The Japanese arrowhead called Yajiri or Yanone  have many uses and shapes. There are five major styles of Japanese arrowheads and are listed below. There are many variations of each style but these details are not presented and can be located in the references listed at the bottom of the page. These arrowheads are made the same as swords and other edged weapons as they are folded steel and most are tempered. Yanone were used for battle, hunting, gifts or rewards and for presentations.

In general the standard point style looking like a small Yari (spear) were used for war and armor piercing. The larger, more ornamental styles were used for presentations and temple offerings. It is said that a samurai might have a quiver of 26 Arrows (Ya) and one of them, called the Kabura-Ya or Chief arrow, and was only used if the battle was lost. These yanone have extensive detail in the saw-cut or carved patterns. Most yanone have names related to there shapes. These include; bamboo leaf, camellia leaf, willow leaf, tree leaf, aoi leaf, water plantation, fish head, crabs claw, dragon's tongue and wild goose beak to name a few.

It is not uncommon to only see several strokes still left on the signature. The Temper line, Hamon, varies from suguha (straight) to Gunome and Gunome-midare. The temper line is normally near the ridge line from the beveled edge to the flat area of the blade. This style of arrowhead appeared during the Momoyama period (1573-1615) and continued through the relatively peaceful Edo Period ().

When these are signed its usually on the side face on the blade and on both sides. Another popular location for the mei (signature) is on the surface between the Nakago and the bottom of the "V". This location is only used when the karimata is not pierced. Karimata usually have a suguha or straight temper line and always have the inside edge sharpened. On some examples the outside edge can also be sharpened. The distance between the points varies from 1.5 inches to over six inches.

These shapes are usually very ornamental in form but can inflict terrible wounds. These arrowheads can vary in length from 1 inch to over 6 inches and most have a saw cut piercing. The Mei (signature) on this style of arrowhead would usually be located on the nakago. The pierced designs vary from Inome (boar's eye) to triangular saw-cut areas. These piercing are usually on the flat surface between the angled faces of the blade. The hamon can vary from a normal suguha (straight temper) to Gunome-midare (irregular wavy line). Some Watakusi even have double barbs and significant carved shoulders.

This style of arrowhead was used for signals and to induce terror. The arrowhead is made from wood, horn and bone. They usually have several holes or flutes along the sides of the bulging shape. These arrowheads were mounted on the end of bamboo shafts and sometimes with a steel arrowhead after them. Many woodblock prints show a karimata with a whistler behind it. Many of these seen today have been damaged by insects. A common mistake has been to call some Yanagi-Ba whistler arrowheads since they would have a single round piercing, this is not the case.