stem(Nakago)
The “stem” is the part of the sword covered by the hilt, on which the maker’s name and the year of making the sword are inscribed. It is said that the name “nakago” comes from the meaning of “to put inside the hilt. The blade of a Japanese sword is generally divided into two parts: the stem and the blade. The blade is called “ubu-nakago” and is considered more valuable when it is left unpolished as it was when it was made.
