Ago

- Japanese term for the knife chin - G on the Diagram, the corner spot of the blade heel - Hamato - F on the Diagram.

BA

- Also Ha. Japanese term for knife blade.

Bocho

- Japanese term for knife, however bocho isn't used by itself, as usual prefixed with particular knife type, e.g. nakiri bocho. See also Hocho.

Emoto

- In Japanese means neck - K on the Diagram. Refers to the narrow section of the blade between the blade heel and the handle or machi if it is present, L on the Diagram.

Hado

- Japanese term for the cutting edge.

Hamato

- Japanese term for the knife heel, the last few centimeters of the edge next to the handle, F on the Diagram.

Hamon

- Typically wavy line, formed on Mizu-Honyaki knives, due to differential tampering.

Hagane

- Inner layer of hard steel forming cutting edge of the blade, supported by outer layer of soft - Jigane in Japanese knives.

Hocho

- Japanese term for kitchen knife. See also Bocho.

Honba-Tsuke

- The process of grinding the real edge on the knife shipped from the manufacturer without one. Aritsugu knives for example are shipped like that. Read Aritsugu 300mm Honkasumi Yanagiba Knife Review. See also Ura-Oshi.

Hon-Kasumi

- Highest grade Kasumi. See also Aritsugu Hon-Kasumi Yanagi Review.

Honyaki

- Translates as "true-forged" from Japanese. Unlike San-Mai knives that have soft layer over harder core Honyaki knives are constructed of single piece of metal, as usual very hard, high-carbon steel. Because of this they are difficult to forge thus their high price. Honyakis have higher hardness and edge holding compared to other types. Because the steel is so hard sharpening this type of knife is rather challenging. Also because of high hardness honyakis are more prone to breaking, chipping and cracking. On the positive side, they can be sharpened to incredibly thin and sharp edges that will hold very long time and cutting performance will be very high.

Hawatari

- Japanese term for blade length, A on the Diagram.

Jigane

- Soft, outer layer of steel supporting inner hard core - Hagane of the knife.

Kakumaki

- Japanese term for a bolster collar or ferule. Traditionally made of water buffalo horn, although both, more expensive and cheaper materials can be used, I on the Diagram

Kasumi

- In Japanese kasumi means mist. Refers to rather hazy looks of softer jigane next to hard, shiny hagane. It is a style of knife forging, then soft jigane is applied to hard hagane one single beveled knife. Used on single beveled knives. See also San-Mai.

Kirenaga

- Japanese term used to describe knife edge holding ability. In other words, how long it stays sharp. Obviously, higher kirenaga is better.

Kiri

- Cutter in Japanese, apparently derived from the word cut. Nakiri, Udon-Kiri, etc.

Kiriba

- Literally means blade path - D on the Diagram. Refers to the inclined surface that starts at Shinogi(B on the Diagram), including the cutting edge.

Kissaki

- Japanese term for blade tip - N on the Diagram.

Kitaeji

- Multi Layer Jigane. Often referred as damascus. See Shigefusa Kitaeji Gyuto Knife review and Shigefusa Kitaeji Miroshi Deba Kitchen Knife review for photos and detailed information.

Kuro-Uchi

- Type of rustic finish on Japanese knives. Blades aren't finished except for the edge, blue blackish color. See Watanabe Nakiri Knife Review and Takeda Cleaver Review.

Machi

- Narrow section of metal between the notch at the end of the neck of the blade - L on the Diagram, emoto(K on the Diagram) and the handle, approximately 5mm long. Found on many Japanese knives, never on western knives. In general when the knife has machi, the specified blade length includes all of the knife blade up to the machi notch, not just from the blade Ago(chin, G on the Diagram to the tip. Although, some makers do not include machi in blade length. In the end, it's better to ask if unsure.

Mine

- Also mune. Japanese term for blade spine - M on the Diagram.

Mizu-Honyaki

- Refers to differentially tampered Honyaki knives. Blade spine is covered with mud, which is allowed to dry, then the whole thing is heated to the desired temperature and quenched in water. Spine is softer and springy, giving the blade certain degree of flexibility.

Mokume

- Japanese term for wood grain pattern Jigane. That includes not only jigane, but various parts of the knife, butt cap, bolster, etc. See Aritsugu Wood Pattern Yanagiba review.

Mune

- Also mine. Japanese term for blade spine - M on the Diagram.

Nakago

- Japanese term for knife tang, portion of the metal to which the handle is attached.

San-mai

- Also known as Warikomi. Technique of welded steel that laminates the hard core of the blade with softer outer layers. Basically, this is from both sides of the blade.

Saya

- Wooden sheath, or scabbard for the knife. As usual, identical wood is used for the handle and saya.

Shinogi

- Japanese term for the ridge line(B on the Diagram) formed by the flat portion of the blade and the blade path - Kiriba - D on the Diagram.

Suminagashi

- Description for damascus pattern knife. See Kobayashi Suminagashi Nakiri Hocho Review.

Ura-Oshi

- Japanese term for flattening the back side of the single bevel urasuki type edge.

Urasuki

- Concaved surface on the back side of the single beveled Japanese knives. Helps to reduce the drag during cutting. The last edge on the Knife Edge Grind Type Diagram shows concave back of urasuki edge grind type.

Utsu

- Cutting method, combination of push cutting, vertically down and slight forward motion. Main cutting technique with Usuba and Nakiri.

Warikomi

- See San-Mai.

Thanks & Credits

• Special thanks to Takeshi Aoki of Aframes Tokyo for help with Japanese terminology.
• Hiromitsu Nozaki - Author of the book Japanese Kitchen Knives.

Last updated - 06/28/09