Japanese Swords

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 the present day when speaking of "Japanese swords". There are many types of Japanese swords that differ by size, shape, field of application and method of manufacture. Some of the more commonly known types of Japanese swords are the ''katana'', ''tachi'', '' odachi'', ''wakizashi'', and ''tantō''.

Classification

Classification by shape and usage

In modern times the most commonly known type of Japanese sword is the ''Shinogi-Zukuri'' ''katana'', which is a single-edged and usually curved longsword traditionally worn by samurai from the 15th century onwards. Western historians have said that Japanese katana were among the finest cutting weapons in world military history, for their intended use.

Other types of Japanese swords include: tsurugi or ken, which is a double-edged sword; ōdachi, tachi, which are older styles of a very long single-edged sword; wakizashi, a medium-sized sword; and tantō, which is an even smaller knife-sized sword. Naginata and yari, despite being polearms, are still considered to be swords, which is a common misconception; naginata, yari and even odachi are in reality not swords.

The type classifications for Japanese swords indicate the combination of a blade and its mounts as this, then, determines the style of use of the blade. An unsigned and shortened blade that was once made and intended for use as a tachi may be alternately mounted in tachi koshirae and katana koshirae. It is properly distinguished, then, by the style of mount it currently inhabits. A long tanto may be classified as a wakizashi due to its length being over 30 cm, however it may have originally been mounted and used as a tanto making the length distinction somewhat arbitrary but necessary when referring to unmounted short blades. When the mounts are taken out of the equation, a tanto and wakizashi will be determined by length under or over 30 cm, unless their intended use can be absolutely determined or the speaker is rendering an opinion on the intended use of the blade. In this way, a blade formally attributed as a wakizashi due to length may be informally discussed between individuals as a tanto because the blade was made during an age where tanto were popular and the wakizashi as a companion sword to katana did not yet exist.

The following are types of Japanese swords:
* : A straight two edged sword that was mainly produced prior to the 10th century. After the 10th century, they completely disappeared as weapons and came to be made only as offerings to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples.
* : A straight single edged sword that was mainly produced prior to the 10th century. Since the 10th century, they disappeared as weapons and came to be made only as offerings to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples.
* : A sword that is generally longer and more curved than the later katana, with curvature often centered from the middle or towards the tang, and often including the tang. Tachi were worn suspended, with the edge downward. The tachi was in vogue before the 15th century.
* : A shorter version of the tachi, but with similar mounts and intended use, mostly found in the 13th century or earlier.
* /: Very large tachi, some in excess of 90 cm, and usually a blade of the late 14th century.
* : A sword with an exceptionally long handle, usually about as long as the blade. The name refers to the length of the handle wrapping.
* : A sword with a curved blade longer than 60 cm (there is no upper length limit but generally they are shorter than 90 cm), worn with the edge upwards in the sash. It was developed from ''sasuga'', a kind of ''tantō'', around the 14th century, and became the mainstream replacing ''tachi'' from the 15th century.
* : A general term for a sword between one and two shaku long (30 cm and 60 cm in modern measurement), predominantly made after 1600. Generally it is the short blade that accompanies a katana in the traditional samurai ''daisho'' pairing of swords, but may be worn by classes other than the samurai as a single blade, also worn edge up as the katana. The name derives from the way the sword would be stuck at one's side through the ''obi'' (sash/belt).
* : A sword with a blade shorter than 30 cm. ''Tantō'' is generally classified as a sword, but its usage is the same as that of a knife. Usually one-edged, but some were double-edged, though asymmetrical.

There are bladed weapons made in the same traditional manner as Japanese swords, which are not swords, but which are still Japanese swords (''nihontō'') (as "tō" means "blade", rather than specifically "sword"):
* : A polearm with a curved single-edged blade. Naginata mounts consist of a long wooden pole, different from a nagamaki mount, which is shorter and wrapped.
* : A spear, or spear-like polearm. Yari have various blade forms, from a simple double edged and flat blade, to a triangular cross section double edged blade, to those with a symmetric cross-piece (''jumonji-yari'') or those with an asymmetric cross piece. The main blade is symmetric and straight, unlike a naginata, and usually smaller, but can be as large as or bigger than some naginata blades.

Other edged weapons or tools that are made using the same methods as Japanese swords:
* Arrowheads for war, yajiri (or yanone).
* : An accessory or utility knife, sometimes found mounted in a pocket on the side of the scabbard of a sword. A typical blade is about 10 cm long and 1 cm wide, and is made using the same techniques as the larger sword blades. Also referred to as a "Kozuka" (小柄), which literally means 'small handle', but this terminology can also refer to the handle and the blade together. In entertainment media, the kogatana is sometimes shown as a throwing weapon, but its real purpose was the same as a 'pocket knife' in the West.

Classification by period

Each Japanese sword is classified according to when the blade was made.:Transition of kotō, shintō, shinshintō, and gendaitō.
Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World
* ''Jōkotō'' ( "ancient swords", until around 900 A.D.)
* ''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)

Historically in Japan, the ideal blade of a Japanese sword has been considered to be the ''kotō'' in the Kamakura period, and the swordsmiths from the Edo period to the present day after the ''Shinto'' period focused on reproducing the blade of a Japanese sword in the Kamakura period. There are more than 100 Japanese swords designated as National Treasures in Japan, of which the ''Kotō'' of the Kamakura period account for 80% and the ''tachi'' account for 70%.日本刀の格付けと歴史.
Touken World
Sankei Shimbun. July 2, 2017

Japanese swords since ''shintō'' are different from ''kotō'' in forging method and steel. This was due to the destruction of the Bizen school due to a great flood, the spread of the Mino school, and the virtual unification of Japan by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, which made almost no difference in the steel used by each school. Japanese swords since the ''Sintō'' period often have gorgeous decorations carved on the blade and lacquered ''maki-e'' decorations on the scabbard. This was due to the economic development and the increased value of swords as arts and crafts as the Sengoku Period ended and the peaceful Edo Period began.

Japanese swords are still commonly seen today; antique and modern forged swords can be found and purchased. Modern, authentic Japanese swords (''nihontō'') are made by a few hundred swordsmiths. Many examples can be seen at an annual competition hosted by the All Japan Swordsmith Association, under the auspices of the Nihontō Bunka Shinkō Kyōkai (Society for the Promotion of Japanese Sword Culture).Nihonto Bunka Shinko Kyokai Public Foundation: NBSK newsletter (September 2009)
Retrieved 2010-02-16. However, in order to maintain the quality of Japanese swords, the Japanese government limits the number of Japanese swords a swordsmith can make in a year to 24. Therefore, many of the swords called "Japanese sword" distributed around the world today are made in China, and the manufacturing process and quality are not authorized.

Classification by school

Many old Japanese swords can be traced back to one of five provinces, each of which had its own school, traditions, and "trademarks" (e.g., the swords from Mino province were "from the start famous for their sharpness"). These schools are known as ''Gokaden'' (The Five Traditions). In the ''Kotō'' era there were several other schools that did not fit within the Five Traditions or were known to mix elements of each ''Gokaden'', and they were called (small school). There were 19 commonly referenced . The number of swordsmiths of ''Gokaden'', as confirmed by signatures and documents, were 4005 in Bizen, 1269 in Mino, 1025 in Yamato, 847 in Yamashiro and 438 in Sōshū.''歴史人'' September 2020. pp.64–65. These traditions and provinces are as follows:

Yamato School

The Yamato school is a school that originated in Yamato Province corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture. Nara was the capital of ancient Japan.
Since there is a legend that it was a swordsmith named Amakuni who first signed the tang of a sword, he is sometimes regarded as the founder and the oldest school.
However, the founder identified in the material is Yukinobu in the Heian period. They forged the swords that were often worn by monk warriors called ''sōhei'' in Nara's large temples. The Yamato school consists of five schools: ''Senjuin, Shikkake, Taima, Tegai, and Hōshō''.
Each school forged swords under the supervision of a different temple. In the middle of the Muromachi period, swordsmiths moved to various places such as Mino, and the school disappeared. Their swords are often characterized by a deep curve, a narrow width from blade to back, a high central ridge, and a small tip. There are direct lines on the surface of the blade, the '' hamon'' is linear, and the grain at the boundary of the hamon is medium in size. It is often evaluated as a sword with a simple and strong impression.''歴史人'' September 2020. pp.66–67.

Yamashiro School

The Yamashiro school is a school that originated in Yamashiro Province, corresponding to present-day Kyoto Prefecture. When Emperor Kanmu relocated the capital to Kyoto in 794, swordsmiths began to gather. The founder of the school was Sanjō Munechika in the late 10th century in the Heian period. The Yamashiro school consisted of schools such as ''Sanjō, Ayanokōji, Awataguchi, and Rai''. At first, they often forged swords in response to aristocrats' demands, so importance was placed on aesthetics and practicality was not emphasized. However, when a domestic conflict occurred at the end of the Heian period, practicality was emphasized and a swordsmith was invited from the Bizen school. In the Kamakura period, ''tachi'' from a magnificent ''rai'' school became popular among samurai. After that, they also adopted the forging method of Sōshū school. Their swords are often characterized as long and narrow, curved from the base or center, and have a sparkle on the surface of the blade, with the ''hamon'' being straight and the grains on the boundary of the ''hamon'' being small. It is often evaluated as a sword with an elegant impression.''歴史人'' September 2020. pp.68–69.

Bizen School

The Bizen school is a school that originated in Bizen Province, corresponding to present-day Okayama Prefecture. Bizen has been a major production area of high quality iron sand since ancient times. The Ko-bizen school in the mid Heian period was the originator. The Bizen school consisted of schools such as ''Ko-bizen, Fukuoka-ichimonji, Osafune,'' and ''Hatakeda''.
According to a sword book written in the Kamakura period, out of the 12 best swordsmiths in Japan who were convened by the Retired Emperor Go-Toba, 10 were from the Bizen school.
Great swordsmiths were born one after another in the ''Osafune'' school which started in the Kamakura period, and it developed to the largest school in the history of Japanese swords.
Kanemitsu and Nagayoshi of the ''Osafune'' school were apprentices to Masamune of the Sōshū school, the greatest swordsmith in Japan. While they forged high-quality swords by order, at the same time, from the Muromachi period, when wars became large-scale, they mass-produced low-quality swords for drafted farmers and for export.
The Bizen school had enjoyed the highest prosperity for a long time, but declined rapidly due to a great flood which occurred in the late 16th century during the Sengoku period. Their swords are often characterized as curved from the base, with irregular fingerprint-like patterns on the surface of the blade, while the ''hamon'' has a flashy pattern like a series of cloves, and there is little grain but a color gradient at the boundary of the ''hamon''. It is often evaluated as a sword with a showy and gorgeous impression.''歴史人'' September 2020. pp.70–71.

Sōshū School

The Sōshū school is a school that originated in Sagami Province, corresponding to present-day Kanagawa Prefecture. Sagami Province was the political center of Japan where the Kamakura shogunate was established in the Kamakura period. At the end of the 13th century, the Kamakura shogunate invited swordsmiths from Yamashiro school and Bizen school, and swordsmiths began to gather. Shintōgo Kunimitsu forged experimental swords by combining the forging technology of Yamashiro school and Bizen school. Masamune, who learned from Shintōgo Kunimitsu, became the greatest swordsmith in Japan. From the lessons of the Mongol invasion of Japan, they revolutionized the forging process to make stronger swords. Although this forging method is not fully understood to date, one of the elements is heating at higher temperatures and rapid cooling. Their revolution influenced other schools to make the highest quality swords, but this technique was lost before the Azuchi–Momoyama period (''Shintō'' period). The Sōshū school declined after the fall of the Kamakura shogunate. Their swords are often characterized by a shallow curve, a wide blade to the back, and a thin cross-section. There are irregular fingerprint-like patterns on the surface of the blade, the ''hamon'' has a pattern of undulations with continuous roundness, and the grains at the boundary of the ''hamon'' are large.''歴史人'' September 2020. pp.72–73.

Mino School

The Mino school is a school that originated in Mino Province, corresponding to present-day Gifu Prefecture. Mino Province was a strategic traffic point connecting the Kanto and Kansai regions, and was surrounded by powerful '' daimyo'' (feudal lords). The Mino school started in the middle of the Kamakura period, when swordsmiths of the Yamato school who learned from the Sōshū school gathered in Mino. The Mino school became the largest production area of Japanese swords after the Bizen school declined due to a great flood. The production rate of ''katana'' was high, because it was the newest school among 5 big schools. Their swords are often characterized by a slightly higher central ridge and a thinner back. There are irregular fingerprint-like patterns on the surface of the blade, the ''hamon'' are various, and the grain on the border of the hamon are hardly visible.''歴史人'' September 2020. pp.74–75.

Etymology

The word ''katana'' was used in ancient Japan and is still used today, whereas the old usage of the word ''nihontō'' is found in the poem the Song of ''Nihontō'', by the Song dynasty poet Ouyang Xiu. The word ''nihontō'' became more common in Japan in the late Tokugawa shogunate. Due to importation of Western swords, the word ''nihontō'' was adopted in order to distinguish it from the .

''Meibutsu'' (noted swords) is a special designation given to sword masterpieces which are listed in a compilation from the 18th century called the "Kyoho Meibutsucho". The swords listed are ''Koto'' blades from several different provinces; 100 of the 166 swords listed are known to exist today, with ''Sōshū'' blades being very well represented. The "Kyoho Meibutsucho" also listed the nicknames, prices, history and length of the ''Meibutsu'', with swords by Yoshimitsu, Masamune, Yoshihiro, and Sadamune being very highly priced.

Anatomy

Blade

Each blade has a unique profile, mostly dependent on the swordsmith and the construction method. The most prominent part is the middle ridge, or ''shinogi''. In the earlier picture, the examples were flat to the shinogi, then tapering to the blade edge. However, swords could narrow down to the shinogi, then narrow further to the blade edge, or even expand outward towards the shinogi then shrink to the blade edge (producing a trapezoidal shape). A flat or narrowing shinogi is called ''shinogi-hikushi'', whereas a flat blade is called a ''shinogi-takushi''.

The shinogi can be placed near the back of the blade for a longer, sharper, more fragile tip or a more moderate shinogi near the center of the blade.

The sword also has an exact tip shape, which is considered an extremely important characteristic: the tip can be long (''ōkissaki''), medium (''chūkissaki''), short (''kokissaki''), or even hooked backwards (''ikuri-ōkissaki''). In addition, whether the front edge of the tip is more curved (''fukura-tsuku'') or (relatively) straight (''fukura-kareru'') is also important.

The '' kissaki'' (point) is not usually a "chisel-like" point, and the Western knife interpretation of a "tantō point" is rarely found on true Japanese swords; a straight, linearly sloped point has the advantage of being easy to grind, but less stabbing/piercing capabilities compared to traditional Japanese kissaki Fukura (curvature of the cutting edge of tip) types. Kissaki usually have a curved profile, and smooth three-dimensional curvature across their surface towards the edge—though they are bounded by a straight line called the ''yokote'' and have crisp definition at all their edges. While the straight tip on the "American tanto" is identical to traditional Japanese fukura, two characteristics set it apart from Japanese sword makes: The absolute lack of curve only possible with modern tools, and the use of the word "tanto" in the nomenclature of the western tribute is merely a nod to the Japanese word for knife or short sword, rather than a tip style.

Although it is not commonly known, the "chisel point" kissaki originated in Japan. Examples of such are shown in the book "The Japanese Sword" by Kanzan Sato. Because American bladesmiths use this design extensively it is a common misconception that the design originated in America.

A hole is punched through the tang '' nakago'', called a '' mekugi-ana''. It is used to anchor the blade using a '' mekugi'', a small bamboo pin that is inserted into another cavity in the handle '' tsuka'' and through the mekugi-ana, thus restricting the blade from slipping out. To remove the handle one removes the mekugi. The swordsmith's signature '' mei'' is carved on the tang.

Mountings

In Japanese, the scabbard is referred to as a '' saya'', and the handguard piece, often intricately designed as an individual work of art—especially in later years of the Edo period—was called the ''tsuba''. Other aspects of the mountings (''koshirae''), such as the '' menuki'' (decorative grip swells), '' habaki'' (blade collar and scabbard wedge), '' fuchi'' and ''kashira'' (handle collar and cap), '' kozuka'' (small utility knife handle), '' kogai'' (decorative skewer-like implement), '' saya'' lacquer, and '' tsuka-ito'' (professional handle wrap, also named ), received similar levels of artistry.

Signature and date

The ''mei'' is the signature inscribed on to the tang of the Japanese sword. Fake signatures ("gimei") are common not only due to centuries of forgeries but potentially misleading ones that acknowledge prominent smiths and guilds, and those commissioned to a separate signer.

Sword scholars collect and study ''oshigata'', or paper tang-rubbings, taken from a blade: to identify the mei, the hilt is removed and the sword is held point side up. The mei is chiseled onto the tang on the side which traditionally faces away from the wearer's body while being worn; since the katana and wakizashi are always worn with the cutting edge up, the edge should be held to the viewer's left. The inscription will be viewed as kanji on the surface of the tang: the first two kanji represent the province; the next pair is the smith; and the last, when present, is sometimes a variation of 'made by', or, 'respectfully'. The date will be inscribed near the mei, either with the reign name; the Zodiacal Method; or those calculated from the reign of the legendary Emperor Jimmu

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