用語集
A–Z Reference of Japanese Arms & Armor Terminology
Glossary
Search and browse definitions for Japanese sword, fittings, armor, and historical terminology. Supports both macron and non-macron spellings.
72 terms
足
Ashi
'Legs' of the hamon
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
Small lines of tempered steel reaching down from the hamon toward the edge.
綾杉肌
Ayasugi-hada
Undulating wave-like steel grain pattern
BladeBeginner Explanation
A wavy, repeating grain pattern in the steel surface.
茶潤み
Cha-Urumi
A brown wood-grain / brush-stroke saya lacquer finish
FittingBeginner Explanation
A brown saya finish with a subtle horizontal wood-grain or brush-stroke texture across the lacquer.
丁子
Chōji
Clove-shaped hamon
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
A hamon pattern resembling clove buds, with rounded forms and narrow 'necks'.
丁子乱
Chōji-midare
Irregular clove-blossom hamon
BladeBeginner Explanation
An irregular temper pattern shaped like clove blossoms.
互の目
Gunome
Rounded wave hamon
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
A hamon pattern of regularly spaced rounded 'beads' or waves.
刃
Ha
Cutting edge
BladeBeginner Explanation
The sharpened cutting edge of the blade, opposite the mune (spine).
刃切れ
Ha-gire
Crack in the edge
CollectingBeginner Explanation
A crack running into the hardened cutting edge.
鎺
Habaki
Blade collar
FittingBeginner Explanation
The wedge-shaped collar that secures the blade in the scabbard.
刃縁
Habuchi
Boundary line of the hamon
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
The exact line where the hardened edge meets the softer body of the blade.
肌
Hada
Surface grain pattern
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
The surface grain pattern of the steel, revealed through polishing.
映り出し
Hadori
Polishing style revealing the hamon
CraftBeginner Explanation
A modern polishing technique that emphasizes the hamon as a bright, white line.
佩楯
Haidate
Thigh guards
ArmorBeginner Explanation
Armor protecting the thighs, suspended from a belt.
濱野
Hamano school
Edo soft-metal fittings school
SchoolBeginner Explanation
An Edo-period school of soft-metal fitting makers.
刃文
Hamon
Tempering pattern
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
The tempering pattern along the edge of the blade, created during quenching.
半鮫巻
Hansame-Maki
A half ray-skin (same) wrapped saya finish
FittingBeginner Explanation
A saya finished with ray skin (same) covering part of the surface (han = half), showing white beaded nodes over a dark granular ground.
Hanto-Maki
A banded, ridged wrap-style saya finish
FittingBeginner Explanation
A saya with a tightly wrapped, ridged finish showing alternating light tan and dark-brown rings, giving a banded, corded appearance.
Happuri
Forehead / face guard
ArmorBeginner Explanation
A protective guard covering the upper face or forehead.
腹当
Hara-ate
Front-only chest armor
ArmorBeginner Explanation
A simple chest protector covering only the front of the torso.
腹巻
Haramaki
Body-wrapping armor
ArmorBeginner Explanation
A type of armor that wraps around the body, opening at the back.
春田
Haruta school
Historical armorers' lineage
SchoolBeginner Explanation
An important historical lineage of Japanese armorers.
働き
Hataraki
Visual activity in the hamon or jihada
BladeBeginner Explanation
A collective term for visual activities in the hamon or blade surface.
刃艶
Hazuya
Fine finger stone
CraftBeginner Explanation
A very fine polishing stone used in the final stages on a sword.
へし切長谷部
Heshikiri Hasebe
Famous named sword attributed to Hasebe Kunishige
BladeBeginner Explanation
A famous named sword attributed to Hasebe Kunishige, associated with Oda Nobunaga.
姫鶴一文字
Himetsuru Ichimonji
Named Ichimonji sword; hamon style associated with it
BladeBeginner Explanation
A celebrated named sword of the Ichimonji tradition, known for its flamboyant chōji-based hamon.
姫鶴一文字
Himetsuru Ichimonji
Ichimonji-school (Bizen) hamon — complex undulating choji-midare
BladeBeginner Explanation
A hamon style of the Ichimonji school of Bizen — a complex, undulating, slightly irregular temper line of choji-based patterns.
稲妻
Inazuma
Lightning-like hamon activity
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
A zig-zag, lightning-bolt-like bright line within the hamon.
板目肌
Itame-hada
Wood-grain-like steel pattern
BladeBeginner Explanation
A wood-grain-like forging pattern in the steel.
糸
Ito
Cord used for handle wrapping
FittingBeginner Explanation
The cord or braid used in wrapping the tsuka.
地肌
Jihada
Forged-steel surface texture
BladeBeginner Explanation
The visible forged-steel texture of the blade surface.
陣笠
Jingasa
War hat
ArmorBeginner Explanation
A wide, often conical or flat war hat worn by foot soldiers.
地蔵
Jizō
Jizō-shaped bōshi
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
A bōshi (point pattern) whose rounded tip resembles the head of the bodhisattva Jizō.
火焔
Kaen
Flame-shaped bōshi
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
A bōshi pattern that flares upward like flames.
兼定
Kanesada
Kanesada-school hamon — clear, wavy temper line
BladeBeginner Explanation
A hamon style associated with the Kanesada (兼定) smiths of Mino/Seki — a clear, wavy temper line along the edge.
兼定
Kanesada
Hamon style associated with the Kanesada smiths of Mino
BladeBeginner Explanation
A hamon style associated with the Kanesada lineage of Mino Province, typically featuring notare-based patterns with nie activity.
変わり兜
Kawari-kabuto
Unusually shaped helmet
ArmorBeginner Explanation
An unusually or elaborately shaped helmet.
金筋
Kinsuji
Golden streak in the hamon
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
A bright, golden-looking line running within or across the hamon.
小柄
Kozuka
Small knife handle fitting
FittingBeginner Explanation
The decorated handle of a small utility knife (kogatana) carried in the saya.
国広
Kunihiro
Kunihiro-style hamon — rolling mountain-like choji-midare
BladeBeginner Explanation
A hamon style associated with Horikawa Kunihiro (堀川国広) — a distinct, rolling, mountain-like wave (choji-midare) temper pattern.
崩し字
Kuzushiji
Historical cursive characters
DocumentBeginner Explanation
Historical cursive and abbreviated Japanese characters.
笄
Kōgai
Skewer / hairpin fitting
FittingBeginner Explanation
A slender skewer carried in a slot of the saya, used for grooming.
柾目肌
Masame-hada
Straight lengthwise grain pattern
BladeBeginner Explanation
A straight grain pattern running lengthwise along the blade.
目貫
Menuki
Handle ornaments
FittingBeginner Explanation
Small decorative ornaments placed beneath the handle wrapping.
乱刃
Midareba
Irregular hamon
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
A hamon with an irregular, varied pattern.
木目肌
Mokume-hada
Burl-like circular grain pattern
BladeBeginner Explanation
A circular or burl-like grain pattern resembling wood rings.
元幅
Moto-haba
Blade width at the base
BladeBeginner Explanation
The width of the blade near its base.
宗近
Munechika
Munechika-style hamon — faint, subtle temper line
BladeBeginner Explanation
A hamon style associated with Sanjō Munechika (三条宗近) — a faint, subtle, understated temper line.
宗則
Munenori
Hamon style associated with Munenori-attributed swords
BladeBeginner Explanation
A hamon style associated with Munenori-attributed blades, featuring flowing notare with activity.
茎尻
Nakago-jiri
Terminal shape of the tang
BladeBeginner Explanation
The terminal shape of the nakago.
匂
Nioi
Fine misty hamon line
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
A fine, misty line of hardened steel forming the hamon, too fine to see as individual grains.
湾
Notare
Wavy hamon
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
A hamon with gentle, rolling waves.
三帳母
Sanchomo
Hamon style; flamboyant irregular pattern
BladeBeginner Explanation
Sanchomo refers to a distinctive highly active, complex hamon style associated with specific attributed blades.
赤銅
Shakudō
Copper-gold blue-black alloy
MaterialBeginner Explanation
A copper-and-gold alloy patinated to a deep blue-black.
菖蒲造
Shōbu-zukuri
Iris-leaf blade shape
BladeBeginner Explanation
A blade shape without a yokote line, tapering continuously to the point like an iris leaf.
姿
Sugata
Overall blade shape
BladeBeginner Explanation
The overall shape and proportions of a blade.
直刃
Suguha
Straight hamon
TechniqueBeginner Explanation
A hamon that runs in an essentially straight line along the edge.
直刃
Suguha
Straight temper line (hamon)
BladeBeginner Explanation
A straight hamon running evenly and parallel to the cutting edge along the length of the blade.
助広
Sukehiro
Hamon style associated with Tsuda Sukehiro
BladeBeginner Explanation
A distinctive hamon style featuring large, dramatic tōran-notare waves, associated with the Edo-period smith Tsuda Sukehiro of Osaka.
助広
Sukehiro
Sukehiro-style hamon — large rolling waves (toran-ba)
BladeBeginner Explanation
A hamon style associated with the smith Sukehiro — large, rolling, wave-like shapes (toran-ba).
砂流し
Sunagashi
Sand-like nie lines in the hamon
BladeBeginner Explanation
Lines of nie resembling wind-swept sand.
玉鋼
Tamahagane
Jewel steel (raw material)
MaterialBeginner Explanation
The traditional steel used for Japanese sword making, produced in a tatara furnace.
鉄骨
Tekkotsu
Hard iron formations in a tsuba
FittingBeginner Explanation
Visible hard iron formations in an iron tsuba.
鐔
Tsuba
Handguard
FittingBeginner Explanation
The handguard that separates the blade from the handle and protects the hand.
柄
Tsuka
Handle
FittingBeginner Explanation
The handle, constructed around a wooden core wrapped in ray skin and braid.
柄糸
Tsuka-ito
Handle wrapping braid
MaterialBeginner Explanation
The silk or leather braid wrapped around the handle.
柄巻
Tsukamaki
Handle wrapping craft
CraftBeginner Explanation
The craft and method of wrapping the tsuka.
濤瀾乱
Tōran-midare
Surging-wave irregular hamon
BladeBeginner Explanation
A dramatic irregular hamon resembling surging waves.
鵜首造
Unokubi-zukuri
Cormorant-neck blade shape
BladeBeginner Explanation
A blade shape with a shinogi ridge only near the point and no yokote.
焼き入れ
Yaki-ire
Differential hardening
CraftBeginner Explanation
The differential-hardening process producing the hamon.
焼刃
Yakiba
Hardened edge area
BladeBeginner Explanation
The area of the blade that has been hardened during quenching.
葉
Yō
Leaf-like formations in the hamon
BladeBeginner Explanation
Leaf-shaped formations of hardened steel in the hamon.
頭形兜
Zunari-kabuto
Simple head-shaped helmet
ArmorBeginner Explanation
A simple 'head-shaped' helmet from a few iron plates.