Hanging ball - Kakedama

...However, this "fukidama" does not mean a ball made of blown glass, but is probably the same kind of word as the Heian period names such as "Mifukidama" in the "Engishiki" or "Mihogidama" in the "Kogoshuui". The "Zobutsusho Sakuhincho" divides the "Ruizoshodama" into four types, listed in descending order of quantity: Osashidama, Marudama, Nejiridama, and Kakendama. There are about five times as many sashidama as round balls, so they would be a type of small ball that we would call small balls today.

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "kendo" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…ただし，この吹玉は，吹きガラス製の玉の意味ではなく，《延喜式》の〈御富岐玉（みふきだま）〉，あるいは《古語拾遺》の〈美保伎玉（みほぎだま）〉など，平安時代の名称と同系統の語であろう。《造仏所作物帳》の琉璃雑色玉は，数量の多いものからあげると，大刺玉（おおさしだま），丸玉，捩玉（ねじりだま），懸玉の4種に細分してある。刺玉は丸玉の5倍ほどの数があるから，今でいう小玉の類であろう。…

※「懸玉」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報