重花丁子 (Juka Choji)

What is Juka Choji in Japanese Katana terminology?

Juka Choji refers to a type of blade pattern (Hamon) in Japanese swords. It is a variation of ""丁子乱刃"" (Choji Midareba), where the 'heads' of the 'nails' (choji) are complexly irregular and appear to be doubled, resembling blooming flowers. This results in a flamboyant blade pattern (Hamon) that looks like a profusion of blossoming flowers.

This pattern is characteristic of the ""一文字派"" (Ichimonji school) in Bizen Province, which was active during the Kamakura period. In the era of new swords, similar patterns can also be seen in the high-quality works of the ""石堂一派"" (Ishido Ichimonji school).