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Terminology and parts of a Katana

The Anatomy of a Katana - Terminology and Parts of a Katana

In the world of Katana, terminology and parts of a katana are very important as most of the Katana parts names use Japanese vocabulary and special nouns, this is also the most basic knowledge about KatanaThis page can help you understand Katana faster.

parts of a katana
KASHIRA  Metal cap at the bottom of the handle.
MENUKI  Metal ornaments on both sides of the handle
TSUKAMAKI  A ribbon wrapped around the handle.

SAMEGAWA  Sticker for the handle of a japanese sword   

OYATSUBU  A circular fixture for fixing the handle and stem is inserted through the eye nail hole. It can be made of copper, iron, bamboo, wood and other materials.

FUCHI  The ring at the base of the handle has a hole for the japanese sword stem to pass through.
TSUBA  Hand guard between handle and blade.
HABAKI   Installed in the nakago top, sanding area at the base of the place a special ring of
KOIGUCHI Sheath opening.
SAGEO  a cord used to attach the sheath to the obi.
KURIKATA   A horn or metal ring used to tie sageo.
SHITODOME A small metal accessory, resembling a quail's eye.
SAYA  Katana sheath
KOJIRI  The cap at the bottom of the scabbard is usually made of animal horn or metal.

the parts of a sword

 

The professional names of various parts on the body of a samurai sword

A.SAKIKASANE  Thickness of blade tip.

B.MOTOKASANE Thickness of the bottom of the blade.

C.KISSAKI NAGASA  Length of tip.

D.SAKIHABA  Width of blade tip.

E.MUNE  The surface of the katana back.

F.MOTOHABA  Width of bottom of blade.

G.MUNEMACHI  The notch at the top of the blade stem,where the back surface (mune) of the blade begins.

H.HAMACHI  A notch at the top of the blade,where the blade begins.

I.FUKURA  The radian of the blade in the tip area.

J.BOSHI  Blade text in the tip area.

K.YOKOTE  The boundary between blade tip and blade body.

L.KOSHINOGI  Shinogi-ji above the blade tip area (yokote).

M. MITSUKADO  Intersection point of yokote and blade edge of blade body and blade edge of tool tip.

N.SHINOGI MITSUKADO  Shinogi,Koshinogi und Yokote linien.

O.SHINOGI-JI  Blade surface between shinogi and mune.

P.SHINOGI  A chear straight line extending along the longitudinal direction of the blade is the thickest part of the blade (only appearing on katana of shinogi-zakuri) .

Q.JI  The surface between shinogi and nioiguchi.

R.HA  The edge area of the cutter body is hardened by quenching.

S.HASAKI  Asharpened edge.

T.NIOIGUCHI  A clear line separating the hardened blade from the softer part of the blqde body.

U.ASHI  Nioiguchi's extension line in the direction of the blade.

V.HACHO  A straight line that determines the length of the blade.

W.SORI  Degree of blade bending.

X.ZENCHO  The total length of the katana,including the stem (the blade length is only the blade body).

Y.NAKAGO NAGASA  Length of katana stem.

Z.MAKUGIANA  A hole in the shank for receiving Mekugi (bamboo nail for fixing the blade in the handle).

AA.MEI  Inscription on the hilt (usually the name of the katana maker,but there are often other information).

Now that you have learned the terminology and proper nouns of katana through this article, you also design customize your ideal katana.

Written by kunyu

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