Japanese sword glossary

The meanings provided hear relate to within a sword context, rather than the direct translation from Japanese.

Basic terms

Essential words for describing the various key parts of the sword and fittings.

Term	Japanese	Description
Deki	出来	Workmanship / finish.

Hada	肌	Surface grain pattern.
Hamon	刃文	Temper line.
Katana	刀	Single-edged, Japanese sword.
Nakago	中子	Tang
Shinogi	鎬	Ridge line
Sori	反り	Curvature
Tachi	太刀	Long sword, worn edge down. Predates the katana as we know it today. Note that 大刀 refers to straight, single-edged swords from the Heian period.

Types of grain pattern.

Term	Japanese	Description
Ayasugi		Curved waves. Synonymous with the Gassan and Naminohira schools.
Itame		Cross-grain pattern (irregular, like boards).
Konuka		Rice grain pattern (small dots). Hizen is known for this hada.
Masame		Straight grain.
Mokume		Wood grain (burls).
Muji		Small grain, not visible to the naked eye.
Nashiji		“Pear skin”, like mokume, but folded more times.

Term	Japanese	Description
Choji		Clove pattern hamon.
Gunome		Lined up, reciprocating teeth.
Midare (ba)		“Wild” hamon (used as a general term for hamon that isn’t straight).
Nie (deki)		Large (martensite?) crystals, visible to the naked eye.
Nioi (deki)		Smaller, mist-like temper line, like white smoke.
Notare		Wavy pattern.
Suguha		Straight pattern.
Utsuri		“Reflection” of the hamon.

Terms that describe the origin and direction of the curvature of the blade.

Term	Japanese	Description
Koshi-zori		Curve prominent in the lower-third of the blade.
Mu-zori		Little-to-no curvature.
Saki-zori		Most prominent in the upper-third of the blade.
Tori-zori		Centered curvature.
Uchi-zori		Curves towards the cutting edge (convex).