Japanese straight swords 6th 7th century Kofun period

The is a straight, single-edged

Japanese sword A is one of several types of traditionally made swords from Japan. Bronze swords were made as early as the Yayoi period (1000 BC – 300 AD), though most people generally refer to the curved blades made from the Heian period (794 – 1185) to t ...

that was mainly produced prior to the 9th century. Its basic style is likely derived from similar swords of ancient China. Chokutō were used on foot for stabbing or slashing and were worn hung from the waist. Until the

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japan ...

such swords were called , which should not be confused with ''

tachi A is a type of traditionally made Japanese sword (''nihonto'') worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. ''Tachi'' and ''katana'' generally differ in length, degree of curvature, and how they were worn when sheathed, the latter depending on t ...

'' written as referring to curved swords.

History

The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods:Transition of kotō, shintō, shinshintō, and gendaitō.
Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World * Jōkotō (ancient swords, until around 900 C.E.) * Kotō (old swords from around 900–1596) * Shintō (new swords 1596–1780) * Shinshintō (new new swords 1781–1876) * Gendaitō (modern or contemporary swords 1876–present) The '' tsurugi'' was the earliest type of sword cast in Japan. The ''chokutō'', on the other hand, was among the earliest types of sword to be forged in Japan, its basic style and forging techniques probably originated in ancient China and Korea. The ''chokutō'' was brought to Japan by way of Korean Peninsula and China in the

Han Dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...

times. There are various types of ''chokutō'' in the

Kofun period The is an era in the history of Japan from about 300 to 538 AD (the date of the introduction of Buddhism), following the Yayoi period. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes collectively called the Yamato period. This period is ...

(300－538), and there are styles originated in China and styles unique to Japan.Kazuhiko Inada (2020), ''Encyclopedia of the Japanese Swords''. p30. The ''kantō-tachi'' (環頭大刀) is a Chinese style, characterized by a ring-shaped ornament shaped like a dragon or a phoenix on the tip of the handle. The ''Kabutsuchi-tachi'' (頭椎大刀) is a unique Japanese style with a fist-like decoration on the tip of the handle. The ''rokkaku-sōtōken'' (鹿角装刀剣) is also unique to Japan and is decorated with deer antlers. As the name suggests, this style is also applied to '' tsurugi (ken)''. The ''chokutō'' in various styles including these styles declined around the end of the

Asuka period The was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 (or 592 to 645), although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period. The Yamato polity evolved greatly during the Asuka period, which is named after ...

(593－710), and only the style called the ''hōtō-tachi'' (方頭大刀), in which the decoration on the tip of the handle was rectangular parallelepiped, survived from the

Nara period The of the history of Japan covers the years from CE 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the c ...

(710－794). ''Chokutō'' typically come in ''hira-zukuri'' and ''kiriha-zukuri tsukurikomi'' (blade styles) which make them very distinct from later ''

'' and ''

katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge ...

'' which rarely use these forms. Swords of this period are classified as ''jōkotō'' and are often referred to in distinction from Japanese swords. ''Chokutō'' as a weapon died out by the middle of the

, in the 10th century. And as a weapon, it was completely replaced by the Japanese sword, which is known today for its deep and graceful curves. The first sword with this curve was called ''Kenukigata-tachi ( :ja:毛抜形太刀)'', which was made by improving ''Warabitetō ( :ja:蕨手刀)'' used by

Emishi The (also called Ebisu and Ezo), written with Chinese characters that literally mean " shrimp barbarians," constituted an ancient ethnic group of people who lived in parts of Honshū, especially in the Tōhoku region, referred to as in contem ...

in Tohoku region. And ''Kenukigata-tachi'' evolved into ''

'', which became the mainstream of Japanese swords for a long time.''歴史人'' September 2020. p.6 pp.36-37. In today's Japan, straight swords made with the techniques after ''tachi'' (太刀), are also called ''chokutō'', and these are sometimes used in traditional ceremonies. The '' Sugari no Ontachi'' (須賀利御太刀) is one of the ''chokutō'' made as an offering to

Amaterasu Amaterasu, also known as Amaterasu Ōmikami () or Ōhirume no Muchi no Kami (), is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. One of the major deities (''kami'') of Shinto, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the '' K ...

, the main enshrined ''

kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...

'' of

Ise Grand Shrine The , located in Ise, Mie, Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is a shrine complex composed of many Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and . ...

, and one of the most gorgeous sword mountings among the ''chokutō''. According to tradition, the building of Ise Grand Shrine and its sacred treasures have been recreated to the same specifications every 20 years since the seventh century. The ''Sugari no Ontachi'' currently offered to Ise Grand Shrine was remade in 2013 and is thought to have accurately inherited the style of sword mountings from the Heian period (794ー1185) and the forging method from the Sinto period (1596－1781).モノづくり再生は新旧技術のコラボレーションで. p.3.
旭化成

Gallery

File:Seven_stars_sword_Sitenoji_rotated.jpg, '' Shitennō-ji '', single-edged straight sword, Asuka period File:Hilts of Japanese straight sword Kofun period circa 600.jpg, Hilts of Japanese straight swords, Kofun period, 6-7th century, Met Museum. File:Chinese swords Sui Dynasty top and Japanese Kofun period sword bottom about 600.jpg, Two Chinese swords (top) of the

Sui Dynasty The Sui dynasty (, ) was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China that lasted from 581 to 618. The Sui unified the Northern and Southern dynasties, thus ending the long period of division following the fall of the Western Jin dynasty, and la ...

. Bottom: Japanese sword with scabbard, Kofun period, 6th century, Met Museum. File:KofunSwordHilts.jpg, Sword hilts, end of the Kofun period, Japan, 6th century. Musée Guimet.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chokuto Ancient swords of Japan Japanese swords

History

Gallery

See also

References