A wider approach is needed to recognize the skill and genius of the Japanese Samurai and craftsman. It would be unfair to ignore all the different types of swords, just to popularize one over the others. While all of these are types of the bladed weapons used by the noble Japanese warriors, each and every one has its unique characteristics and uses. It was primarily made for Samurais on horseback where they needed more length and curvature to effectively charge on foot soldiers. The sword is the predecessor to the Katana the Tachi is a Japanese sword that is more curved and longer than a katana. They are not very effective in close range or constricted space. They were typically used as weapons for foot soldiers and were effective against cavalry and open field encounters. They are larger and longer than a typical katana. Nodachi approximately translates to “field sword” or “great sword”. The Tanto has become more ornate over the years and towards the end of the Samurai era, they were mostly used as decorative pieces, and still are mostly used in decorations to this date. The main purpose of a Tanto is to be used as a stabbing instrument but having a pretty sharp edge, it can be used to slice and cut. It acts like a Wakizashi and is worn at all times. The Tanto, although not technically qualifying in the category of swords, is the traditional Japanese dagger. This sword acted like a side weapon and was worn by the Samurai at all times. When worn together the pair of swords was called daishō, which translates to “large and small”. The average Wakizashi is about 50 cm long and was usually worn together with the katana by the Samurai of feudal Japan. The Wakizashi is similar to the katana but shorter in length. A traditional katana will measure 3 to 4 feet in total length, with the hilt taking up one-fourth of the total and a characteristic curvature of more or less than 1 inch. The katana has a set of dimensions that separate it from other samurai swords. The ken, a sword with a straight double-edged blade based on Chinese prototypes, was used in Japan from at least the third century until the sixth century. It has a curved, slender, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard. The most iconic and well known of all the Samurai swords the katana is distinguished by its long blade and handle that is made to accommodate two hands and strike from a large distance. There are five main streams of the samurai sword, namely Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto, Nodachi and Tachi swords. These Samurai warriors were equipped with a range of weapons such as spears and guns, bows and arrows, but their main weapon and symbol was the sword. They made up the ruling class of the military and later rose to be the highest class in the Japanese hierarchy. It is made to imitate the sword Fudo Myōō holds in his right hand, and the hilt is in the shape of a vajra, a Buddhist altar tool.An ancient elite class of men, the chosen few, only the best of the best had the honor to be called a Samurai in medieval Japan. One of the most famous tsurugi is the one made in the Heian period (794-1185) owned by Kongō-ji and stored by Kyoto National Museum. For a long time, tsurugi were made as weapons or for religious services, but before the 10th century, they completely disappeared as weapons and came to be made only as offerings to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. However, the iron tsurugi were usually forged from the 5th century ( Kofun period) to the 9th century ( Heian period).įrom the 10th century, the development of the curved tachi began, from which the katana emerged. Naginata were originally used by the samurai class of feudal Japan, as well as by ashigaru (foot soldiers) and shei (warrior monks). The Yayoi period was the transition period from bronze to iron. The naginata (, ) is a pole weapon and one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades (nihont). Bronze tsurugi of this period were mainly used for religious services. in the Yayoi period were excavated from several sites, and it is thought that tsurugi were mass-produced in Japan in this period. ![]() A large number of bronze tsurugi made around 200 B.C. The oldest bronze sword excavated in Japan is a Chinese style dagger from around 800 BC in the Yayoi period (1000 BC – 300 AD). It is a sword, which means that this weapon has two edges, one on each side of its blade, unlike the tachi, katana, wakizashi or odachi, which have only one cutting edge, on one of the two sides of the blade. The term tsurugi (剣) designates a straight, double-edged, bladed weapon from Japan. In Japanese the term tsurugi or ken ( ja:剣) is used as a term for all sorts of international long, double-edged swords. The word is used in the West to refer to a specific type of Japanese straight, double-edged sword used in antiquity (as opposed to curved, single-edged swords such as the katana). A tsurugi double-edged straight sword from the Kofun period (5th century)Ī tsurugi ( 剣) or ken ( 剣) is a Japanese sword.
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