![]() In the late 14th and early 15th centuries, katana blades tended to be between 70 to 73 cm (27.6 to 28.7 in) in length. The length of the blade varied considerably during the course of its history. Previously, the curved tachi had been worn with the edge of the blade facing down and suspended from a belt. Ideally, samurai could draw the sword and strike down the enemy in a single motion. The katana further facilitated this by being worn thrust through a belt-like sash (obi) with the bladed edge facing upwards. The quicker draw of the sword was well suited to combat where victory depended heavily on fast response times. Its growth in popularity is believed to have been due to the changing nature of close-combat warfare. Its origins go at least as far back as the Kamakura Period, with several blades dated from that time residing in various national repositories. The katana evolved as a more sleek and compact alternative to the tachi. HistoryĪ Japanese Edo period wood block print of a samurai with a tachi. The "Kyoho Meibutsucho" also listed the nicknames, prices, history and length of the Meibutsy with swords by Yoshimitsu, Masamune, Yoshihiro, and Sadamune being very highly priced. The swords listed are Koto blades from several different provinces, 100 of the 166 swords listed are known to exist today with Soshu blades being very well represented. Meibutsu (noted swords) is a special designation given to sword masterpieces which are listed in a compilation from the 1700s called the "Kyoho Meibutsucho". The correct name of this type of weapon is tachi (太刀 – note the extra stroke, and different reading of 刀), and is different from ōtachi and nodachi. It has been used in some ( English-language) fictional works to represent a kind of large katana the video game Daikatana, for example used this pseudo-term as its title. The reading mistake comes from the different ways Japanese Kanji can be read, depending on their combination or not in a word. Īnother term, Daikatana, is a pseudo- Japanese term meaning "large sword", formed by a mistaken reading of the kanji 大刀 (Japanese: daitō), derived from the Chinese dadao. As Japanese does not have separate plural and singular forms, both "katanas" and "katana" are considered acceptable forms in English. In Portuguese the designation (spelled catana) means "large knife" or machete. Pronounced kah-ta-nah, the kun'yomi (Japanese reading) of the kanji 刀, originally meaning dao (sword) or knife/saber in Chinese, the word has been adopted as a loanword by the Portuguese language. This emergence of the first nihontō took place the same time period as the beginning of Japanese feudalism and recognition of the daimyo or "great family" in the late ninth century. The chokutō is speculated to have been the first "sugata" type the katana took on, being modeled after the imported swords. This distinguishes them from the straight-bladed chokutō, which was brought from China by way of Korea. While the "sugata" or form can take many shapes, including double edged, the term is now used incorrectly to describe nihontō that are 2 shaku (606 mm / 24 in) and longer, also known as " dai" or " daito" among Western sword enthusiasts. "Katana" was originally used as a general term for a single-edged sword having a "sori" or curvature of the blade. ![]() ![]() In the strictest sense the term katana in Japanese is applied to any kind of single-edged sword, of any origin, and does not necessarily refer to a Japanese sword. showing the traditional Japanese sword cases ( koshirae) and the difference in size between the katana (top) and the smaller wakizashi (bottom). EtymologyĪntique Japanese (samurai) daisho, the traditional pairing of two Japanese swords which were the symbol of the samurai. It has historically been associated with the samurai of feudal Japan, and has become renowned for its sharpness and cutting ability. The katana is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, slender, single edged blade, circular or squared guard, and long grip to accommodate two hands. Since a tachi was worn cutting edge down, and the katana was worn cutting edge up the mei would be in opposite locations on the nakago of both types of swords. In general the mei should be carved into the side of the nakago that would face outward when the sword was worn. With a few exceptions katana and tachi can be distinguished from each other if signed, by the location of the signature ( mei) on the tang ( nakago). The katana is generally defined as the standard size moderately curved (as opposed to the older " tachi" style featuring more curvature) Japanese sword with a blade length greater than 60 cm (23.6 inches).
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