Aikuchi 合口 : sword mounting without a tsuba.

 

hitsu 櫃 : aperture in the tsuba to accommodate the handles of the kozuka and kôgai.

 

horimono 彫物 : engraved designs on sword blades.

 

iroe 色绘 : polychromatic effects; on sword fittings, refers to the combination of variously coloured metals and alloys as inlay.

 

kaô 花押 ou kakihan 書き判 : monogram seal added to the signature.

 

ken 剣 : straight, double-edged blade.

 

koshirae 拵え : sword mounting.

 

mokume-ji 木目地 : wood-grain effect produced by the combination of various metals.

 

nanako 魚子 : granulated, or “fish roe” effect, usually used as a background pattern, and produced by a tiny concave punch.

 

shakudô  赤銅 : alloy of copper and between 4% and 25% gold; highly malleable, it takes on a deep black patina.

 

shibuichi 四分一 : alloy composed theoretically of a quarter silver and three-quarters copper; in practice, the proportion of silver can vary between 13% and 50%.

 

sawari 砂張 : alloy used for inlay, composed of copper, lead, and tin.

 

tantô 短刀 : sword blade measuring less than 30 cm in length.

 

wakizashi 脇差 : sword blade measuring between 30 cm and 60 cm in length.