Blade Shape Styles

SHINOGI-ZUKURI 
The most general style for TACHI/KATANA and WAKIZASHI (long swords). 
 
1) The ridge line (shinogi) is in normal height. 
 
2) The ridge line is higher. 

  
HIRA-ZUKURI 
The most general style for TANTO. 
 
  
SHOBU-ZUKURI 
It is like SHINOGI-ZUKURI, but without YOKOTE line.    
 
  
KIRIHA-ZUKURI 
Usually in the case of the blades without curvature before 9th century. It is learned from China. 
1) The blade has YOKOTE line. 
 
2) The blade does not have YOKOTE line. 
 
3) The kissaki is double edged. It is also Kissaki-moroha-zukuri.

  
KATA-KIRIHA-ZUKURI 
1) One side is KIRIHA-ZUKURI, another side is HIRA-ZUKURI.   
 
  
2) One side is KIRIHA-ZUKURI, another side is SHINOGI-ZUKURI. 
 
  
3) One side is KIRIHA-ZUKURI, another side is SHOBU-ZUKURI. 
 
  
KANMURI-OTOSHI-ZUKURI 
The thickness on the back becomes thinner from the half of the blade towards the tip. 
1) The base is SHINOGI-ZUKURI.       
In the case of NAGINATA, this type or UNOKUBI-ZUKURI(1) is common. 
 
2) The base is HIRA-ZUKURI.   
 
  
UNOKUBI-ZUKURI 
It is similar to the KANMURI-OTOSHI-ZUKURI, but the back turns to thick near the KISSAKI. 
1) The base is SHINOGI-ZUKURI. 
In the case of NAGINATA, this type or KANMURI-OTOSHI-ZUKURI(1) is common. 
 
2) The base is HIRA-ZUKURI. 
 
  
MOROHA-ZUKURI 
A double edged blade that is asymmetric for the ridge line 
 
  
OSORAKU-ZUKURI 
The KISSAKI part is bigger than the half of the blade's length. 
Usually in TANTO type. 
 
  
KISSAKI-MOROHA-ZUKURI 
The forward part of the blade is double edged.  

A curved kissaki-moroha-zukuri style blade is especially called "Kogarasu-maru" style. "Kogarasu-maru" is the nickname of one very famous sword in that style. It was a treasure of the Taira family in 12th century, and now in the imperial collection 
The Kogarasu-maru in the imperial collection


RYO-SHINOGI-ZUKURI 
A symmetric double edged blade. 
The cross section is like a diamond.
 
  
HIRA-SANKAKU-ZUKURI 
The cross section is a triangle. Mainly for YARI (lance).