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.
20 terms
赤堆朱
Aka-Tsuishu
Red piled cinnabar lacquer (a carved saya finish)
FittingBeginner Explanation
A red version of tsuishu — cinnabar-red urushi built up in many layers, then carved so the cross-section shows mottled reddish-orange speckling.
青貝散らし
Aogai Chirashi
Scattered mother-of-pearl (aogai) saya finish
FittingBeginner Explanation
A saya lacquer finish in which small fragments of aogai (iridescent mother-of-pearl) are scattered across a deep blue/navy ground.
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.
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.
印伝
Inden
Lacquered deerhide saya finish (black with red lacquer pattern)
FittingBeginner Explanation
Lacquered deerhide — smoked deerskin decorated with raised lacquer patterns, here a black ground with a red stippled/speckled design.
印籠刻
Inrō Kizami
A saya style carved with ring-like grooves echoing an inrō container
FittingBeginner Explanation
A saya (scabbard) finish where the lacquered surface is carved with evenly spaced ring-like grooves along its length, echoing the stacked segments of an inrō (a traditional layered Japanese container).
乾漆
Kanshitsu
Dry lacquer — a matte/grainy saya finish
FittingBeginner Explanation
A "dry lacquer" saya finish — matte or satin rather than high-gloss, with a slightly grainy, charcoal surface.
紺堆朱
Kon-Tsuishu
Dark piled lacquer with metallic dust (a carved saya finish)
FittingBeginner Explanation
A dark version of tsuishu — built up from dark/navy lacquer layers, often with gold or bronze dust embedded, then carved to reveal a finely flecked, sparkling surface.
腰栴檀刻
Koshi Sendan Kizami
A saya style carved with sendan-tree-like rings toward the hip
FittingBeginner Explanation
A saya (scabbard) finish where the lacquered surface is carved into a series of ringed grooves, echoing the segmented trunk of the sendan (bead-tree).
緑石目
Midori-Ishime
Green stone-texture (ishime) lacquer saya finish
FittingBeginner Explanation
A green "ishime" (stone-texture) lacquer finish — a matte, pebbled green saya surface like rough stone.
鞘
Saya
Scabbard
FittingBeginner Explanation
The scabbard, typically lacquered wood.
鞘書き
Sayagaki
Inscription on a shirasaya
DocumentBeginner Explanation
An inscription written on a plain storage scabbard.
栴檀印籠
Sendan Inrō
A saya style combining sendan-tree ringed carving with inrō-style segments
FittingBeginner Explanation
A saya (scabbard) finish that combines the ringed carving of the sendan (bead-tree) style with the segmented, stacked-segment motif of an inrō (layered container).
栴檀刻
Sendan Kizami
A saya style carved with ringed grooves echoing the sendan (bead-tree) trunk
FittingBeginner Explanation
A saya (scabbard) finish where the glossy lacquered surface is carved with a series of deep ringed grooves, echoing the segmented trunk of the sendan (bead-tree).
篠笛
Shinobue
A saya finish imitating a bamboo flute (shinobue)
FittingBeginner Explanation
A saya finished to resemble a shinobue (bamboo flute) — smooth, highly polished dark brown-to-black lacquer with reflective highlights evoking lacquered bamboo.
白鞘
Shirasaya
Plain storage scabbard
FittingBeginner Explanation
A plain wooden storage scabbard used when the blade is not in decorative mounting.
Sozame-Maki
A ray-skin (same)-like lacquered saya finish
FittingBeginner Explanation
A saya finish that imitates ray skin (same), rendered in lacquer as a pattern of light circular nodules on a dark ground.
溜塗
Tamenuri
Translucent amber/red layered lacquer (tame-nuri) saya finish
FittingBeginner Explanation
A translucent "tame" lacquer — an amber/red topcoat over a colored base that develops layered depth as it ages.
若狭
Wakasa
Wakasa-nuri — a wave-patterned, marbled red saya lacquer
FittingBeginner Explanation
A saya finish in the Wakasa-nuri style — a deep red base with a swirling, wave-like marbled pattern.