蛙子丁子 (Kawazuko Choji)

What is Kawazuko Choji in Japanese Katana terminology?

Kawazuko Choji is a type of blade pattern (Hamon) in Japanese swords. It is a variation of ""互の目丁子"" (Gunome Choji), where the 'heads' of the 'nails' (choji) are large and bag-shaped. Among these, ""蛙子丁子"" specifically refers to those where the 'heads' of the 'nails' are particularly inflated, and the waist part is extremely constricted.

The name ""蛙子丁子"" comes from its resemblance to a tadpole (Kawazuko in Japanese). This pattern is a major characteristic of the blades made by the Fukuoka Ichimonji school.