尖り刃 (Togariba)

What is Togariba in Japanese Katana terminology?

Togariba refers to a type of blade pattern (Hamon) in Japanese swords. It is a kind of ""乱刃"" (Midareba: irregular pattern), and is also known as ""互の目尖り"" (Gunome Togari: pointed Gunome). This blade pattern (Hamon) is characterized by the 'heads' of the 'nails' (Gunome) being pointed like the teeth of a saw.

Togariba is often mentioned as a characteristic of Mino swords. It is particularly seen in the works of the swordsmith ""孫六兼元［関の孫六］"" (Magoroku Kanemoto [Seki no Magoroku]), who was active in Mino Province (now the southern part of Gifu Prefecture) during the late Muromachi period. The Togariba tempered by Magoroku Kanemoto is characterized by its irregularity, which becomes gradually higher every three 'nails', and is known by the name ""三本杉"" (Sanbonsugi).