Samurai swords. Japanese weapons and their types

There are many legends about Japanese swords, often unjustified. Probably a lot of people, when asked what the name of a Japanese sword is, will answer - Katana. This is partly correct, but only partly. Classification Japanese swords it's not an easy matter. The simplest classification, in my opinion, is by length.

It is known that the samurai carried two swords - long and short. This pair was called Daisho(lit. “greater and lesser”) and consisted of Daito (“greater sword”), we will call it Katana, which was the main weapon of the samurai, and Seto (“lesser sword”), in the future Wakazashi, which served as a spare or additional weapon, used in close combat, for cutting off heads or hara-kiri, if the samurai did not have a Kusungobu or Tanto dagger specially designed for this. If only samurai and aristocrats were allowed to wear the large Katana sword, then artisans and merchants had the right to wear Wakazashi.

Kusungobu - melee dagger

So the long sword was called Daito (Katana)— 95-120 cm, short — Seto (Wakazashi)- 50-70 cm. The handle of a Katana is usually designed for 3.5 fists, Wakazashi - for 1.5. The blade width of both swords is about 3 cm, the thickness of the back is 5 mm, while the blade has a razor sharpness. The handle is usually covered with shark skin or wrapped in such a way that the handle does not slip in the hands. Katana weight is about 4 kg. The guard of both swords was small, only slightly covering the hand, and had a round, petal or multifaceted shape. It was called "tsuba".

Katana and other Japanese swords were stored on a special stand - Katanakake.

Katana has several varieties, one of them is Ko-katana (kokatana) - a variant of a short katana, included together with a katana in a regular samurai set of edged weapons. The handle of the kokatana is straight without a bow, the blade is slightly curved. The specimen described in the domestic literature has a length of 690 mm and a blade length of 520 mm.

Kokatana is a type of katana

The katana was attached to the belt or behind the back. Tied with a special Sageo cord, this cord could also be used to bind the enemy. To carry a katana behind the back, a special sheath was used (Watarimaki is part of the Japanese sheath bladed weapons, touching the back when worn). The sheath has a coupling - a ring that covers the sheath, with the help of which it is attached to a sword belt or belt.

Katana is the most modern and advanced type of Japanese edged weapon; its production has been improved over the centuries; the predecessors of the katana were:

Tati - a sword common in Japan from the 10th to the 17th centuries, equal in length to the Katana. Although Katana swords also have a decent amount of blade curvature, it is generally less curvature than Tati's. Their external decoration also differs. It is much simpler and stricter than Tati’s. Has a round tsuba. The tachi was usually carried with the blade facing down in tandem with a koshigatana.

Tanto - small samurai sword.

Kozuka - Japanese combat knife used as a bladed weapon throwing weapon. IN Everyday life served as a household knife.

Ta-chi - a single-edged sword of slight curvature, worn behind the back. Total length 710 mm.

In addition to Daise, a samurai could also wear Nodachi - "field sword" with blade length more than a meter and a total length of about 1.5 m, sometimes its length reached three meters! Several samurai wielded such a sword at once, and its only use was to defeat mounted troops.

Nodachi

Katana is the strongest sword in the world

The technology for producing a katana is very complex - special processing of steel, multi-layer (multiple) forging, hardening, etc. Katanas are the strongest swords in the world, they are capable of cutting materials of almost any hardness, be it meat, bones, iron. Masters skilled in the art of fighting with a katana in a battle with a warrior armed with an ordinary European sword could cut this sword into two parts, the force of a samurai’s blow and the steel of a katana allowed this to be done (Monuchi is the part of the blade blade of a Japanese bladed weapon, which accounts for the main force blow).

The katana could be used to stab and chop equally easily. The long handle allows you to actively maneuver the sword. In this case, the main grip is the position when the end of the handle rests in the middle of the palm, and the right hand holds it near the guard. The simultaneous movement of both hands allows you to describe a wide amplitude with the sword without much effort. Both the Katana and the straight European sword of a knight weigh a lot, but the principles for performing cutting blows are completely different. Most of the blows are delivered in the vertical plane. There is almost no division into “block-strike” accepted in Europe. There are knocking blows to the enemy's hands or weapons, throwing his weapon away from the line of attack and making it possible to deal a damaging blow to the enemy at the next step.

Weaknesses of the katana

Speaking about the features of the manufacturing technology of a samurai sword, it is worth noting weak sides This process, namely, gaining greater hardness and power along the axis of the blade, makes this type of sword more vulnerable if hit on its flat side. With such a blow you can break the Katana even with a short mace (or Okinawan nunchucks, which were specially used to break samurai swords). And if a European sword usually breaks at a distance of a palm or two fingers from the guard, then a Japanese sword breaks at a distance of 1/3 or 1/2 of the length of the blade from the guard.

Yes, those stories are also true when metal was cut with a Katana. It's possible! It is documented that when a master is hit with such a blade, the speed of the tip of the sword (Kisaki) exceeded the speed of sound. And if you take into account the fact that Katana swords are among the most durable in the world, then the conclusion suggests itself.

Tati - a sword equal in length to a Katana

Japanese long sword tachi. The wavy hamon pattern on the blade is clearly visible.

The most ancient handmade katana (katana sheaths were also handmade and decorated with ornaments) are most valued and passed down from generation to generation as a family heirloom. Such katana are very expensive, especially if you can see Mei on it - a mark with the name of the master and the year of manufacture on the shank of a Japanese bladed weapon - of any famous master.

Many master gunsmiths from different countries tried to copy the katana, which resulted in such famous swords as: Three - a Tibetan sword copying a samurai sword; Taijinjian (Chinese sword of the great limit) is a type of jian; Korean sword, Japanese name katana in the 7th-13th centuries; etc. But real katana can only be found in Japan, and if a katana is not made in Japan, it is no longer a katana!

Components of a katana:

Decoration adjacent to the tsuba, a ring that strengthens the handle (coupling) - Fuchi,
Cord - Ito,
Blade - Kami,
The upper ring (head) of the handle is Kashira,
Entrance to the scabbard - Koiguchi,
The tip of the scabbard is Kojiri,
Tie loop - Kurikata,
Bamboo wedge for fixing the blade in the handle - Mekugi,
Decoration on the handle under (or above) the braid - Menuki,
Shank - Nakago,
Ties - Sageo,
Stingray leather on the handle - Same,
Scabbard - Saya,
Gasket between guard and ring (washer) - Seppa,
Hammer for disassembling a sword - Tetsu,
Blade - Tosin,
Garda - Tsuba,
Handle - Tsuka,
Braid - Tsukamaki,
Clutch for fixing the sword in the scabbard - Habaki.

Japanese short sword wakizashi. Blade and sword in sheath.

Wakizashi is a short traditional Japanese sword.

Mainly used by samurai and worn on the belt. Blade length - from 30 cm to 61 cm. Total length 50-80 cm. Wakizashi is similar in shape to a katana. It was worn in tandem with a katana, also tucked into the belt with the blade facing up.

In a pair of daisho (the two main samurai swords: long and short), the wakizashi was used as a short sword (shoto).

Samurai used the wakizashi as a weapon when the katana was unavailable or unusable. In the early periods of Japanese history, the small tanto sword was worn instead of the wakizashi. And also when a samurai put on armor, instead of a katana and wakizashi, tachi and tanto were usually used. Upon entering the room, the warrior left the katana with the servant or on the katanakake. The wakizashi was always carried with him and was removed only if the samurai remained for a long period of time. The Bushi often called this sword "the guardian of their honor." Some fencing schools taught the use of both katana and wakizashi at the same time.

Unlike the katana, which could only be worn by samurai, wakizashi was allowed to merchants and artisans. They used this sword as a full-fledged weapon, because according to their status they did not have the right to carry a katana.

A more correct classification: It is somewhat conditionally possible to classify weapons according to the length of the blade. "Tanto" must have a blade no shorter than 30 cm and no longer than 40 cm, "wakizashi" - from 41 to 60 cm, "katana" - from 61 to 75 cm, "tachi" - from 75 to 90 cm. "Odachi" from 3 shaku 90.9 cm. The largest odachi that has survived to this day has a length of 3 m 77 cm.

Japanese sword is a bladed single-edged cutting weapon, produced according to traditional Japanese technology made of multilayer steel with controlled carbon content. The name is also used to refer to a single-edged sword with characteristic shape a slightly curved blade that was the main weapon of a samurai warrior.
Let's try to understand a little about the variety of Japanese swords.
Traditionally Japanese blades made from refined steel. The process of their manufacture is unique and is due to the use of iron sand, which is cleaned under the influence of high temperatures to obtain iron with higher purity levels. Steel is extracted from iron sand.
The bend of the sword (sori), performed in different variants, is not accidental: it was formed in the process of centuries-old evolution of weapons of this type (simultaneously with changes in samurai equipment) and was constantly varied until the perfect form was eventually found, representing continued slightly curved hand. The bending is partly due to the peculiarities of heat treatment: with differential hardening, the cutting part of the sword stretches more than the back.
Just like the Western blacksmiths of the Middle Ages, who used zone hardening, Japanese craftsmen do not harden blades evenly, but in a differentiated manner. Often the blade starts out straight and receives its characteristic curve as a result of hardening, giving the blade a hardness of 60 Rockwell, but the back of the sword only 40.

Give-sho

Daisho (Japanese 大小, daisho:, lit. “big-small”) - a pair of samurai swords, consisting of a shoto (short sword) and a daito (long sword). The length of the daito is more than 66 cm, the length of the shoto is 33-66 cm. The daito served as the main weapon of the samurai, the shoto as an additional weapon.
Up to early period Muromachi was armed with a tachi - a long sword that was worn on a belt with the blade down. However, starting from the end of the 14th century, it was increasingly replaced by the katana. It was worn in a sheath secured to the belt with a ribbon of silk or other fabric (sageo). A tanto dagger was usually worn along with a tachi, and a wakizashi dagger paired with a katana.
Thus, daito and shoto are classes of swords, but not the name of a specific weapon. This circumstance caused the incorrect use of these terms. For example, in European and domestic literature, only a long sword (daito) is mistakenly called a katana. Daisho was used exclusively by the samurai class. This law was religiously observed and repeatedly confirmed by decrees of military leaders and shoguns. Daisho was the most important component of a samurai’s costume, his class identification. The warriors treated their weapons accordingly - they carefully monitored their condition and kept them near them even during sleep. Other classes could only wear wakizashi or tanto. Samurai etiquette required taking off a long sword when entering a house (as a rule, it was left with a servant or on a special stand); samurai always carried a short sword with them and used it as a personal weapon.

Katana

Katana (Japanese 刀) is a long Japanese sword. In modern Japanese, the word katana also means any sword. Katana - Japanese reading (kun'yomi) Chinese character刀; Sino-Japanese reading (on'yomi) - then:. The word means "a curved sword with a single-sided blade."
Katana and wakizashi are always worn in a sheath, tucked into the belt (obi) at an angle that hides the length of the blade from the enemy. This is an accepted way of wearing in society, formed after the end of the wars of the Sengoku period in early XVII century, when carrying weapons became more of a tradition than a military necessity. When the samurai entered the house, he took out a katana from his belt. In case of possible conflicts, he held the sword in his left hand in a state of combat readiness or, as a sign of trust, in his right. When sitting down, he placed the katana on the floor within reach, and the wakizashi was not removed (the samurai wore it in a sheath in his belt). Mounting the sword for outdoor use is called koshirae and includes the lacquered sheath of the sai. If there was no frequent need to use the sword, it was stored at home in a shirasai mount made of untreated magnolia wood, which protected the steel from corrosion. Some modern katanas are initially produced in this version, in which the scabbard is not varnished or decorated. A similar montage in which tsuba and others were missing decorative elements, did not attract attention and became widespread in late XIX centuries after the imperial ban on wearing a sword. It seemed that the sheath was not a katana, but a bokuto - a wooden sword.

Wakizashi

Wakizashi (Japanese: 脇差) is a short traditional Japanese sword. Mainly used by samurai and worn on the belt. It was worn in tandem with a katana, also tucked into the belt with the blade facing up. Blade length - from 30 to 61 cm. Total length with handle 50-80 cm. Single-sided blade, slight curvature. The wakizashi is similar in shape to a katana. Wakizashi was made with zukuri various shapes and length, usually thinner than that of a katana. The degree of convexity of the wakizashi blade's cross-section is much less, so compared to the katana, this sword cuts soft objects more sharply. The handle of a wakizashi is usually square.
The Bushi often called this sword "the guardian of their honor." Some fencing schools taught the use of both katana and wakizashi at the same time.
Unlike the katana, which could only be worn by samurai, wakizashi was allowed to merchants and artisans. They used this sword as a full-fledged weapon, because according to their status they did not have the right to carry a katana. Also used for the ritual of seppuku.

Tati

Tachi (Japanese: 太刀) is a long Japanese sword. The tachi, unlike the katana, was not tucked into the obi (fabric belt) with the blade up, but hung on the belt in a sling intended for this purpose, with the blade down. To protect against damage from armor, the scabbard was often wrapped. Samurai wore katana as part of civilian clothing, and tachi as part of military armor. Paired with tachi, tantos were more common than the wakizashi short sword related to katana. In addition, richly decorated tati were used as ceremonial weapons in the courts of shoguns (princes) and the emperor.
It is usually longer and more curved than the katana (most had a blade length of over 2.5 shaku, that is, more than 75 cm; the tsuka (hilt) was also often longer and somewhat curved).
Another name for this sword is daito (Japanese: 大刀, lit. " big sword") - in Western sources is sometimes mistakenly read as "daikatana". The error occurs due to ignorance of the difference between on and kun reading of hieroglyphs in Japanese; The kun reading of the character 刀 is “katana”, and the on reading is “to:”.

Tanto

Tanto (Japanese 短刀 tanto:, lit. “short sword”) is a samurai dagger.
“Tan to” for the Japanese sounds like a phrase, so they do not perceive tanto as a knife (knife in Japanese is hamono (Japanese 刃物 hamono)).
The tanto was used only as a weapon and never as a knife; for this purpose there was a kozuka, worn in tandem with the tanto in the same sheath.
Tanto has a single-edged, sometimes double-edged blade ranging from 15 to 30.3 cm in length (that is, less than one shaku).
It is believed that tanto, wakizashi and katana are, in fact, “the same sword of different sizes.”
Some tantos, which had a thick triangular blade, were called yoroidoshi and were designed to pierce armor in close combat. Tanto was used mostly by samurai, but it was also worn by doctors and merchants as a weapon of self-defense - in fact, it is a dagger. Women high society Sometimes they also wore small tantos, called kaiken, in the belt of the kimono (obi) for self-defense. In addition, tanto is used in the wedding ceremony royalty to this day.
Sometimes the tanto was worn as a shoto instead of a wakizashi in a daisho.

Odachi

Odachi (Japanese 大太刀, “big sword”) is one of the types of long Japanese swords. The term nodachi (野太刀, "field sword") refers to another type of sword, but is often mistakenly used instead of odachi.
To be called an odachi, a sword had to have a blade length of at least 3 shaku (90.9 cm), however, as with many other Japanese sword terms, precise definition There is no odachi length. Usually odachi are swords with blades 1.6 - 1.8 meters.
Odachi fell completely out of use as a weapon after the Osaka-Natsuno-Jin War of 1615 (a battle between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideyori - the son of Toyotomi Hideyoshi).
The Bakufu government issued a law according to which it was forbidden to have a sword of more than a certain length. After the law went into effect, many odachi were trimmed to conform to the regulations. This is one of the reasons why odachi are so rare.
Odachi were no longer used for their intended purpose, but were still a valuable gift during the Shinto (“new swords”) period. This became their main purpose. Because their manufacture required the utmost skill, it was recognized that the reverence inspired by their appearance corresponded to prayer to the gods.

Nodachi

Sephiroth with the nodachi sword "Masamune"

Nodachi (野太刀 "field sword") is a Japanese term referring to a large Japanese sword. The main reason that the use of such swords was not widespread was that the blade was much more difficult to forge than a regular length sword blade. This sword was worn on the back due to its large size. This was an exception because other Japanese swords such as the katana and wakizashi were worn tucked into the belt, while the tachi was hung with the blade down. However, the nodachi was not snatched from behind the back. Due to its great length and weight, it was a very complex weapon.
One of Nodati's assignments was to fight horsemen. It was often used in conjunction with a spear because with its long blade it was ideal for striking an opponent and his horse in one fell swoop. Due to its weight, it could not be used everywhere with ease and was usually discarded when close combat began. The sword could hit several enemy soldiers with one blow. After using nodachi, samurai used a shorter and more convenient katana for close combat.

Kodati

Kodachi (小太刀) - literally translated as "small tachi", is a Japanese sword that was too short to be considered a daito (long sword) and too long to be a dagger. Due to its size, it could be grabbed very quickly and also used for fencing. It could be used where movement was restricted or when attacking shoulder to shoulder. Since this sword was shorter than 2 shaku (about 60 cm), it was allowed to be worn by non-samurai, usually merchants, during the Edo period.
The kodachi is similar in length to the wakizashi, and although their blades differ significantly in design, the kodachi and wakizashi are so similar in technique that the terms are sometimes (incorrectly) used one instead of the other. The main difference between both is that the kodachi is (usually) wider than the wakizashi. In addition, the kodachi, unlike the wakizashi, was always worn in a special sling with the curve down (like a tachi), while the wakizashi was worn tucked behind the obi with the curve of the blade upward. Unlike other types of Japanese weapons, no other sword was usually carried along with the kodachi.

Kaiken

Kaiken (Japanese 懐剣, before the spelling reform kwaiken, also futokoro-gatana) is a dagger carried by men and women of the samurai class in Japan, a type of tanto. Kaikens were used for self-defense indoors, where long katanas and middle length wakizashi were less convenient and effective than short daggers. Women wore them in an obi for self-defense or (rarely) for suicide (jigaya). They could also be carried in a brocade bag with a drawstring that allowed the dagger to be quickly retrieved. Kaiken was one of the wedding gifts for women. Currently, it is one of the accessories of the traditional Japanese marriage ceremony: the bride takes the kaiken to ensure good luck.

Kusungobu, yoroidoshi, metezashi.

Kusungobu (Japanese nine sun five bu) is a straight thin dagger with a blade 29.7 cm long. In practice, yoroidoshi, metezashi and kusungobu are one and the same.

Naginata

Naginata (なぎなた, 長刀 or 薙刀, literal translation - “long sword”) is a Japanese edged weapon with a long oval-shaped handle (namely a handle, not a shaft, as it might seem at first glance) and a curved one-sided blade. The handle is about 2 meters long and the blade is about 30 cm. Over the course of history, a shortened (1.2-1.5 m) and lighter version has become much more common, used in training and showing greater combat effectiveness. It is an analogue of a glaive (although it is often mistakenly called a halberd), but much lighter. The first information about the use of naginata dates back to the end of the 7th century. There were 425 schools in Japan where they studied naginatajutsu fighting techniques. It was the favorite weapon of the Sohei, warrior monks.

Bisento

Bisento (Japanese: 眉尖刀 bisento) is a Japanese bladed weapon with a long handle, a rare type of naginata.
Bisento differs from naginata in its larger size and different style of handling. These weapons must be used with a wide grip, using both ends, while the leading hand should be near the guard.
There are also advantages to the bisento fighting style over the naginata fighting style. In combat, the back of the bisento blade, unlike a katana, can not only repel and deflect a blow, but also apply pressure and control. The Bisento is heavier than the katana, so its slashes are more forward than fixed. They are applied on a much larger scale. Despite this, the bisento can easily cut off the head of both a person and a horse, which is not so easy to do with a naginata. The weight of the sword plays a role in both the piercing and pushing properties.
It is believed that the Japanese took the idea of this weapon from Chinese swords.

Nagamaki

Nagamaki (Japanese 長巻 - “long wrapper”) is a Japanese edged weapon consisting of a polearm with a large tip. It was popular in XII-XIV centuries. It was similar to an owl, naginata or gleyvia, but differed in that the lengths of the handle and tip were approximately equal, which allows it to be classified as a sword.
Nagamaki are weapons manufactured on various scales. Usually the total length was 180-210 cm, the tip - up to 90-120 cm. The blade was only on one side. The handle of the nagamaki was wrapped with cords in a crossed manner, similar to the handle of a katana.
This weapon was used in the Kamakura period (1192-1333), Namboku-cho (1334-1392) and in the Muromachi period (1392-1573) and reached its greatest popularity. It was also used by Oda Nobunaga.

Tsurugi

Tsurugi (Japanese: 剣) is a Japanese word meaning straight double-edged sword(sometimes with a massive pommel). Its shape is similar to a tsurugi-no-tachi (straight one-sided sword).
It was used as a combat sword in the 7th-9th centuries, before the advent of one-sided curved tati swords, and subsequently for ceremonial and religious purposes.
One of the three sacred relics of Shintoism is the sword Kusanagi-no-tsurugi.

Chokuto

Chokuto (Japanese: 直刀 chokuto, “straight sword”) is common name an ancient type of swords that appeared among Japanese warriors around the 2nd-4th centuries AD. It is not known for sure whether chokuto originated in Japan or was exported from China; It is believed that in Japan blades were copied from foreign designs. At first, swords were cast from bronze, but later they began to be forged from a single piece of low-quality (there was no other kind at that time) steel using rather primitive technology. Like its Western counterparts, chokuto was intended primarily for stabbing attacks.
The characteristic features of the chokuto were a straight blade and one-sided sharpening. The most common were two types of chokuto: kazuchi-no-tsurugi (sword with a hammer-shaped head) had a hilt with an oval guard ending in an onion-shaped copper head, and koma-no-tsurugi ("Korean sword") had a hilt with a head in ring shape. The length of the swords was 0.6-1.2 m, but most often it was 0.9 m. The sword was worn in a scabbard covered with sheet copper and decorated with perforated patterns.

Shin-gunto

Shin-gunto (1934) is a Japanese army sword created to revive samurai traditions and raise the morale of the army. This weapon repeated the shape of the Tati combat sword, both in design (similar to the Tachi, the shin gunto was worn on a sword belt with the blade down and its design used a kabuto-gane handle cap, instead of the kashiro adopted on katanas), and in the techniques of handling it. Unlike tachi and katana swords, which were made individually by blacksmiths using traditional technology, shin-gunto was mass-produced in a factory manner.
Shin-gunto was very popular and went through several modifications. In the last years of World War II, they were mainly associated with the desire to reduce production costs. So, sword hilts for the younger ones army officials were made without braiding, and sometimes even from stamped aluminum.
For naval ranks, in 1937, their own military service was introduced - kai-gunto. It was a variation on the sin-gunto theme, but differed in design - the braid of the handle was brown, the handle had black stingray leather, the scabbard was always wooden (for the sin-gunto it was metal) with black trim.
After the end of World War II, most of the Shin Gunto were destroyed by order of the occupation authorities.
Ninjato, Shinobigatana (fictional)
Ninjato (Japanese: 忍者刀 ninjato:), also known as ninjaken (Japanese: 忍者刀) or shinobigatana (Japanese: 忍刀), is a sword used by ninjas. It is a short sword forged with much less effort than a katana or tachi. Modern ninjato often have a straight blade and a square tsuba (guard). Some sources claim that the ninjato, unlike the katana or wakizashi, was used to deliver only cutting blows, not piercing ones. This statement may be erroneous, since the main enemy of the ninja was the samurai, and his armor required an accurate stabbing blow. However, the main function of the katana was also a powerful cutting blow.

Shikomizue

Shikomizue (Japanese: 仕込み杖 Shikomizue) - a weapon for " hidden war". In Japan it was used by ninjas. Nowadays, this blade often appears in films.
The Shikomizue was a wooden or bamboo cane with a hidden blade. The shikomizue blade could be straight or slightly curved, because the cane had to exactly follow all the curves of the blade. The Shikomizue could be either a long sword or a short dagger. Therefore, the length of the cane depended on the length of the weapon.

Zanbato, zambato, zhanmadao

The Japanese reading of the zhanmadao characters is zambato (Japanese: 斬馬刀 zambato:) (also zammato), but it is unknown whether such weapons were actually used in Japan. However, zambato is mentioned in some contemporary Japanese works of popular culture.
Zhanmadao or mazhandao (Chinese: 斬馬刀, pinyin zhǎn mǎ dāo, literally “sword for cutting horses”) is a Chinese two-handed saber with a wide and long blade, used by foot soldiers against cavalry during the Song Dynasty (mention of mazhandao is present, in particular, in the "Biography of Yue Fei" dynastic history "Song Shi"). The tactics of using mazhangao, according to the Song Shi, are attributed to the famous military leader Yue Fei. Infantry detachments armed with mazhangao, operating before the formation of the main part of the troops in a scattered formation, tried to use it to cut off the legs of enemy horses. Similar tactics were used in the 1650s by the troops of Zheng Chenggong in battles with the Qing cavalry. Some foreign researchers claim that the mazhangao saber was also used by the Mongol army of Genghis Khan.

Samurai sword

Japanese technology for making swords from iron began to develop in the 8th century and reached its highest perfection by the 13th century, making it possible to produce not just military weapons, but a real work of art that cannot be fully reproduced even in modern times. For about a thousand years, the shape of the sword remained virtually unchanged, changing slightly mainly in length and degree of bending in accordance with the development of close combat tactics. The sword, being one of the three ancient regalia of the Japanese emperor, also had ritual and magical significance in Japanese society.

Terminology

Japanese names are often used in literature to refer to varieties of Japanese swords and their parts. Brief dictionary most frequently used concepts:

Comparison table of Japanese swords

Type	Length (nagasa), cm	Width (motohub), cm	Deflection (sorry), cm	Thickness (kasane), mm	Notes

Tati	61-71	2,4-3,5	1,2-2,1	5-6,6	Appeared in the 11th century. Worn on the belt with the blade down, paired with a tanto dagger.

Katana	61-73	2,8-3,1	0,4-1,9	6-8	Appeared in the 14th century. Worn behind the belt with the blade up, paired with a wakizashi.

Wakizashi	32-60	2,1-3,2	0,2-1,7	4-7	Appeared in the 14th century. Worn with the blade up, paired with a katana.

Tanto	17-30	1.7-2.9	0-0.5	5-7	Worn in tandem with a tati sword or separately as a knife.

All dimensions are given for the blade without taking into account the shank. The width and thickness are indicated for the base of the blade where it meets the tang. The data is taken for swords from the Kamakura and Muromachi periods ( - gg.) from catalogs. Tati length in initial period Kamakura and modern tachi (gendai-to) reaches 83 cm.

History of the Japanese sword

Ancient swords. Until the 9th century.

The first iron swords were brought to the Japanese islands in the 2nd half of the 3rd century by Chinese traders from the mainland. This period of Japanese history is called Kofun (lit. “mounds”, III - centuries). The kurgan-type graves preserved, although heavily damaged by rust, swords from that period, divided by archaeologists into Japanese, Korean and, most commonly, Chinese designs. Chinese swords had a straight, narrow, single-edged blade with a large ring-shaped pommel on the tang. Japanese examples were shorter, with a wider, straight, double-edged blade and a massive pommel. During the Asuka period (-), with the help of Korean and Chinese blacksmiths, Japan began to produce its own iron, and by the 7th century they mastered composite technology. Unlike previous samples, forged from a solid iron strip, swords began to be made by forging from iron and steel plates.

In the old days (the period of Koto swords, around 2000), there were approximately 120 blacksmith schools, which over the centuries produced swords with characteristic stable features developed by the founding master of the school. In modern times (the period of Shinto swords - gg.) 80 schools are known. There are about 1000 outstanding masters of the blacksmith's craft, and in total, over a thousand years of the history of the Japanese sword, more than 23 thousand swordsmiths have been recorded, of which the majority (4 thousand) during the koto (old swords) period lived in the province of Bizen (modern Okayama Prefecture ).

Iron ingots were flattened into thin sheets, cooled rapidly in water, and then broken into coin-sized pieces. After this, a selection of pieces was carried out, pieces with large inclusions of slag were discarded, and the rest were sorted by color and granular structure of the fault. This method allowed the smith to select steel with a predictable carbon content ranging from 0.6 to 1.5%.

Further release of slag residues in the steel and reduction of carbon content was carried out during the forging process - joining individual small pieces into a blank for the sword.

Blade forging

Cross section of a Japanese sword. Shown are two common structures with excellent combinations in the direction of the steel layers. Left: The metal of the blade will show texture. itame, on right - masame.

Pieces of steel with approximately the same carbon content were poured onto a plate of the same metal, in a single block everything was heated to 1300°C and welded together with hammer blows. The process of forging the workpiece begins. The workpiece is flattened and folded in half, then flattened again and folded in half in the other direction. As a result of repeated forging, multilayer steel is obtained, finally cleared of slag. It is easy to calculate that when the workpiece is folded 15 times, almost 33 thousand layers of steel are formed - the typical density of Damascus for Japanese swords.

The slag still remains a microscopic layer on the surface of the steel layer, forming a peculiar texture ( hada), resembling a pattern on the surface of wood.

To make a sword blank, the blacksmith forges at least two bars from hard high-carbon steel ( kawagane) and softer low-carbon ( shingane). From the first, a U-shaped profile approximately 30 cm long is formed, into which a block is placed shingane, without reaching the part that will become the top and which is made of the best and hardest steel kawagane. Then the blacksmith heats the block in a forge and welds the component parts together by forging, after which he increases the length of the workpiece at 700-1100°C to the size of a sword.

With more complex technology, up to 4 bars are welded: from the hard steel (hagane) form the cutting blade and apex, 2 bars of less hard steel go to the sides, and a bar of relatively soft steel forms the core. The composite structure of the blade can be even more complex with a separate welding of the butt.

Forging is used to shape the blade of the blade to a thickness of about 2.5 mm (in the area of the cutting edge) and its edge. The upper tip is also straightened by forging, for which the end of the workpiece is cut diagonally. Then the long end (on the blade side) of the diagonal cut is forged to the short one (the butt), as a result of which the structure of the metal at the top provides increased strength in the striking zone of the sword, while maintaining hardness and thereby the possibility of very sharp sharpening.

Blade hardening and polishing

The next important stage in sword manufacturing is heat treatment of the blade to strengthen the cutting edge, as a result of which a hamon pattern, specific to Japanese swords, appears on the surface of the sword. Up to half of the blanks in the hands of the average blacksmith never become real swords as a result of failed hardening.

For heat treatment, the blade is covered with an uneven layer of heat-resistant paste - a mixture of clay, ash and stone powder. The exact composition of the paste was kept secret by the master. The blade was covered with a thin layer, the thickest layer of paste was applied to the middle part of the blade, where hardening was undesirable. The liquid mixture was leveled and, after drying, scratched in a certain order in the area closer to the blade, thanks to which a pattern was prepared jamon. The blade with the dried paste is heated evenly along its length until approx. 770°C (controlled by the color of the hot metal), then immersed in a container of water with the blade down. Sudden cooling changes the structure of the metal near the blade, where the thickness of the metal and heat-protective paste is thinnest. The blade is then reheated to 160°C and cooled again. This procedure helps reduce stress in the metal caused by hardening.

The hardened area of the blade has an almost white tint compared to the rest of the blade's darker gray-bluish surface. The border between them is clearly visible in the form of a patterned line jamon, which is interspersed with shiny martensite crystals in iron. In ancient times, the hamon looked like a straight line along the blade; during the Kamakura period, the line became wavy, with fancy curls and transverse lines. It is believed that in addition to its aesthetic appearance, the wavy, heterogeneous line of the hamon allows the blade to better withstand impact loads, damping sudden stresses in the metal.

If the procedure is followed, as an indicator of the quality of hardening, the butt of the blade acquires a whitish tint, utsuri(lit. reflection). Utsuri reminds jamon, but its appearance is not a consequence of the formation of martensite, but an optical effect resulting from a slight change in the structure of the metal in this zone compared to the nearby body of the blade. Utsuri is not a mandatory attribute of a quality sword, but indicates successful heat treatment for certain technologies.

When the blade is heated during the hardening process to a temperature of more than 770°, its surface acquires a richness of shades and a richness of pattern details. However, this may damage the strength of the sword. Only the blacksmiths of the Sagami province during the Kamakura period managed to combine the fighting qualities of a sword with the luxurious design of the metal surface; high-quality swords of other schools are distinguished by a rather strict manner of design of the blade.

The final finishing of the sword is no longer carried out by a blacksmith, but by an artisan polisher, whose skill was also highly valued. Using a series of polishing stones of varying grits and water, the polisher would polish the blade to perfection, after which the smith would stamp his name and other information onto the unpolished tang. The sword was considered ready, the remaining operations were to attach the handle ( tsuki), guards ( tsuba), applying jewelry was classified as an auxiliary procedure that did not require magical skill.

Fighting qualities

The combat quality of the best Japanese swords cannot be assessed. Due to their uniqueness and high price, testers are not able to test and compare them with best works gunsmiths from other regions of the world. It is necessary to distinguish between the capabilities of the sword for different situations. For example, sharpening a sword for maximum sharpness (for tricks with cutting handkerchiefs in the air) will be unsuitable for cutting through armor. In ancient times and the Middle Ages, legends were spread about the capabilities of weapons that could not be demonstrated in modern times. Below are some legends and facts about the capabilities of the Japanese sword.

Modern assessment of Japanese swords

After the surrender of Japan in World War II, the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition issued an order to destroy all Japanese swords, but after the intervention of experts, in order to preserve historical relics of significant artistic value, the order was changed. The Society for the Preservation of Artistic Japanese Swords (NBTHK) was created, one of its tasks was to provide an expert assessment of the historical value of the sword. In 1950, Japan passed the Law on Cultural Heritage, which, in particular, determined the procedure for preserving Japanese swords as part of the cultural heritage of the nation.

The sword evaluation system is multi-stage, starting with the assignment of the lowest category and ending with the awarding of the highest titles (the top two titles are under the purview of the Japanese Ministry of Culture):

National Treasure ( kokuho). About 122 swords have the title, mostly tachi from the Kamakura period, katana and wakizashi in this list are less than 2 dozen.
Important cultural property. About 880 swords have the title.
A particularly important sword.
An important sword.
A particularly guarded sword.
Guarded sword.

In modern Japan, it is only possible to keep a registered sword with one of the above titles, otherwise the sword is subject to confiscation as a type of weapon (unless it is classified as souvenir products). The actual quality of the sword is certified by the Japanese Sword Preservation Society (NTHK), which issues expert opinion according to the established pattern.

Currently in Japan, it is customary to evaluate a Japanese sword not so much by its combat parameters (strength, cutting ability), but by criteria applicable to a work of art. High-quality sword, maintaining properties effective weapon, must provide aesthetic pleasure to the observer, have perfection of form and harmony of artistic taste.

Sources

The article was written based on materials from the following publications:

Sword. Kodansha encyclopedia of Japan. 1st ed. 1983. ISBN 0-87011-620-7 (U.S.)
A. G. Bazhenov, “History of the Japanese sword”, St. Petersburg, 2001, 264 pp. ISBN 5-901555-01-5
A. G. Bazhenov, “Examination of the Japanese sword,” St. Petersburg, 2003, 440 p. ISBN 5-901555-14-7.
Leon and Hiroko Kapp, Yoshindo Yoshihara, “The Craft of the Japanese Sword.” Translation into Russian on the website www.katori.ru.

Notes

The term “tati” has been established in Russian-language literature. Russian phonetics does not allow you to accurately convey the sound; English phonetics reproduces the name as tachi.
There is no exact deflection standard for tati. At the beginning, the Tati sword had an almost saber-like curvature; by the 14th century the blade straightened. The sori deflection is standardly measured as the maximum distance from the butt to the straight line between the tip of the sword and the base of the blade. The handle is not taken into account in the calculation of curvature.
Definitions of the types of Japanese swords are given in A. Bazhenov’s book “Examination of the Japanese Sword” according to the explanation of the Japanese association NBTHK (Society for the Preservation of Artistic Japanese Swords), responsible for the certification of Japanese blades.
Although the tachi is on average longer than the katana, it is not uncommon for the length of the katana to exceed the length of the tachi.
These lengths are obtained by converting the traditional Japanese length measure shaku (30.3 cm, approx. elbow length) into cm.
That is, until the end of the Momoyama period. Traditionally Japanese history divided into unequal periods, identified by name settlements, which became the emperor’s habitat.
Aoi Art Tokyo: Japanese auction house specializing in Japanese swords.
Japanese Sword Ginza Choshuya Magazine: A store selling Japanese swords, publishes a catalog every month.
The Kogarasu-Maru sword is made in the unusual kissaki-moroha style popular during the Nara period. Half of the blade is double-edged to the tip, the other half has a blunt edge. There is a central groove running along the blade; the blade itself is very slightly curved, but there is a rather strong bend in the shank in relation to the blade. There is no signature on the sword. Kept in the collection of the imperial family. See photo in Bazhenov’s book “History of the Japanese Sword”.
"Lumbar curve" ( koshi-zori) was named so because the maximum deflection of the blade when wearing a sword comfortably fit the body just in the lumbar region.
The butt can be flat or semicircular, but such examples are extremely rare among real Japanese swords.
A. G. Bazhenov, “History of the Japanese sword”, p. 41
A. G. Bazhenov, “History of the Japanese sword”, p. 147
Sword. Kodansha encyclopedia of Japan.
A. Bazhenov, “Examination of the Japanese sword”, pp. 307-308
A brilliant clear color of the fracture indicates a carbon content greater than 1% (high carbon steel).
The process of forging a sword is described according to the booklet of the All-Japan Association of Swordsmiths and the book “The Craft of the Japanese Sword” (see sources), which describes the ancient technology restored by a modern master.

The reign of the Tokugawa shogunate from 1603 was associated with the disappearance of the art of wielding a spear. The bloody wars were replaced by the era of technology and the improvement of military competition with swords. The art associated with it was called “kenjutsu”, over time it turned into a means of spiritual self-improvement.

The meaning of the samurai sword

Real samurai swords were considered not just the weapons of a professional warrior, but also a symbol of the samurai class, an emblem of honor and valor, courage and masculinity. Since ancient times, weapons have been revered as a sacred gift from the Sun Goddess to her grandson, who rules the earth. The sword was to be used only to eradicate evil, injustice and protect good. He was part of the Shinto cult. Temples and sacred places were decorated with weapons. In the 8th century, Japanese clergy participated in the production, cleaning, and polishing of swords.

The samurai had to always keep a warrior's kit with him. Swords were given a place of honor in the house, a niche in the main corner - tokonoma. They were stored on a tachikake or katanakake stand. When going to bed, the samurai placed his swords at arm's length at his head.

A person could be poor, but have an expensive blade in an excellent frame. The sword was an emblem emphasizing class status. For the sake of the blade, the samurai had the right to sacrifice his own life and his family.

Japanese warrior kit

Japanese warriors always carried two swords with them, which indicated that they were samurai. The warrior's set (daise) consisted of a long and short blade. The long samurai sword katana or daito (60 to 90 cm) is the main weapon of the samurai since the 14th century. It was worn on the belt with the point up. The sword was sharpened on one side and also had a hilt. The masters of combat knew how to kill with lightning speed, in a split second by extending the blade and making one swing. This technique was called “iaijutsu”.

A short samurai wakizashi sword (shoto or kodachi), half as long (from 30 to 60 cm), was worn on the belt with the tip up, and was used less often when fighting in cramped conditions. With the help of wakizashi, warriors cut off the heads of killed opponents or, when captured, committed seppuku - suicide. Most often, samurai fought with a katana, although special schools taught fighting with two swords.

Types of samurai swords

In addition to the daisho set, there were several types used by warriors.

Tsurugi, chokuto - the oldest sword, used until the 11th century, had straight edges and was sharpened on both sides.
Ken - a straight ancient blade, sharpened on both sides, used in religious rites and was rarely used in combat.
Tati is a large curved sword (point length from 61 cm), used by horsemen, worn with the tip down.
Nodachi or odachi - an extra-large blade (from 1 m to 1.8 m), which is a type of tachi, was worn behind the rider's back.
Tanto - dagger (up to 30 cm long).
Bamboo swords (shinai) and wooden swords (bokken) were used for training. Training weapon could be used in battle with an unworthy enemy, for example, a robber.

Commoners and men of the lower classes had the right to defend themselves with small knives and daggers, since there was a law on the right to carry swords.

Katana sword

Katana is a samurai fighting sword, included in the standard weapon of a warrior along with a small wakizashi blade. It began to be used in the 15th century thanks to the improvement of tati. The katana is distinguished by an outwardly curved blade and a long, straight handle that allows it to be held with one or two hands. The blade has a slight bend and a pointed end, used for cutting and piercing blows. The weight of the sword is 1 - 1.5 kg. In terms of strength, flexibility and hardness, the samurai katana sword ranks first among other blades in the world; it cuts through bones, rifle barrels and iron, and is superior to Arab damask steel and European swords.

The blacksmith who forged weapons never made accessories; for this purpose he had other craftsmen subordinate to him. A katana is a construction set assembled as a result of the work of a whole team. Samurai always had several sets of accessories worn on occasion. The blade was passed down from generation to generation for centuries, and its appearance could change depending on the circumstances.

History of the katana

In 710, the legendary first Japanese swordsman Amakuni used a sword with curved blade. Forged from dissimilar plates, it had a saber shape. Its form did not change until the 19th century. Since the 12th century, katanas have been considered the swords of aristocrats. Under the reign of the Ashikaga shoguns, a tradition arose of wearing two swords, which became the privilege of the samurai class. A set of samurai swords was part of military, civilian and festive costume. All samurai wore two blades, regardless of rank: from private to shogun. After the revolution, Japanese officials were required to wear European swords, and then katanas lost their high status.

Secrets of making a katana

The blade was forged from two types of steel: the core was made from tough steel, and the cutting edge was made from durable steel. The steel was cleaned by repeated folding and welding before forging.

In the manufacture of a katana, the choice of metal, special iron ore with impurities of molybdenum and tungsten. The master buried the iron rods in the swamp for 8 years. During this time the rust was eaten away weak spots, then the product was sent to the forge. The gunsmith turned the rods into foil with a heavy hammer. The foil was then folded and flattened repeatedly. Therefore, the finished blade consisted of 50,000 layers of high-strength metal.

Real samurai katanas have always been distinguished by a characteristic hamon line, which appears as a result of the use of special forging and hardening methods. The handle of the tsuka sword was wrapped in stingray skin and wrapped in a strip of silk. Souvenir or ceremonial katanas could have handles made of wood or ivory.

Katana Proficiency

The long hilt of the sword allows it to be maneuvered effectively. To hold the katana, use a grip, the end of the handle of which must be held in the middle of the left palm, and right hand squeeze the handle near the guard. The synchronized swing of both hands made it possible for the warrior to achieve a wide amplitude of the swing without spending a lot of effort. The blows were struck vertically at the enemy's sword or hands. This allows you to move your opponent's weapon out of the attack's path so you can hit him with the next swing.

Ancient Japanese weapons

Several varieties of Japanese weapons are of the auxiliary or secondary type.

Yumi or o-yumi are combat bows (from 180 to 220 cm), which are the oldest weapons in Japan. Bows have been used in combat and in religious ceremonies since ancient times. In the 16th century they were supplanted by muskets brought from Portugal.
Yari - a spear (5 m long), a weapon popular in the era of civil strife, was used by infantry to throw the enemy off a horse.
Bo is a military fighting pole, nowadays classified as a sporting weapon. There are many options for the pole, depending on the length (from 30 cm to 3 m), thickness and cross-section (round, hexagonal, etc.).
Yoroi-doshi was considered a dagger of mercy, resembled a stiletto and was used to finish off opponents wounded in battle.
Kozuka or kotsuka is a military knife mounted in the sheath of a combat sword, often used for household purposes.
Tessen or dansen uchiva is a military fan of a commander. The fan was equipped with sharpened steel spokes and could be used in an attack, as a battle hatchet and as a shield.
Jitte - an iron war club, a fork with two teeth. Used during the Tokugawa era as a police weapon. Using jitte, police intercepted samurai swords in battles with violent warriors.
Naginata is a Japanese halberd, a weapon of warrior monks, a two-meter long pole with a small flat blade at the end. In ancient times, it was used by foot soldiers to attack enemy horses. In the 17th century it began to be used in samurai families as a feminine
Kaiken is a combat dagger for aristocratic women. Used for self-defense, and also by dishonored girls for suicide.

During the period of internecine civil wars made in Japan firearms, flintlock guns (teppo), which became considered unworthy with the rise of the Tokugawa. Since the 16th century, cannons also appeared in Japanese troops, but the bow and sword continued to occupy the main place in the samurai’s weapons.

Katana-kaji

Swords in Japan have always been made by people of the ruling class, often relatives of the samurai or courtiers. With the growing demand for swords, feudal lords began to patronize blacksmiths (katana-kaji). Making a samurai sword required careful preparation. The forging of swords resembled a liturgical ceremony and was filled with religious activities to protect the owner from evil forces.

Before starting work, the blacksmith observed a fast, abstained from bad thoughts and actions, and performed a ritual of cleansing the body. The forge was carefully cleaned and decorated with shime - ritual attributes woven from rice straw. Each forge had an altar for prayer and for moral preparation for work. If necessary, the master dressed in kuge - ceremonial clothing. Honor did not allow an experienced craftsman to make low-quality weapons. Sometimes a blacksmith would destroy a sword that he could have spent several years crafting because of one single flaw. Work on one sword could last from 1 to 15 years.

Japanese sword production technology

The melted metal obtained from magnetic iron ore was used as weapon steel. Samurai swords, considered the best in the world Far East, were as durable as Damascus. In the 17th century, metal from Europe began to be used in the production of Japanese swords.

A Japanese blacksmith shaped a blade from huge number iron layers, thin strips with different content carbon. The strips were welded together during melting and forging. Forging, stretching, repeated folding and new forging of metal strips made it possible to obtain a thin beam.

Thus, the blade consisted of many fused thin layers of different carbon steel. The combination of low-carbon and high-carbon metals gave the sword special hardness and toughness. At the next stage, the blacksmith polished the blade on several stones and hardened it. It is not uncommon for samurai swords from Japan to take several years to complete.

Murder at a Crossroads

The quality of the blade and the skill of the samurai were usually tested in battle. Nice sword allowed three corpses to be cut, laid friend on a friend. It was believed that new samurai swords should be tested on humans. Tsuji-giri (killing at the crossroads) is the name of the ritual of testing a new sword. The victims of the samurai were beggars, peasants, travelers and just passers-by, whose number soon numbered in the thousands. The authorities posted patrols and guards on the streets, but the guards did not perform their duties well.

Samurai, who did not want to kill innocents, preferred another method - tameshi-giri. By paying the executioner, one could give him the blade that he used during the execution of the condemned man.

What is the secret of the sharpness of the katana?

A real katana sword can sharpen itself as a result of the ordered movement of molecules. Simply by placing the blade on a special stand, the warrior would again receive a sharp blade after a certain period of time. The sword was polished in stages, through ten reducing grits. Then the master polished the blade with charcoal dust.

At the last stage, the sword was hardened in liquid clay; as a result of this procedure, a matte, thin strip (yakiba) appeared on the blade. Famous craftsmen left their signature on the tail of the blade. After forging and hardening, the sword was polished for half a month. When the katana had a mirror shine, the work was considered completed.

Conclusion

A real samurai sword, the price of which is fabulous, is usually handmade by an ancient master. Such tools are difficult to find, as they are passed down in families as heirlooms. The most expensive katana have mei - the mark of the master and the year of manufacture on the shank. Many swords were decorated with symbolic forging, drawings that ward off evil spirits. The sword sheath was also decorated with ornaments.