Katana Muramasa

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 facing upward. Since the Muromachi period, many old ''tachi'' were cut from the root and shortened, and the blade at the root was crushed and converted into ''katana''. The specific term for ''katana'' in Japan is ''uchigatana'' (打刀) and the term ''katana'' (刀) often refers to single-edged swords from around the world.

Etymology and loanwords

The word ''katana'' first appears in Japanese in the '' Nihon Shoki'' of 720. The term is a compound of ''kata'' ("one side, one-sided") + ''na'' ("blade"),1988, (''Kokugo Dai Jiten'', Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, entry available onlin
here
/span>2006, ('' Daijirin''), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, 1995, (''Daijisen'') (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, , entry available onlin
here
/span> in contrast to the double-sided '' tsurugi''. See more at the Wiktionary entry.

The ''katana'' belongs to the ''nihontō'' family of swords, and is distinguished by a blade length (''nagasa'') of more than 2 ''shaku'', approximately .

''Katana'' can also be known as ''dai'' or ''daitō'' among Western sword enthusiasts, although ''daitō'' is a generic name for any Japanese long sword, literally meaning "big sword".

As Japanese does not have separate plural and singular forms, both ''katanas'' and ''katana'' are considered acceptable forms in English.

Pronounced , the '' kun'yomi'' (Japanese reading) of the ''kanji'' 刀, originally meaning single edged blade (of any length) in Chinese, the word has been adopted as a loanword by the Portuguese. In Portuguese the designation (spelled ''catana'') means "large knife" or machete.

Description

The ''katana'' is generally defined as the standard sized, moderately curved (as opposed to the older ''tachi'' featuring more curvature) Japanese sword with a blade length greater than 60.6 cm (23.86 inches) (Japanese 2 Shaku). It is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, slender, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard (''tsuba'') and long grip to accommodate two hands.

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''). In general, the ''mei'' should be carved into the side of the ''nakago'' which would face outward when the sword was worn. Since a ''tachi'' was worn with the cutting edge down, and the ''katana'' was worn with the cutting edge up, the ''mei'' would be in opposite locations on the tang.

Western historians have said that ''katana'' were among the finest cutting weapons in world military history. However, the main weapons on the battlefield in the Sengoku period in the 15th century were ''yumi'' (bow), ''yari'' (spear) and ''tanegashima'' (gun), and ''katana'' and ''tachi'' were used only for close combat. During this period, the tactics changed to a group battle by ''ashigaru'' (foot soldiers) mobilized in large numbers, so '' naginata'' and ''tachi'' became obsolete as weapons on the battlefield and were replaced by ''yari'' and ''katana''. In the relatively peaceful Edo period, ''katana'' increased in importance as a weapon, and at the end of the Edo period, ''shishi'' (political activists) fought many battles using ''katana'' as their main weapon. ''Katana'' and ''tachi'' were often used as gifts between daimyo (feudal lord) and samurai, or as offerings to the ''kami'' enshrined in Shinto shrines, and symbols of authority and spirituality of samurai.''歴史人'' September 2020. pp.40-43. Kazuhiko Inada (2020), ''Encyclopedia of the Japanese Swords''. p42.

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)
* ''Kotō'' (old swords from around 900–1596)
* ''Shintō'' (new swords 1596–1780)
* ''Shinshintō'' (newer swords 1781–1876)
* ''Gendaitō'' (modern or contemporary swords 1876–present)

''Kotō'' (Old swords)

''Katana'' originates from ''sasuga'' (刺刀), a kind of '' tantō'' (short sword or knife) used by lower-ranking samurai who fought on foot in the Kamakura period (1185–1333). Their main weapon was a long '' naginata'' and ''sasuga'' was a spare weapon. In the Nanboku-chō period (1336－1392) which corresponds to the early Muromachi period (1336－1573), long weapons such as '' ōdachi'' were popular, and along with this, ''sasuga'' lengthened and finally became ''katana''. Also, there is a theory that ''koshigatana'' (腰刀), a kind of ''tantō'' which was equipped by high ranking samurai together with ''tachi'', developed to ''katana'' through the same historical background as ''sasuga'', and it is possible that both developed to ''katana''.Differences in Japanese swords according to status.
Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World. The oldest ''katana'' in existence today is called ''Hishizukuri uchigatana'', which was forged in the Nanbokuchō period, and was dedicated to Kasuga Shrine later.Kazuhiko Inada (2020), ''Encyclopedia of the Japanese Swords''. p43.

The first use of ''katana'' as a word to describe a long sword that was different from a ''tachi'', occurs as early as the Kamakura Period. These references to "''uchigatana''" and "''tsubagatana''" seem to indicate a different style of sword, possibly a less costly sword for lower-ranking warriors. Starting around the year 1400, long swords signed with the ''katana-''style ''mei'' were made. This was in response to ''samurai'' wearing their ''tachi'' in what is now called "''katana'' style" (cutting edge up). Japanese swords are traditionally worn with the ''mei'' facing away from the wearer. When a ''tachi'' was worn in the style of a ''katana'', with the cutting edge up, the ''tachi'''s signature would be facing the wrong way. The fact that swordsmiths started signing swords with a ''katana'' signature shows that some ''samurai'' of that time period had started wearing their swords in a different manner.

By the 15th century, Japanese swords, including ''katana'', had already gained international fame by being exported to China and Korea.Takeo Tanaka (1982) ''対外関係と文化交流''. p.348. Shibunkaku. For example, Korea learned how to make Japanese swords by sending swordsmiths to Japan and inviting Japanese swordsmiths to Korea. According to the record of June 1, 1430 in the '' Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty'', a Korean swordsmith who went to Japan and mastered the method of making Japanese swords presented a Japanese sword to the King of Korea and was rewarded for the excellent work which was no different from the swords made by the Japanese.

Traditionally, ''yumi'' (bows) were the main weapon of war in Japan, and ''tachi'' and ''naginata'' were used only for close combat. The Ōnin War in the late 15th century in the Muromachi period expanded into a large-scale domestic war, in which employed farmers called '' ashigaru'' were mobilized in large numbers. They fought on foot using ''katana'' shorter than ''tachi''. In the Sengoku period (period of warring states) in the late Muromachi period, the war became bigger and ''ashigaru'' fought in a close formation using ''yari'' (spears) lent to them. Furthermore, in the late 16th century, ''tanegashima'' (muskets) were introduced from Portugal, and Japanese swordsmiths mass-produced improved products, with ''ashigaru'' fighting with leased guns. On the battlefield in Japan, guns and spears became main weapons in addition to bows. Due to the changes in fighting styles in these wars, the ''tachi'' and ''naginata'' became obsolete among samurai, and the ''katana'', which was easy to carry, became the mainstream. The dazzling looking ''tachi'' gradually became a symbol of the authority of high-ranking samurai.History of Japanese swords "Muromachi period － Azuchi-Momoyama period".
Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken WorldArms for battle - spears, swords, bows.
Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World

On the other hand, ''kenjutsu'' (swordsmanship) that makes use of the characteristics of ''katana'' was invented. The quicker draw of the sword was well suited to combat where victory depended heavily on short response times. (The practice and martial art for drawing the sword quickly and responding to a sudden attack was called '' Battōjutsu'', which is still kept alive through the teaching of Iaido.) The ''katana'' further facilitated this by being worn thrust through a belt-like sash (''obi {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous title ...