Japanese

Definition

Blades which weren't shortened (still have nakago in its original shape) can be referred to as 'ubu'.

Japanese

Definition

A small groove beside a regular groove of a blade. Yamanaka mentions that this was an old term for soe-bi.

Japanese

Definition

Hi is a groove engraved along the blade on the shinogi-ji or hira-ji area. Originally the main purpose of these grooves was to reduce the blade's weight and improve its cutting ability. Later grooves served as a decoration or even as a way to conceal flaws.

Grooves are classified according to shape and location with terms describing the top of the groove ending with -hi (樋, usually pronounced as -bi when preceded by other characters) or -tome (止め) for features at the bottom of the groove (known as tome).

Hi

• bo-bi: A continuous straight groove of notable width, known as katana-bi on tantō. With soe-bi, a secondary narrow groove follows the inner straight length of the main one. With tsure-bi, the secondary is similar but continues beyond the straight length.
• kage-bi: A small groove beside a regular groove of a blade. Yamanaka mentions that this was an old term for soe-bi.
• futasuji-bi: Two parallel grooves.
• shobu-bi: A groove shaped like the leaf of an iris plant.
• naginata-bi: A miniature bo-bi whose top is oriented opposite from the blade's, and usually accompanied by a soe-bi. Seen primarily on naginatas.
• kuichigai-bi: Two thin grooves that run the top half of the blade; the bottom half is denoted by the outer groove stopping halfway while the inner one expands to fill the width.
• koshi-bi: A short rounded-top groove found near the bottom of a blade, near to the tang.

Tome

• kaki-toshi: The groove runs all the way down to the end of the tang.
• kaki-nagashi: The groove tapers to a pointed end halfway down the tang.
• kaku-dome: The groove stops as a square end within 3 cm of the tang's upper end.
• maru-dome: Similar to the kaku, except with a rounded-end.

Japanese

Definition

Shorter than average (see jōsun) wakizashi or tanto.

Japanese

Definition

The Tokugawa Shogunate standardized the size of swords in Japan during the Edo period to what is commonly called jōsun length. For katana jōsun is 2 shaku 3 sun 5 bu (71.21cm), for tantō - 8 sun 5 bu (25.76cm).

Tantō longer than jōsun are called sunnobi-tantō 寸延び短刀, and less than jōsun sunzumari-tantō 寸詰まり短刀. There was no standard length for wakizashi, but those over 1 shaku 8 Sun (54.5 cm) are called ō-wakizashi 大脇指. Tachi 太刀 of more than 3 Shaku (90.9 cm) are referred to as ōdachi 大太刀, whereas tachi under 2 shaku (60.6 cm) are called Kodachi 小太刀.

Source

Japanese

Definition

Longer than average wakizashi or tanto.

See jōsun for more details.

Japanese

Definition

Double-edged straight sword. Ken form is most commonly seen in tanto, but longer kens also exist.

Japanese

Definition

The part of the shinogi that runs from the yokote to the tip in the kissaki.

Japanese

Definition

Lit. 'Chestnut-shaped'. The rounded shape of nakagojiri.

It's the one of the most commonly seen shapes.

Japanese

Definition

The end of the nakago.