momoyama period, swordsmiths gathered around the castle towns of the new feudal lords, including Kyoto and Edo. And the development of transportation facilitated the exchange of iron materials, and foreign-made iron, namely nanban iron, was also used. The appearance of the swords is very similar to the shape of Ōsuriage from the Nanboku-chō period. Some have a wide body width with extended Chū-kissaki (medium tip) and some have Ōkissaki (large spearhead), and the layers are thicker. Most of the blade lengths are around 2 Shaku 4 Sun and 5 Sun (72.7 cm to 75.8 cm).

9. Edo period (early period)

The shape of swords from the early Edo period has narrower top width than the bottom width, and the warp is noticeably shallower, and it has Chukissaki, namely the shape of Gokoro. Most blades length is around 2 Shaku 3 Sun (69.7 cm). This unique shape was made especially during the Kanbun and Enpo years, so it’s called the Kanbun Shintō.

10. Edo period (Genroku period)

This was mainly during the Teikyo and Genroku eras, a transitional period from the Kanbun Shintō to the Shinshintō. The world was at peace, and innovative and splendid Hamon appeared. The curve is a little deeper than the Kanbun Shintō.

11. Bakumatsu period (Late Tokugawa Shogunate period)

Those after Bunka and Bunsei eras are called Shinshintō. The body shape is wide, with little flare in the bottom and top width, and it’s long (2 Shaku 5 or 6 Sun) with a shallow curve, and a thick layered, majestic build. Suishinshi Masahide and Nankai Tarō Tomotaka advocated the restoration of old swords, and Taikei Naotane is one of the students of Suishinshi. Minamoto Kiyomaro also aspired to restore the style of Sōshūden, and his skill was highly regarded.

12. Since the Meiji era

Swords from the Haitō Edict (Sword Abolishment Edict) in 1876 to the present are called Gendaitō (modern swords). The swordsmiths lost their jobs when the Haitō Edict was issued, but in 1906, Gassan Sadatoshi and Miyamoto Kanenori were appointed as imperial artisans and their swordsmithing skills were protected. From the Meiji, Taishō, Shōwa, Heisei eras, the forging technique have been carried on to today. Modern swords, regardless old or new, are copied from the styles of famous sword craftsmem of all periods, especially from the Kamakura period.

Sword making process

As the name implies, Japanese sword is unique to Japan, and is ranked as one of the world’s finest ironworks. In order to fulfill the requirements of the Japanese sword as a weapon, ingenuity and effort have been put into its production.

Material of Japanese sword

The material for Japanese swords is made using Tatara, an ancient Japanese iron manufacturing technique. The iron produced using this Tatara in the broadest sense of the word is a mass called Kera, which is made up of three different types of steels. These are crushed and sorted, and classified according to their carbon content as follows.

Tetsu (Iron) in a narrow sense … Carbon content 0.0-0.03%. Can be stretched without heating, if you hit it.

Hagane (Steel) ･ ･ ･ Carbon content 0.03 to 1.7%. Can be stretched if you heat and hit it.

Zuku (Pig iron) ･ ･ ･ Carbon content of 1.7% or more. Cannot be stretched no matter you heat or what you do.

On the other hand, pig iron contains a large amount of carbon, so the carbon is removed (decarburization), while iron, on the other hand, absorbs carbon (absorption of carbon) and is used to adjust to the carbon content of Hagane.

Japanese sword production process

The process of making a Japanese sword differs slightly depending on the time periods, schools, and individuals, but here the general making process using Tamahagane will be explained.

1. Mizuheshi, Kowari

2. Tsumiwakashi

3. Tanren / Kawagane making

By Tanren, Kawagane (= hard iron that wraps soft core iron) is made. As a result of about 15 times of Tanren, the squared calculation yields about 33,000 layers. This is one of the reasons why Japanese swords are very tough.

4. Shinganezukuri, combining

The solution to this contradiction is the process to wrap a soft Shingane iron which has low carbon content with a hard Kawagane iron which has high carbon content. This is a major feature of Japanese sword production.

There are many types of wrapping methods, such as Kōbuse, Honsanmai, and Shihōzume. This varies depending on the era, school, and individuals.

5. Sunobe / Hizukuri

When Sunobe is done, tap it with a small gavel to shape it according to the manners of making a Japanese sword, and then use Sensuki (grinding tool) to prepare Nikuoki (thickness toward the rim of a Tsuba). This is called Hizukuri.

6. Tsuchioki (Tsuchitori) / Yakiire

7. Shiage (Finishing) / Meikiri (engraving a name)

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The Japanese sword, which is required as a weapon to be “unbreakable, unbending and sharp” which is contradictory, has been fullfilled and made into an each single blade with variety of innovations. And the beauty born from such practical use is the charm of Japanese sword. Also, even today, when Japanese swords are used no longer as weapons, as long as they are traditional crafts, this production process should be faithfully followed.

Polishing of Japanese sword

The polishing techniques for polishing Japanese swords have made great progress along with the perfection of the swords. Professional polishers were already known to have existed during the era of Emperor Toba. Even after this, the polishing techniques were refined. In the Meiji period, Honami Heijuro Narishige, a master sword craftsman, appeared on the scene. He added his aesthetic sense to the advanced traditional techniques, and the art sword polishing techniques that we see today was established.

The goal of the polishing work is to bring out the beauty of the Japanese sword such as the unique curvilinear beauty of the Japanese sword, tough Jigane, and splendid Hamon, and the grace and dignity of Japanese swords.

1. Shitaji togi

Polishing Japanese swords can be broadly categolized into Shitaji togi (base sharpening) and Shiage togi (finishing sharpening).

Shitaji togi meas the basic work of shaping a sword, and usually six types of whetstones are used. The types of whetstones are arranged in order of grit size as follows.

・ Iyodo ・ ・ ・Produced from Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture. About 400 Ban ( “Ban” indicates the grit size)

・ Binsuido ・ ・ ・Produced from Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture. About 400 Ban

・ Kaiseido ・ ・ ・Produced from Yamagata Prefecture. About 600 Ban

・ Nagurado ・ ・ ・Produced from Minamishitara District, Aichi Prefecture. About 800 to 1200 Ban

・ Komanagurado ・ ・ ・The same place of origin as Nagura. About 1500 to 2000 Ban

・ Uchigumorido ・ ・ ・ There are two types of Uchimogurido such as Uchimoguri hato whose blade part is sharpened, and Uchimoguri whose ground part is sharpened. Both produced from Kyoto, about 4000 to 6000 Ban.

2. Shiage togi (final polishing)

Jizuyado uses thin divided Narutakido, but depending on the school, it’s crushed into 1 mm squares with fingertips, and this is called Kudaki jizuya.

3. Nugui

4. Hadori

5. Migaki

After Hadori, the next step is Migaki (polishing). Migaki means polishing the Mune (back ridge of sword blade), namely Shinogiji (sword flat between the mune and ridgeline of the blade) using the iron rod with a length of about 15 cm. The unique black luster is created by this work.

6. Narume

Almost the final process is the “narume” of Bōshi (temper line in kissaki). Narume is the process of polishing Bōshi, which begins with determining (= finishing) Yokotesuji (horizontal lines). Once Yokotesuji is finished, sharpen Bōshi up using the Narume stand with the best quality Hazuya paper during being careful not to damage the Yokotesuji.

7. Keshō togi

Polishing, which has gone through a long process, is finally finished with Keshōtogi. Among them, “Keshō migaki” is the signature of the Togishi (polisher), so to speak, and means to polish several lines in the Mune of Bōshi using a polishing rod.

Here explained is, how to make a Japanese sword, especially about Tanren and Kenma. However, in order to complete one Japanese sword, the technique of many masters such as Sayashi, Nuri, Tsukamakishi, Shiroganeshi, and Chōkinshi. Craftsmanship is required. You can say the major feature of Japanese sword production is that a sword can be completed only when all these techniques are combined.

JAPANESE SWORD CARE AND ETIQUETTE

Japanese swords are rightfully famous for their awesome cutting power; they are also easily damaged. The fine polish of the sword, especially, is very fragile. It is our responsibility as temporary owners of these artistic and historic artifacts to see that they pass onto future generations of collectors. Towards that end the NBTHK American Branch presents this primer on sword care and etiquette.

SWORD CARE TOOLS

A small brass hammer, mekugi nuki, is used to remove the pin (mekugi) from the sword’s handle. Choji oil, specially made for swords, is used to protect the sword from rust. Uchiko is a fine powder contained in an inner wrapper of paper and an outer wrapper of silk, used to clean oil from the sword. The paper and silk serve as a filter to allow only the finest uchiko particles onto the blade. There are different grades of uchiko; only the best should be used on blades in polish and the uchiko ball used on blades in polish shouldn’t be used on blades with any rust. Nugui gami (sword paper) is used to wipe uchiko and oil from the blade. This should be thoroughly crumpled before use to remove any coarse fibers.

Clean, unscented, white facial tissue that hasn’t been made from recycled fibers can be used in place of the nugui gami.

EVERYDAY SWORD CARE

When a sword isn’t being viewed it should be enclosed in a sword bag, which will prevent the blade from coming loose in or falling out of the scabbard. Japanese swords are best stored horizontal and in a dry environment (not a damp basement).

When carrying a mounted sword, whether in Samurai mounts or plain wooden mounts (shira-saya) always keep the handle higher than the scabbard. At all times, when the sword is mounted, it must have the pin (mekugi) through the hole in the handle and tang of the sword. Without the mekugi the blade can move inside the scabbard and become chipped or scratched. manners and ca

Never touch the polished portion of the blade; the slightly corrosive sweat of your fingers can etch fingerprints onto the blade’s surface. Never touch the polished part of the sword to your clothing. To do so is considered bad manners and can damage the polish.

Unsheathing the Sword:

Grasp the scabbard (saya) near its mouth from below with your left hand. Grasp the handle (tsuka) from above with your right hand. With the sword held horizontally and pointing away from you, edge facing the ceiling, gently withdraw the blade from the scabbard. Edge to the ceiling allows the blade to ride on its back (mune) and lessens the chance of scratching the polish or chipping the edge. Don’t stop part way to examine the blade, as this also can damage the edge. When the blade is almost completely withdrawn, lower the far end of the scabbard a bit and finish.

Removing the Handle:

First the pin (mekugi) must be removed. Determine which end of the mekugi is smaller and gently push on this end with the mekugi hammer. Mekugi are easily lost so keep track of where it is when out of the handle. Hold the bottom of the handle in your left fist, with the blade angled up past your right shoulder and the edge pointing away from you. Strike the top of your left fist with your right fist, gently at first blow and with added force on subsequent blows until the sword comes loose in the handle. Once loose, a few gentle taps on your fist should advance the blade enough for you to get your fingers on the tang (nakago) and lift the sword from the handle. If the sword isn’t loose don’t try to force it; a few more taps on your fist are in order. Force applied at the habaki can damage the habaki or chip the beginning of the sword’s edge (hamachi).

One note of caution: tanto and short wakizashi can have small nakagos. Be very gentle with the first blow on your fist, or the blade might go flying.

Once free of the handle you can slide the tsuba and washers (seppa) off the tang. To remove the habaki grasp it by its sides and pull down gently.

Examining the Sword:

With the nakago in one hand you can rest the upper portion of the sword on a soft, clean cloth or sword paper in your other hand. As you examine the sword, be aware of your surroundings. You don’t want to bump into a lamp or person or put the blade into the ceiling.

Reassembling the Sword:

Slide the habaki onto the tang and replace the tsuba and washers in their original order.

Hold the handle vertical and lower the nakago of the sword into the handle. Maintain the sword in the vertical position and tap on the bottom of the handle with the heal of your free hand. A few taps should be sufficient to firmly seat the nakago in the handle. Replace the mekugi through the hole in the handle.

Replacing the blade in the scabbard is a reverse of the removal process. With the scabbard held in your left hand, far end slightly lowered, lay the back of the sword tip in the mouth of the scabbard, edge to the ceiling. As you gently slide the blade in, raise the far end of the scabbard until you feel it to be in the right plane. Continue until the habaki seats in the mouth of the scabbard.

Passing a Sword from Person to Person:

If the sword is in its mounts the passer holds the sword horizontal with the edge facing himself, one hand at the end of the handle and the other towards the other end of the scabbard. The receiver places one hand on the handle and the other on the scabbard and acknowledges control before the pass is made. If the blade is bare or mounted in the handle only, the passer grasps the blade either at the top of the handle or the top of the nakago (but below the polish). The blade should be vertical, and the edge should face the passer. The receiver grasps the nakago or handle below the passer’s hand, acknowledges control, and takes the sword.

Note: always during the pass the edge of the sword faces the person passing. It is considered bad manners to pass a sword with the edge facing the recipient.

Oiling the Sword:

When the sword isn’t being viewed it should be protected with a very fine coat of Choji oil. The 1st few months after a sword is polished, due to latent water from the polishing process, is a time when the oil coat is especially important.

Place 2 or 3 drops of the oil on a clean piece of tissue. Remove all the mounts from the sword. With the paper folded over the back of the blade, starting an inch above the nakago, gently wipe up the blade to the tip. You don’t want to start at the top of the nakago because doing so risks dragging rust particles from the nakago over the sword’s polish. This last inch at the bottom of the sword is wiped downward to the nakago after the rest of the blade has been oiled. At this point the polished part of the sword is coated in oil, probably too much.

Take a clean piece of tissue or crumpled sword paper and gently wipe the oil off the sword. The tiny amount of oil that is left on the blade is sufficient to protect it. If too much oil is left on the sword it can collect inside the scabbard and create a gummy mess.

Cleaning Oil from the Sword:

In order to clearly see the grain and temper of a Japanese sword, the oil must be removed. Begin by wiping with a clean tissue, from an inch above the nakago up to the point and then that last inch down to the nakago. Hold the blade in your left hand with the edge facing away from you and strike the back (mune) of the blade with the uchiko ball. Half dozen strikes with the ball over the length of the mune should be sufficient. Sometimes the uchiko ball can let loose coarse particles that could scratch the polish. If you strike the mune these particles will fly by the blade and only fine particles will settle.

With the sword paper or clean tissue wrapped around the back of the blade gently wipe as before, up to the point and down to the nakago. Be careful not to exert heavy pressure and never go back and forth over a particular spot; gentle, continuous strokes are called for.

Papers and Terminology

Romanji	Kanji	Description
Chisakatana	小さ刀	short katana
Chokoto	直刀	prehistoric straight swords
Chukan-sori	中間反り	deepest point in sori is in the middle
Chu-sori	中反り	medium sori
Daito	大刀	long sword (over 24 inches)
Fukura Kareru	脹枯れる	the fukura is rather flat, and not fully rounded
Fukuro Yari	袋槍	socket yari
Funbari	踏ん張り	blade is noticeably wider at the base than at the tip
Habaki Moto		section of the blade for about three inches above the habaki
Hagire	刃切れ	perpundicular cracks in the edge of  hamon (fatal flaw)
Haki omote	佩表	the side facing out when the sword is slung ha down, as with a tachi
Haki ura	佩裏	the side facing in when the sword is slung ha down, as with a tachi
Han	藩	a feudal clan
Hira zukuri	平造	blade without a shinogi (flat blade)
Hira niku	平肉	hira niku is flat
Hira niku oi	平肉多い	hira niku is curved or full
Hira niku Sukunai	平肉少ない	hira niku is flat
Hon zukuri	本造	shinogi-zukuri
Ihori Mune	庵棟	peaked back ridge
Ikubi	猪首	ikubi kissaki – stout, resembling a boar’s neck with a straight edge
Jumonji	十文字	cross shaped
Kakemono	角留	square stop on a groove
Kasagi-Sori	笠木反	same as chukan sori or torii sori
Kasane	重ね	thickness of blade
Kasane Usui	重ね薄い	thin kasane
Katakiriba	片切り刃	blades sharpened on one side only
Katakiri-bori	片切り彫	groove engraved with a flat border
Katana	刀	sword worn in the obi, cutting edge up
Katana Hi	刀樋	groove that is shaped like a katana
Katana Mei	刀銘	sword worn with the edge up, the mei is on the side facing outward
Ken	剣	straight double edged sword
Kitae	鍛え	structure of the blade and the manner of forging
Kodachi	小太刀	small tachi
Koshi	腰	the area a few inches above the machi
Koshi-zori	腰反り	sori is towards the bottom
Machimune	関棟	back edge of the machi, which are unlikely to have rust re-applied in the event of tampering with the nakago
Maru Mune	丸棟	round mune
Maru Dome	丸留	round stop on a groove
Mihaba	身幅	width of sword blade at the machi
Mitsu Mune	三つ棟	three
Mono Uchi	文字	the section of the blade about six inches below the tip
Moroha	諸刃	double edged
Moto	元	base
Moto Choji	元丁子	choji ha at the base
Moto Haba	元幅	blade width near habaki
Moto Kasane	元重	blade thickness near habaki
Moto uchi	元打ち	area of the ha near the base
Motte	以って	means “made by” or “made with”
Mune	棟	back ridge of sword blade
Mune machi	棟区	notch at start of mune
Munezuru	棟蔓	a very long return on the boshi, like mune yaki
Musori	無反り	no sori
Nagamaki	長巻	halberd weapon mounted as a sword
Nagasa	長さ	blade length (from tip of kissaki to munemachi)
Naginata	薙刀	halberd
Naginata Naoshi	薙刀直し	sword made by grinding down a naginata in this case, the boshi is frequently yakizume
Niku	肉	meat (blade having lots of fullness)
Osoraku Zukuri	恐らく造り	tanto form in which the yokote is at about the middle of the blade
Saki	先	tip, front, or end
SAKI ZORI	先反り	curvature in the top third of the blade
Saki sori	先反り	the highest part of the sori is towards the saki
Shinae	撓え	ripples in steel due to bending of blade
Shingane	心鉄	core steel
Shinogi	鎬	ridgeline of the blade
Shinogi Ji	鎬地	sword flat between the mune and shinogi
Shinogi Suji	鎬筋	shinogi line
Shinogi zukuri	鎬造	made with a shinogi, as opposed to a flat, or hirazukuri blade
Shobu zukuri	菖蒲造	blade construction in which the blade resembles the iris leaf in shape
Soebi	添樋	additional hi alongside main hi which is smaller that the main hi
Sori	反り	curvature
Sugata	姿	form, body implies more than just shape, overall appearance
Sun-nobi	寸延び	longer than normal
Sun-zumari	寸詰まり	slightly shorter than normal
Tachi	太刀	long swords which were slung at the waist with the edge down
Takai	高い	high
Tamahagane	玉鋼	raw steel for making swords
Tanto	短刀	blade less than 12 inches
Torii zori	鳥居反り	sword curve in the middle of the blade
Tsukuri/ zukuri	造込	sword
Tsukuri komi	造込み	generally speaking, the overall construction of the swords in regard to shape
Uchigatana	打ち刀	two handed katana
Wakizashi	脇指	short sword (blade between 12 and 24 inches)
Yanone	矢の根	arrowhead
Yari	槍	spear
Yokote	横手	line separating the point from the rest of the blade
Zukuri	造り	sword

Romanji	Kanji	Description
Are	荒れ	coarse or rough
Ayasugi Hada	綾杉肌	a wavy grain especially used by gassan and satsuma naminohira smiths
Bo utsuri	棒映り	straight utsuri
Chikei	地影	dark lines that appear in the ji similar to kinsuji or inazuma
Dan utsuri	段映り	two types of utsuri seen on a sword
Fukure	脹れ	flaw; usually a blister in the steel
Hada	肌	grain in steel, pattern of folding the steel
Hada Arai	肌荒い	rough grain of the hada
Hadame	肌目	grain
Hada mono	肌物	pattern in the hada, but even more outstanding
Hada tachi	肌立ち	grain in the hada stands out, looking like the raised grain in a piece of wood, but it is not actually raised
Hagane	鋼	steel
Hikari	光	light reflections
Itame	板目	wood grain pattern in the surface steel
Itame Nagareru	板目流れる	hada of itame kitae is flowing (nagareru) with a hint of masame,
Itame Tachi	板目立ち	distinct itame pattern having a raised look
Itame Tsumi	板目詰み	tight itame pattern
Ji	地	it can be seen from context whether this refers to the ji 地 of the blade or tsuba or is the common term 字
Jigane	地鉄	surface steel
Ji hada	地肌	surface pattern of the hada
Ji nie	地沸え	islands of nie in the ji
Jiba	地刃	abbreviated term meaning both the ji 地 and the ha 刃
Jifu	地斑	black speckling resembling utsuri in the ji
Jitetsu	地鉄	steel of the ji
Katai	堅い	tight or hard
Kawagane	皮鉄	skin or surface steel
Kobuse	甲伏せ	construction in which soft steel is covered by hard steel
Konuka Hada	小糠肌	hada with a grainy appearance like rice bran and rice germ produced in milling rice, typically used to describe Hizen
Masa	柾	used as short for masame
Masame	柾目	straight grain pattern in the steel on the surface of the blade
Masame Nagareru	正目流れる	when the entire hada of masame kitae is flowing (nagareru), this is called masame nagareru
Matsukawa Hada	松皮肌	hada resembling pine bark
Mokume	杢目	burl wood grain hada
Mokutachi	杢立ち	mokume which stands out with a raised look this is an abbreviated way
Mujitetsu	無地鉄	no grain in the ji
Muku Kitae	無垢鍛え	made of one kind of steel
Nagare	流れ	flowing
Nashiji Hada	梨地肌	hada which resembles pear skin in appearance
O-hada	大肌	hada with large and loose grain structure
Ryutachi	粒立ち	grains stand out ryu 粒 means grains, as in sand
Satetsu	砂鉄	sand iron, iron made from black sand
SHIMARI	締まり	generally means tight or restricted nioi shimari means a narrow nioi line
Shimi	染み	the color of the steel fading, usually due to over polishing
Shirakke Utsuri	白け移り	utsuri which has faint whitish or cloudy appearance
Sumi	澄	small black splotches
Tachi	立ち	literal meaning is “stand up ”
Tansotetsu	炭素鉄	carbon steel
Tsuru	蔓	vine
Uruoi	潤い	watery looking
Utsuri 1	移り	“reflections” in the ji these may or may not be the same as the hamon
Utsuri  2	映り	reflection of temper line in ji
Uzumaki	渦巻き	swirl, like the patterns in burl wood
Ware	割れ	opening in the steel
Yotetsu	洋鉄	western steel
Yowai	弱い	weak or less than
Yubashiri	湯走り	concentrated nie in sections of the ji
Zanguri	ざんぐ	coarse pear skin-like hada

Romanji	Kanji	Description
Ara nie	荒沸	coarse nie
Ashi	足	legs (lines of nioi pointing down toward the edge)
Ashi iri	足入り	ashi inserted
Ashinaga choji	足長丁子	choji with long ashi
Choji	丁子	clove-like hamon pattern
Choji midare	丁子乱れ	irregular choji hamon (temper line)
Chu suguha	中直刃	straight, medium width temper line
Deki	出来	a generic term meaning “contruction in style of”
Fuji no hana nie	藤の花沸	nie that is clumped nie
Fukai	深い	generally means deep or wide
Fukame	深め	to be made thick, as in nioi or nie
Fukura	脹	cutting edge from the yokote line to the kissaki
Fukuro	袋	bag sometimes elements of the hamon are bag-shaped, and this is referred to as fukuro
Fushi	節	pointed knot-like breaks in suguba
Gunome	五の目	half round patterns in the hamon
Gunome midare	五の目乱れ	irregular gunome
Gunome Tsuranaku	五の目連らなく	the gunome is not continuous, and is broken up in sections
Gunome Tsure	五の目連れ	the gunome is continuous, instead of being broken up in sections
Ha 1	派	group or school
Ha 2	刃	hardened edge of the blade, the cutting edge
Ha Shizumi	刃沈む	indistinct hamon
Habuchi	刃縁	border between the ji and the yakiba
Habuchi Hotsure	刃縁ほつれ	stray lines between the ji and the yakiba
Habuchi Shimari	刃縁締まり	very fine habuchi
Hadaka Nie	裸沸	nie which has a black luster
Hahaba	刃幅	width of the hamon see also yakihaba
Hako ha	箱刃	box-like hamon
Hako midare	箱乱	irregular boxlike hamon
Hamachi	刃区	notch at the beginning of the cutting edge
Hamon	刃文	temper pattern along blade edge
Ha saki	刃先	the edge of the blade
Hataraki	働き	activities  within the hamon or temperline
Hira	平	area extending from the shinogi to the ha or cutting edge
Hiro suguha	広直刃	wide, straight temper line
Hitatsura	皆焼	full temper
Hososuguba	細直刃	narrow suguba
Hotsure	ほつれ	stray lines along the hamon
Inazuma	稲妻	lightning short jagged streaks of kinsuji
Iri	入り	added to, means in or insert
Ito sugu	糸直	thin, thread like hamon
Juka choji	重化丁子	double choji, often overlapping
Juzu ha	数珠刃	hamon shaped like a monk’s prayer beads also, juzuba
KAKUBARI Gunome	角張り五の目	squarish gunome see hako ha
Kakubari Sahagokoro	角張り逆心	squarish, with a slight angularity
KaniNo Tsume	蟹の爪	hamon pattern which resembles a crab claw
Kashira	頭	the heads of the choji , or the cap on the tsuka
Kasudatsu	粕立つ	a condition of the nie in the hamon(light reflections)
Kata Ikari	肩怒	square shouldered
Kataouchi Gunome	肩落ち五の目	sawtooth shaped hamon
Kawazunoko Choji	蛙の子丁子	choji which looks like tadpoles also called kawazuko
Kikusui a	菊水刃	hamon which has an appearance of flowers floating on a stream sometimes requires a bit of imagination to see
Kinsuji	金筋	whitish line along hamon
Ko-ashi	小足	little ashi
Kobushigata	拳形	fist-like refers to a hamon in which the valleys of the choji are clustered like knuckle bones
Ko-Gunome choji	小五の目	small gonome with choji
Koi	厚い	thick can also be read atsui,
Ko-midare	小乱れ	small irregularities, no consistent pattern
Koshi no hiraita gunome	腰の開いた	slope between the peaks and valleys of the hamon is long
Koshiba	腰刃	hamon in the area a few inches above the ha machi
Kuichigai Ha	喰い違い刃	hamon line is broken in crisscross lines of nie and nioi nibbled away
Kusamura Nie	叢沸	nie clustered together
Kuzure	崩れ	breaking up, such as an interrupted yakiba
Majiri	交じり	mixed in, usually used in combination of two hataraki
Marumi	丸み	a touch of roundness
Midare	乱	irregular
Midareba	乱刃	irregular ha
Mimigata	耳形	ear shaped hamon
Mizukage	水影	hazy line in ji commonly due to re
Mune Yaki	棟焼	the mune is tempered (yaki)
Nezumi ashi	鼠足	rat’s feet small numerous ashi
Nie	沸え	bleft crystals in hamon or ji
Nie Deki	沸出来	hamon that is composed principally of nie
NieFukai, Fukaku	沸深い or 沸深く	thick nie line on the hamon
Nijuba	二重刃	double hamon
Nioi Deki	匂出来	hamon that is prinicipally composed of nioi
Nioi Fukaku	匂深く	wide nioi line in the hamon also written nioi fukai 匂深い
Nioi Saeru	匂冴える	nioi line is clear
Nioi SHIMARI	匂絞まり	very fine nioi line
Nioi Shimaru	匂絞まる	see nioi shimari
Nioi Shizumu	匂沈む	nioi line is indistinct shizumu means to sink
Nioiguchi	匂口	the part of the nioi line next to the ji
Nioiguchi shimari	匂口絞まり	very fine nioi line
Notare	湾れ	wave like hamon, gradual undulations
Notare Midare	湾れ乱れ	irregular wave like hamon
O Midare	大乱れ	large irregular hamon
O-Choji	大丁子	large choji
Saeru	冴える	clear and distinct – usually referring to nioi
Saka	逆	slanted
Saka ashi	逆足	ashi slanted toward the saki or tip of the blade
Saka choji	逆丁子	choji slanted toward the saki or tip of the blade
Samishii	寂しい	sparse additional features showing in the hamon
Sanbonsugi	三本杉	“three cedars” (hamon with repeating three peaks)
Shirajimi	白染み	whitishness that appears in the ha also pronouonced shirojimi
Sudareba	簾刃	rattan blind shaped lines along the hamon
Sugu Yakidashi	直焼出	suguba for the first inch or so up from the hamachi
Suguba	直刃	straight hamon
Sunagashi	砂流し	literally, flowing sand pattern
Tamayaki	玉焼き	in hamon which tend to midare, tama, or round spots, occur in the ji also, hamon in which the kashira are round
Tani	谷	valley
Tatsu	立つ	to stand up or to stand out
Tobiyaki	飛焼	islands of tempering in the ji
Togari ha	尖り刃	sharp pointed patterns in the ha
Toranba	濤瀾刃	high wave like hamon
Tsume	爪	claw
Tsuno Yakiba	角焼き刃	the kashira of the yakiba look like steer horns peculiar to fujishima
Tsure	連れ	connected or cotinuous
Uchinoke	打ちのけ	small moon shaped patterns of nie in the hamon
Urumi-Gokoro	潤み心	watery looking hamon misty see also ha shizumu
Yahazu	矢筈	hamon pattern resembling arrow notches
Yakemi	焼け身	burned sword
Yaki Ire	焼入れ	fast quenching of sword (tempering)
Yaki Kukure	焼崩れ	breaks in hamon
Yaki otoshi	焼き落と	hamon runs out into the ha saki an inch or so before the ha machi
Yakiba	焼き刃	hardened, tempered sword edge
Yakidashi	焼出し	portion of hamon two or three inches above the base
Yakigashira	焼き頭	heads on the hamon pattern on the ji side of the hamon
Yakiba	焼き幅	width of the tempered portion
Yakikomi	焼き込み	the hamon of the yakidashi goes in toward the shinogi
Yo	葉	small patterns in the hamon which look like leaves
Zumi	積み	piled up or packed tightly “tsumi” becomes “zumi”

Romanji	Kanji	Description
Bohi	棒樋	wide shaped groove
Bonji	梵字	sanskrit characters
Dokko	独鈷	single prong vagra
Fudo Myoo	不道明王	Buddhist wisdom king, one of Jusanbutsu
Futasujibi	二筋樋	two grooves side by side
Gomabashi	護摩箸	grooves which look like a pair of chopsticks
Hachiman Daibutsu	八幡大菩薩	God of War
Hi	樋	grooves carved in sword
Hoju	宝珠	Buddhist magic jewel
Kurikara	倶利伽羅	sword or ken with dragon wrapped around it
Naginata hi	薙刀樋	naginata grooves on all types of swords
Rendai	蓮台	carving representing lotus
Ryu	竜	dragon carving
Sankoken, Sanko Tsuken,Sankozuka	三鈷剣	engraving of a sword with buddhist vajra handle
Soe-bi	添樋	thin hi carving typically under a bo-hi
Shin no Kurikara	真の倶利伽羅	style of carving is the most life-like dragon
Tsume, kozumi	爪	claw handle at the end of a sword
Vajra	金剛	Buddhist tool and favored weapon of King of Tenbu

Romanji	Kanji	Description
ATO MEI	後銘	signature added at a later date
CHUMON MEI	注文銘	name of the person who placed an order for a sword to be made
FUNAGATA	舟形	ship bottom shaped nakago
GAKUMEI	額銘	original signature inlaid after being cut-off or sword shortened
GASSAKU	合作	something made jointly by two or more people
GIMEI	偽名	false signature
GISAKU	偽作	item intentionally made as a counterfeit
HA AGARI	刃上がり	type of nakago end slants up (agari) towards the ha
HAMUNE	刃棟	the edge of the nakago on the ha side, unlikely to have rust re-applied in the event of tampering with the nakago
HIDARITE SAGARI	左手下がり	yasurime slanting down to the left
HIGAKI	檜垣	cross hatched pattern throughout the yasurime
HORI DO SAKU	彫同作	horimono was made by the same person that made the sword
HORI DO TSUKURU	彫同造	horimono was made by the same person that made the sword
HORI MEI	彫銘	mei of the person who made the horimono
JUNIN MEI	住人銘	signature meaning  “resident of “
KAKINAGASHI HI	掻き流し樋	groove which goes past the machi, but do not extend to the nakagojiri
KAKITOSHI HI	掻き通し樋	groove which extends all the way to the nakagojiri, and is open at the end
KAKUBARI	角張り	when referring to the saki of a nakago, it means that the sides are not tapered,
KANI BOTAN	蟹牡丹	crab peony, which is a flower sometimes found engraved on nakago
KATTE AGARI	勝手上がり	yasurime slanting up the right
KATTE SAGARI	勝手下がり	yasurime slanting down to the right
KENGYO	剣形	triangular or pointed nakago
KESHO YASURIME	化粧鑢目	decorative file marks on nakago
KIJIMOMO	雉股 o	pheasant’s thigh shaped nakago
KINAIBORI	記内彫	engraving done for echizen yasutugu
KINZOGAN	金象嵌	gold inlay appraisal mei by the honma family are in kinzogan
KIRI	切り	horizontal file marks or nakago cut, straight across
KIRITSUKE MEI	切付銘	a mei which replaces the mei when the nakago is osuriage, and in effect, the person who signs as having done the shortening is certifying that it was the original mei
KURIJIRI	栗尻	rounded nakago jiri
MACHI	区、匸、	division between the nakago and the blade itself,
MACHI OKURI	関送り	machi has been redone and moved up slightly
MEI	銘	swordsmith’s signature
MEKUGI	目釘	sword peg
MEKUGI ANA	目釘穴	hole for mekugi
MUMEI	無銘	no signature (unsigned blade)
NAGAMEI	長銘	long mei
NAKAGO	茎	tang of the blade
NAKAGO JIRI	茎尻	the end or but of the nakago
NAKAGOJIRI	茎尻	tang end
OMOTE	表	signature side of the nakago
ORIKAESHI MEI	折り返し銘	mei in which the original nakago is cut and folded back
OSHIGATA	押形	rubbing of the signature on the nakago
O-SUJIKAI	大筋違い	yasurime which is at a steep angle to the nakago
SAKIBARI	先張	nakago it means that the sides are not tapered
SENSUKI	詮鋤	yasurime that is parallel to longitudinal axis
SHINOBI ANA	忍び孔	an extra mekugi ana, place near the tip of the nakago
SHIPPARI	尻張	nakago – it means that the sides are not tapered
SHUMEI	朱銘	red lacquer signature
SOEMEI	添銘	additional mei or inscription
SOSHOMEI	草書銘	mei in grass writing very difficult to read without special studies
SOTOBA GATA	卒塔婆形	a nakago shape which resembles the sotoba, or grave marker
SUJIGAI	筋違い	yasurime which is at angle to the nakago literally, “different lines “
O SURIAGE	大磨上	nakago is cut short – no signature
SURIAGE	磨上	shortened tang
SURIAGE MEI	磨上銘	signature of the smith who shortened the sword
TACHI MEI	太刀銘	signature facing away from body when worn edge down
TAKANOHA	鷹の羽	hawk’s feather yasurime lines slant downwards to both sides from the centerline or shinogi of the nakago
TAMESHIMEI	試銘	cutting test mei
TANAGO BARA	たなご腹	fish belly shaped nakago
TENSHO SURIAGE	天正磨上	swords that were shortened in the tensho period ( 1573 ) typically done for early daimyo
UBU	生	original, complete, unaltered tang (nakago)
UMA HA	馬歯	horse teeth hamon
URA	裏	side of the nakago facing toward the body
URA MEI	裏銘	mei on the ura of the nakago
URA NENKI	裏年記	date inscription on the ura, or back, of the nakago
YASURIME	鑢目	file marks
YODOMI	淀み	two holes drilled from both sides to make the mekugi ana
ZAIMEI	在銘	has a mei, the opposite of mumei
ZOKUMEI	俗名	a name of the smith in addition to his regularly used name

Romanji	Kanji	Description
O-	大	large
AGARI	上がり	rise or go up
AIKUCHI	合口	a tanto with no tsuba
ASAI	浅い	shallow
ATARI	当たり	correct kantai
BU	分	japanese measurement (approx  .1 inch)
BUKE	武家	samurai, warrior families
CHAKUSHI	嫡子	heir
CHOJI OIL	丁子油	clove oil for the care of swords
CHOKOKUSHI	彫刻師	an engraver same as horimonoshi
CHU	中	medium
CHUMON-UCHI	注文打ち	items made to order
DAI	大	great or large
DAIMEI	代銘	signed by a pupil or son
DAIMYO	大名	feudal lord
DAISAKU	代作	made by a pupil in the name of his master
DAISHO	大小	a matched pair of long and short swords
DAITSUKE	代附	price assigned by honami ke in the early tokugawa period
DEN	伝	school
DENRAI	伝来	Family ownership ( typically Daimyo familiy provenance)
DOHAI	同輩	contemporary seen gohai and senpai
DOZEN	同然	smiths who are contemporary and similar, used in Kantei
GENDAITO	現代刀	traditionally forged sword blades by modern smiths
GO	号	professional name of smith
GOHAI	後輩	junior classman
GOKADEN	五ヶ伝	the five schools of the koto period
GOKORO	心	a hint of whatever precedes the term
GOTO	豪刀	katana of around three shaku in length
GYAKU	逆	reverse
GYOBUTSU TOHAKU MEITO OSHIGATA	行物東博名刀押形	oshigata of famous swords of the imperial properties of the tokyo museum
HABAKI	はばき	blade collar
HANDACHI	半太刀	tachi mountings used on a katana or wakizashi
HARAMIRYU	孕竜	dragon wrapped around a sword with its body away from the sword
HITSU ANA	櫃穴	openings in tsuba for kozuka or kogai
HON	本	book
HONBAMONO	本場物	real or original
HONMONO	本物	genuine
HORIMONO	彫物	carvings on sword blades
HORIMONOSHI	彫物師	carving specialist, engraver
ICHIMON	一門	mon, or school, in japanese
JINAN	次男	second son
JUYO TOKEN	重要刀剣	juyo sword
JUYO	重要	very important work
JUYO BIJITSUHIN	重要美術品証書	an old level of quality judged by the japanese government defining the sword or kodogu as important cultural assets replaced with juyo bunkazai
JUYO BUNKAZAI	重要文化財	new government designation after juyo bijituhin
KAISHO	楷書	printing style of writing, in which kanji are easily recognized
KAISHOMEI	楷書銘	mei in square style writing, approaching printing in appearance
KAJI	鍛冶	swordsmith
KAKIHAN	書き判	swordsmiths or tsuba makers monogram
KANJI	漢字	japanese characters
KANTEI	鑑定	studying a sword, and making a decision as to its provenance
KANTEIKA	鑑定家	one who judges, or does the “kantei” of swords
KAO	花押	a special type of signature, used like a seal
KARAKUSA	唐草	arabesque
KEBORI	毛彫	engraving using very fine lines ke means hair
KEI	系	system or line can refer to familial line or guild line
KEISOHEI	軽装兵	lightly equipped soldiers, light infantry
KENMAKIRYU	剣巻竜	剣巻竜 dragon wrapped around a sword see kurikara
KENSAKU	羂索 A	buddhist terminology, the means of capturing and taming evils rope
KERAI	家来	retainer, vassal
KINDAI	近代	recent times,
KIRI AJI OR KIRIMI	切味	feeling of sharpness
KIRI KOMI	切り込み	sword cut or nick on the blade from another sword
KIZU	傷	flaw
KO-	古	in this translation, denotes early the kanji means old
KO-	小	small
KO-BIZEN	古備前	early bizen
KODAI	後代	later generation
KODOGU	小道具	all the sword fittings except the tsuba
KOGAI	笄	hair pick accessory
KOIGUCHI	鯉口	the mouth of the scabbard or its fitting
KOJIRI	こじり	end of the scabbard
KOKUJI	刻字	kanji carved in the blade
KOMEIKAN	古銘鑑	abbreviation for the name of a book on swordsmiths, or possibly, refers to old meikans in general
KOSAKU	古作	made in the koto period
KOSHIRAE	拵え	sword mountings or fittings
KOTO	古刀	old sword period (prior to about 1596)
KOTO MEIJIN TAIZEN	古刀銘尽大全	complete list of koto signatures, sometimes abbreviated as taizen, also read as koto meizukushi taizen
KOZUKA	小柄	handle of accessory knife
KUDARIRYU	下り竜	dragon going down the sword in other words, the head of the dragon is towards the machi
KUNI	国 or	province
KURIKARA	倶利伽羅	dragon and sword also called kenmakiryu 剣巻竜 meaning dragon wrapped around a sword
KUSA KURIKARA	草倶利伽羅	arabesque style of kurihara horimono see karakusa also read as so no kurikara
KYOGOKAJI	京五鍛冶	five principle kaji of kyoto
MEIBUN	銘文	the inscription in the mei in total, as opposed to just individual kanji
MEIGIRISHI	銘切り師	people who specialized in inscribing mei
MEIJI	明治	meiji period (1868-1912)
MEIKAN	銘鑑	list of people or artisan with book
MEITO	名刀	famous swords
MON	門	formal school , physical location
MON	紋	family crest
MONJI	文字	kanji engravings on the blade which are in the ordinary type of script, rather than the bonji 梵字, which are specific religious characters
NADO	等 or	this means and so on, etc
NANAKO	魚子	raised dimpling (fish roe)
NANBAN	南蛮	southern barbarians, the europeans
NANBOKUCHO	南北朝時代	period 1323-1394
NANCHO	南朝	southern dynasty during the nanbokucho
NENDAI	年代	age, epoch, period
NENGO	年号	era name
NENKI	年記	date inscription
NENREI	年齢	age of tsuba or fittings
NIHONBI	二本樋	double grooves
NIJI	二字	two kanji
NINKANMEI	任官銘	official such as kami, daijo, etc
NOBI	延び	extended- usually describing kissaki
NYUSATSU	入札	kantei bid
OITE	於いて	at ( as in made at this place )
RIN	厘	厘 one tenth of a bu 2 bu 3 rin may sometimes be written as 2 3 bu
RYU	竜	dragon
RYUHA	流派	school
SAGEO	下緒	cord used for tying the saya to the obi
SAME	鮫	ray skin for tsuka
SAMURAI	侍 ( alt士 )	japanese warrior or the warrior class
SASHI OMOTE	指表	the side facing out when the sword is worn ha up, as with a katana, katana mei
SASHI URA	指裏	the side facing in when the sword is worn ha up, as with a katana, tachi mei
SAYA	鞘	sword scabbard
SAYAGAKI	鞘書	attribution on a plain wood scabbard
SAYAGUCHI	鞘口	mouth of the scabbard (koi)
SENGOKU JIDAI	戦国時代	warring states period in japanese history specifically, 1490-1600
SENPAI	先輩	a term which can mean upperclassman
SEPPA	切羽	washers or spacers
SHAKU	尺	a unit of measure, which is slightly less than 1 foot
SHIMAME	縞目	stripes
SHIN SHINTO	新新刀	new ( new eriod starting after shinto during meiji restoration )
SHINMEI	真銘	genuine mei also called shoshinmei 正真銘
SHINTO	新刀	new sword period (1596 to 1781) tokugawa period where smiths tried to recreate old school artist appearance of kamakura and nambokucho
SHIRASAYA	白鞘	plain wood storage scabbard
SHODAI	初代	first generation
SHOGUN	将軍	supreme military leader
SO NO KURIKARA	草の倶利伽羅	dragon wrapped around a sword, carved in arabesque
SUN	寸	a unit of measure, which is about 1.2 inches 10 sun equals 1 shaku, which is about 1 foot
TABAGATANA	束刀	mass produced swords
TAGANE	鏨	punch or chisel
TAGANE KIZAMI	鏨刻み	mark made with a chisel or punch
TAGANE MAKURA	鏨枕	the metal which is raised around a punch mark
TOKENSHO	刀剣書	books on japanese swords
TOSHO	刀匠	master swordsmith
TSUBA	鍔	sword guard
TSUKA	柄	sword handle
TSUKARE	疲れ	meaning that this sword is tired
UCHIKO	打ち粉	fine powder used to clean sword blades

Jidai	時代	Period
Heian	平安	794 to 1185
Kamakura	鎌倉	1185–1333
Nanbokucho	南北朝	1333 to 1392
Muromachi	室町	1392 to 1573
Sengoku	戦国	1465 to 1615
Momoyama	桃山	1568 to 1600
Edo	江戸	1603 and 1868
Bakumatsu	幕末	1853 to 1867
Meiji	明治	1868 to 1912
Taisho	大正	1912 to 1926
Showa	昭和	1926 to 1989
Heisei	平成	1989 to 2019
Reiwa	令和	2019 to present
Shoki	初期	(the beginning of period)
Zenki	前期	(the first part of period)
Chuki	中期	(the middle of period)
Atoki	後期	(late part of period)
Sueki	末期	(the end of period)