| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ara-nie | Large nie crystals. |
| ashi | Thin line that runs across the temper line (hamon) to the cutting edge (ha). |
| ayasugi-hada | Regular wavy surface grain pattern (jihada). |
| bakumatsu-to | A sword made during an era in the late Edo period 1853-1867. |
| bizen | Archaic province of Japan, modern-day Okayama prefecture. |
| bokuto | See bokken. |
| boshi | Temper line (hamon) of the blade point (kissaki). |
| bu | Japanese imperial form of measurement. |
| chikei | Black gleaming lines of nie that appear in the ji. |
| chirimen-hada | Distinctly visible mokume-hada with a clearer steel than in similar but coarser patterns. |
| choji abura | Clove oil, used for preserving blades. |
| choji midare | An irregular hamon pattern resembling cloves, with a round upper part and a narrow constricted lower part. |
| chokuto | A straight sword primarily produced during the ancient period. |
| daisho | In context any pair of Japanese swords of differing lengths (daito and shoto) worn together. |
| dogane | Tubular fittings on the tsuka or saya. |
| daito | Any type of Japanese long sword, the larger in a pair of daisho. |
| fuchigane | Decorative reinforcing collar attached to the base of the tsuka. |
| fukura | The cutting edge (ha) of the blade point (kissaki). |
| funbari | Tapering of the blade from the base (machi) to the point (kissaki). |
| gassan-hada | See ayasugi-hada. |
| gendaito | Swords produced after 1876. |
| goban kaji | Swordsmiths summoned by the retired Emperor Go-Toba to work at his palace in monthly rotations. |
| ha | The tempered cutting edge of a blade. |
| habaki | Small metal collar that buffers the tsuba and secures the blade into the saya. |
| habaki-moto | Part of the blade that sits under the habaki. |
| ichimai boshi | A fully tempered point area (kissaki) because the hamon turns back before reaching the point. |
| ichimonji kaeri | A boshi which turns back in a straight horizontal line with a short kaeri. |
| ikubi-kissaki | A short, stubby blade point (kissaki). |
| ji | Area between the ridge (shinogi) and the hamon. |
| jigane | Generally used to refer to the material of the blade. |
| jihada | Visible surface pattern of the steel resulting from hammering and folding during the construction. |
| kaeri | Part of the temper line (hamon) that extends from the tip of the bōshi to the back edge (mune). |
| kaiken | A dagger concealed in the clothing. |
| kasane | Blade thickness measured across the back edge (mune). |
| machi | Notches that divide the blade proper from the tang. |
| masame-hada | Straight surface grain pattern (jihada). |
| matsukawa-hada | Surface grain pattern (jihada) resembling the bark of a pine tree. |
| nagakatana | Any sword with a blade longer than a tanto. |
| nagamaki | Large sword with a usually katana-sized blade and a very long handle of about equal length. |
| naginata | Pole weapon wielded in large sweeping strokes. |
| sageo | Cord attached to the kurikata to help secure the sword in the belt. |
| sakihaba | Blade width (mihaba) at the yokote. |
| sakikasane | Blade thickness (kasane) at the yokote. |
| tachi | Curved sword with a blade length longer than 60 cm. |
| tamahagane | Japanese steel, used for the manufacture of Japanese swords. |
| tsuka | Handle of a Japanese sword. |
| uchigatana | A Japanese sword worn edge-up in the obi. |
| wakizashi | A short sword, often worn together with a katana as the daisho. |
| yakiba | The hardened edge of the blade, formed by the hamon. |
| yakidashi | The area of the blade where the hardened edge (yakiba) begins. |
| yakidashi | The notch at the habaki-moto where the hardened edge (yakiba) starts. |
| yari | A Japanese spear. |
| yasurime | File marks on the tang. |
| yokote | Line that separates the tip area (kissaki) from the rest of the blade. |
| zanmai | Blade-forging technique involving a mixture of tamahagane from several different layers of tatara. |