The Japanese samurai had a sword. But did they only fight with swords? It will probably be interesting to get acquainted with their arsenal in detail in order to better understand the traditions of ancient Japanese military art.

Let's start by comparing the arsenal of a Japanese samurai with that of a medieval knight from Western Europe. The difference in both the quantity and quality of their samples is immediately evident. The arsenal of the samurai will first of all be much richer. In addition, many types of weapons will be practically incomparable with European ones. In addition, what we consider to be true is in fact very often just another myth. For example, everyone has heard about the fact that the sword is the “soul of the samurai”, since they wrote about it more than once. However, was it their main weapon, and if so, was it always so? Here is a knight's sword - yes, indeed, it has always been a symbol of chivalry, but with a samurai sword, everything is far from so simple.

Firstly, this is not a sword, but a saber. We just traditionally call the samurai blade a sword. And secondly, he was far from always his main weapon! And here it would be best to remember ... the legendary musketeers of Alexandre Dumas! They were called so because their main weapon was a heavy matchlock musket. However, the heroes of the novel use it only during the defense of the Saint-Gervais bastion. In the remaining chapters of the novel, they make do with swords. This is understandable. After all, it was the sword, and then its light version - the sword, that were symbols of chivalry and belonging to the nobility in Europe. Moreover, even a peasant could wear a sword in Europe. Bought and wear! But to master it, you had to study for a long time! And only the nobles could afford it, but not the peasants. But the musketeers fought by no means with swords, and the same was the case with Japanese samurai. The sword among them became especially popular in the years of ... peace, that is, in the Edo era, after 1600, when it turned from a military weapon into a symbol of the samurai class. There was no one to fight with the samurai, it was beneath their dignity to work, so they began to hone their fencing art, open fencing schools - in a word, cultivate the art of antiquity and promote it in every possible way. In a real battle, samurai, of course, also used swords, but at first they did it only as a last resort, and before that they used a bow!

Like the French nobles, the samurai did not part with their swords both in the days of peace and in the days of war, and even a sidelong glance was considered as an insult! Woodcut by Utagawa Kunisada (1786 - 1865).

An ancient Japanese verse said, “Bow and arrows! Only they are the stronghold of the happiness of the whole country! And these lines clearly show how important kyudo, the art of archery, was for the Japanese. Only a noble warrior in ancient Japan could become an archer. His name was yumi-tori - "bow holder". The bow - yumi and arrow I - were among the Japanese sacred weapons, and the expression "yumiya no miti" ("the way of the bow and arrows") was synonymous with the word "bushido" and meant the same thing - "the way of the samurai." Even the purely peaceful expression “samurai family” literally means “bow and arrow family” when translated from Japanese, and the Chinese in their chronicles called the Japanese “Big bow”.

A fragment of the scroll "Heiji no Ran" depicts a rider in a white o-yoroi, armed with a bow and sword. The scroll was created at the beginning of the 14th century.

In the Heike Monogatari (The Tale of the Heike), a well-known Japanese military chronicle of the 14th century, for example, it is reported that in 1185, during the Battle of Yashima, the Minamoto no Kuro Yoshitsune (1159 - 1189) commander fought desperately to return the bow, which he accidentally dropped into the water. The enemy warriors tried to knock him out of the saddle, his own warriors begged him to forget about such a trifle, but he fearlessly fought the first, and did not pay attention to the second. He took out his bow, but his veterans began to openly resent such recklessness: “It was terrible, lord. Your bow may be worth a thousand, ten thousand gold pieces, but is it worth risking your life?”

To which Yoshitsune replied: “It’s not that I didn’t want to part with my bow. If I had a bow like my uncle Tametomo's, which could only be drawn by two or even three people, I might even deliberately leave it to the enemy. But my bow is bad. If the enemies knew that it was I who owned it, they would laugh at me: “Look, this is the bow of the Minamoto commander Kuro Yoshitsune!” I wouldn't like it. So I risked my life to get him back."

In "Hogan Monogatari" ("The Tale of the Hogan Era"), which tells about the hostilities of 1156, Tametomo (1149 - 1170), Yoshitsune's uncle, is said to be an archer so strong that the enemies, having taken him prisoner, knocked him out chisel hands out of the joints to make it impossible to shoot a bow in the future. The title of "archer" was an honorary title for any distinguished samurai, even when the sword and spear replaced the bow. For example, the military leader Imagawa Yoshimoto (1519 - 1560) was given the nickname "The First Archer of the East Sea".

The Japanese made their bows from bamboo, while unlike the bows of other peoples who also used bamboo for this, they were very large in size and at the same time also asymmetrical, since it was believed that with such a warrior it would be more convenient to aim and shoot. Moreover, such a bow was especially convenient for shooting from a horse. The yumi is usually longer than the English " longbows”, as it often reaches 2.5 meters in length. There are cases that there were bows and even longer. So, the legendary archer Minamoto (1139 - 1170) had a bow 280 cm long. Sometimes the bows were made so strong that one person could not pull them. For example, yumi, intended for naval battles, had to be pulled by seven people at once. The modern Japanese bow, as in ancient times, is made from bamboo, various woods and rattan fibers. The usual distance of an aimed shot is 60 meters, well, in the hands of a master, such a weapon is capable of sending an arrow up to 120 meters. On some bows (at one of the ends), the Japanese strengthened the tips, like spears, which allowed this type of weapon, which was called yumi-yari (“spear bow”), to combine the functions of a bow and a spear.

Ancestral arrow and case for it.

The shafts of the arrows were made of polished bamboo or willow, and the plumage was made of feathers. The tip of the yajiri was often a real work of art. They were made by special blacksmiths, and often they signed their tips. Their shapes could be different, for example, bifurcated moon-shaped tips were very popular. Each samurai had a special "ancestral arrow" in his quiver, on which his name was written. It was used to recognize the dead on the battlefield in the same way as in Europe it was done by the coat of arms on the shield, and the winner took it as a trophy. Tsuru - bow string - was made from plant fibers and rubbed with wax. Each archer also had a spare string with him - a gen, which was put in a quiver or wound around a special tsurumaki coil ring that hung on his belt.

Katakura Kadetune - a samurai in black o-yoroy armor and with the same black bow with a characteristic braid. On a belt the coil for a spare bowstring. The back flag of the sashimono depicts a Buddhist bell. Sendai City Museum.

Much kyudo, according to European concepts, lies beyond the reasonable understanding of reality and is inaccessible to a person with a Western mentality. So, for example, it is still believed that the shooter in this half-mystical art plays only the role of an intermediary, and the shot itself is carried out, as it were, without his direct participation. At the same time, the shot itself was divided into four stages: greeting, preparation for aiming, aiming and launching an arrow (moreover, the latter could be fired standing, sitting, kneeling). A samurai could shoot even while riding a horse, and not from a stationary position, but at full gallop, like the ancient Scythians, Mongols and North American Indians!

An ancestral arrow (left) and two tsuba guards on the right.

According to the rules, the bushi warrior received an arrow and a bow from his squire, got up from his seat and assumed the appropriate posture, demonstrating his dignity and complete self-control. At the same time, breathing was required in a certain way, which achieved “peace of mind and body” (dojikuri) and readiness to shoot (yugumae). Then the shooter stood at the target with his left shoulder, with a bow in his left hand. The legs were supposed to be placed at the length of the arrow, after which the arrow was placed on the bowstring and held with the fingers. Meanwhile, relaxing the muscles in his arms and chest, the samurai raised his bow over his head and pulled the string. It was necessary to breathe at this moment with the stomach, which allowed the muscles to relax. Then the shot itself was fired - khanare. The samurai had to concentrate all his physical and mental strength on the “great goal”, the desire for one goal - to connect with the deity, but by no means on the desire to hit the target and not on the target itself. Having fired, the shooter then lowered the bow and calmly walked to his place.

Archery gloves.

Over time, yumi turned from a weapon of a noble rider into a weapon of a simple infantryman, but even then he did not lose respect for himself. Even the advent of firearms did not detract from its importance, since the bow was faster and more reliable than the primitive muzzle-loading arquebus. The Japanese knew crossbows, including Chinese ones, multiply charged doku, but they were not widely used in their country.

By the way, horses and riders were specially trained in the ability to swim across rivers with a turbulent current, and at the same time they had to shoot from a bow! Therefore, the bow was varnished (usually black) and also dyed. Short bows, similar to the Mongolian ones, were also well known to the Japanese, and they used them, but this was difficult because the Buddhists in Japan were disgusted with such things as the hooves, sinews and horns of dead animals and could not touch them, and without this they could make a short but powerful enough bow is simply impossible.

But in Western Europe, the feudal lords bow for military weapon did not recognize. Already the ancient Greeks considered the bow a weapon of a coward, and the Romans called it "insidious and childish." Charlemagne demanded that his soldiers wear a bow, issued the appropriate capitularies (decrees), but he did not succeed much in this! sports equipment for muscle training - yes, hunting weapon- to get his livelihood in the forest, combining a pleasant pastime with useful work - yes, but to fight with a bow in his hands against other knights like himself - yes, God forbid! Moreover, bows and crossbows were used in European armies, but ... they recruited commoners for this: in England - peasant yeomen, in France - Genoese crossbowmen, and in Byzantium and the crusader states in Palestine - Muslim Turkopoulos. That is, in Europe, the main weapon of a knight was originally a double-edged sword, and the bow was considered a weapon unworthy of a noble warrior. Moreover, horseback archers in European armies were forbidden to shoot from horseback. With a noble animal, which was considered a horse, you had to first get off, and only after that take up the bow! In Japan, it was the opposite - it was from the very beginning that the bow was the weapon of noble warriors, and the sword served for self-defense in close combat. And only when the wars in Japan stopped, and archery by and large lost all meaning, the sword came to the first place in the samurai's arsenal, in fact, which by that time had become an analogue of the European sword. Of course, not in terms of his combat characteristics, but in terms of the role that he played in the then Japanese society.

And with spears, the situation was about the same! Well, why does a warrior need a spear when a powerful and long-range bow is at his service ?! But when spears in Japan became a popular weapon, there were so many types of them that it was simply amazing. Although, unlike Western European knights, who used spears from the very beginning of their own, they received them in Japan only in the middle of the 14th century, when infantrymen began to use them against samurai riders.

Senzaki Yagoro Noriyasu is one of the 47 loyal ronin who runs with a spear in his hand. Woodcut by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798 - 1861)

The length of the spear of the Japanese infantry yari could be from 1.5 to 6.5 m. Usually it was a spear with a double-edged tip ho, however, spears with several points at once are known, with hooks and moon-shaped blades attached to the tip and taken away from it to the sides .

The rarest kuradashi yari spear of blacksmith Mumei. Edo period, circa 1670. Next to it is a suitably shaped case.

Using the yari spear, the samurai struck with his right hand, trying to pierce the enemy’s armor, and with his left he simply held his shaft. Therefore, it was always varnished, and smooth surface allows it to be easily rotated in the palms. Then, when long yari appeared, which became a weapon against cavalry, they began to be used rather as a striking weapon. Ashigaru foot warriors were usually armed with such spears, resembling the ancient Macedonian phalanx with long pikes lined one to one.

The tip of the yari spear and its case.

Well, if the tip of the spear broke, then they didn’t throw it away, but turned it into such an elegant tanto-yari dagger.

The shapes of the tips differed, as did their length, of which the longest reached 1 m. In the middle of the Sengoku period, the yari shaft lengthened to 4 m, but it was more convenient for riders to control spears with short shafts, and the longest yari remained the weapon of ashigaru infantrymen. Another interesting type of polearm such as a pitchfork was the sasumata sojo garama or futomata-yari with a metal tip like a slingshot, sharpened from the inside. It was often used by samurai police officers to detain intruders armed with a sword.

Sasumata sojo garama

In Japan, they also came up with something resembling a garden trident cultivator and called kumade (“bear paw”). In his representations, one can often see a chain wrapped around the shaft, which must have been attached to the wrist or to armor so that it would not be lost in battle. This weapon curiosity was used during the storming of castles, during boarding, but in a field battle with its help it was possible to hook an enemy warrior by the kuvagat horns on a helmet or by cords on armor and pull them off a horse or from a wall. Another variant " bear paw”and was completely a club with spread fingers of a hand, and entirely made of metal!

The kumade mace is a striking fusion of two styles of Chinese and Japanese island weapons.

The police also used the sode-garami ("tangled sleeve"), a weapon with hooks diverging from the shaft, with which they caught on the sleeves of the criminal so that he could not use his weapon. The way to work with it is simple to genius. It is enough to approach the enemy and forcefully poke him with the tip of the sode-garami (it doesn’t matter whether he is injured or not!) so that his hooks with the ends bent like fishhooks dig into his body.

Sode-garami tip.

It was in this way that murderers, robbers and violent revelers were captured in Edo times. Well, in battle, sode-garami tried to hook the enemy by the lacing on the armor and pull him off the horse to the ground. So the presence of a large number of cords on Japanese armor represented a "double-edged sword." In certain cases, for their owner, it was simply deadly! The navy also used something similar to it - the uchi-kagi grappling hook.

The Japanese sword is a single-blade slashing and cutting weapon made according to traditional Japanese technology from multilayer steel with a controlled carbon content. The name is also used to refer to a single-edged sword with the characteristic shape of a slightly curved blade, which was the main weapon of the samurai warrior.
Let's try to understand a little about the variety of Japanese swords.
By tradition, Japanese blades are made of refined steel. Their manufacturing process is unique and is due to the use of iron sand, which is refined under the influence of high temperatures to obtain iron with higher purity. Steel is mined from iron sand.
The bending of the sword (sori), performed in different versions, is not accidental: it was formed in the course of the centuries-old evolution of weapons of this type (simultaneously with changes in the equipment of the samurai) and constantly varied until, in the end, the perfect form was found, which is continuation of a slightly curved arm. The bend is obtained partly due to the peculiarities of heat treatment: with differentiated hardening, the cutting part of the sword is stretched more than the back.
Just like the Western blacksmiths of the Middle Ages, who used zone hardening, Japanese masters harden their blades not evenly, but differentiated. The blade is often straight from the beginning and gets a characteristic curve as a result of hardening, giving the blade a hardness of 60 HRC, and the back of the sword - only 40 HRC.

Dai-sho

Daisho (jap. 大小, daisho:, lit. "big-small") - a pair of samurai swords, consisting of a seto (short sword) and daito (long sword). The length of the daito is more than 66 cm, the length of the seto is 33-66 cm The daito served as the main weapon of the samurai, the seto served as an additional weapon.
Until the early period of Muromachi, the tati was in service - a long sword that was worn on a sword belt with the blade down. However, since the end of the 14th century, it has been increasingly replaced by katana. It was worn in a scabbard attached to the belt with a ribbon of silk or other fabric (sageo). Together with tachi, they usually wore a tanto dagger, and paired with a katana, a wakizashi.
Thus, daito and shoto are both classes of swords, but not the name of a specific weapon. This circumstance has led to the misuse of these terms. For example, in European and domestic literature, only a long sword (daito) is mistakenly called a katana. The daisho was used exclusively by the samurai class. This law was sacredly observed and repeatedly confirmed by decrees of military leaders and shoguns. Daisho was the most important component of the samurai costume, his class certificate. Warriors treated their weapons accordingly - they carefully monitored its condition, kept it near them even during sleep. Other classes could only wear wakizashi or tanto. Samurai etiquette required taking off a long sword at the entrance to the house (as a rule, it was left with a servant or on a special stand), the samurai always carried a short sword with them and used it as a personal weapon.

katana

Katana (jap. 刀) is a long Japanese sword. In modern Japanese, the word katana also refers to any sword. Katana is the Japanese reading (kun'yomi) of the Chinese character 刀; Sino-Japanese reading (onyomi) - then:. The word means "a curved sword with a one-sided blade."
Katana and wakizashi are always carried in sheaths, tucked into the belt (obi) at an angle that hides the length of the blade from the opponent. It is a socially accepted mode of carrying that took shape after the end of the Sengoku period wars in the early 17th century, when carrying weapons became more of a tradition than a military necessity. When the samurai entered the house, he took out the 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. Sitting down, he put the katana on the floor within reach, and the wakizashi was not removed (his samurai wore a sheath behind his belt). Mounting a sword for outdoor use is called a kosirae, which includes the lacquered scabbard of the sai. In the absence of frequent use of the sword, it was kept at home in a shirasai assembly made of untreated magnolia wood, which protected the steel from corrosion. Some modern katanas are originally produced in this version, in which the scabbard is not varnished or decorated. A similar installation, in which there was no tsuba and other decorative elements, did not attract attention and became widespread at the end of the 19th century after the imperial ban on carrying a sword. It seemed that the scabbard was not a katana, but a bokuto - a wooden sword.

Wakizashi

Wakizashi (jap. 脇差) is a short traditional Japanese sword. Mostly used by samurai and worn on the belt. It was worn in tandem with a katana, also plugged into the belt with the blade up. The length of the blade is from 30 to 61 cm. The total length with the handle is 50-80 cm. The blade is one-sided sharpening, small curvature. 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 section of the wakizashi blade is much less, therefore, compared to the katana, this sword cuts soft objects more sharply. The handle of the wakizashi is usually square in section.
The bushi often referred to this sword as the "guardian of one's honor". Some fencing schools taught to use both the katana and the wakizashi at the same time.
Unlike the katana, which could only be worn by samurai, the wakizashi was reserved for merchants and artisans. They used this sword as a full-fledged weapon, because by status they did not have the right to wear a katana. Also used for the seppuku ceremony.

Tati

Tachi (jap. 太刀) is a long Japanese sword. Tati, unlike the katana, was not tucked behind the obi (cloth belt) with the blade up, but hung on the belt in a sling designed for this, with the blade down. To protect against damage by armor, the scabbard often had a winding. The samurai wore the katana as part of their civilian clothing and the tachi as part of their military armor. Paired with tachi, the tantō were more common than the katana short sword wakizashi. In addition, richly decorated tachi were used as ceremonial weapons at the courts of the shoguns (princes) and the emperor.
It is usually longer and more curved than a katana (most have a blade length of over 2.5 shaku, that is, more than 75 cm; the tsuka (handle) was also often longer and somewhat curved).
Another name for this sword - daito (Japanese 大刀, lit. "big sword") - is sometimes mistakenly read in Western sources as "daikatana". The error is due to ignorance of the difference between on and kun reading of characters in Japanese; the kun reading of the hieroglyph 刀 is "katana", and the on reading is "that:".

Tanto

Tanto (jap. 短刀 tanto:, lit. "short sword") is a samurai dagger.
“Tan to” for the Japanese sounds like a phrase, because they do not perceive tanto as a knife in any way (a knife in Japanese is hamono (jap. 刃物 hamono)).
Tanto was used only as a weapon and never as a knife, for this there was a kozuka worn in pair with a tanto in the same sheath.
Tanto has a one-sided, sometimes double-edged blade from 15 to 30.3 cm long (that is, less than one shaku).
It is believed that tanto, wakizashi and katana are, in fact, "the same sword of different sizes."
Some tanto, 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, merchants as a weapon of self-defense - in fact, it is a dagger. High society women sometimes also wore small tanto called kaiken in their kimono belt (obi) for self-defense. In addition, tanto is used in the wedding ceremony of royal people to this day.
Sometimes tantō were worn as shōto instead of wakizashi in daishō.

Odachi

Odachi (Jap. 大太刀, "big sword") is one of the types of Japanese long swords. The term nodachi (野太刀, "field sword") means a different 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, exact definition there is no length. Usually odachi are swords with blades 1.6 - 1.8 meters.
Odachi completely fell out of use as a weapon after the Osaka-Natsuno-Jin War of 1615 (the battle between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideyori - son of Toyotomi Hideyoshi).
The Bakufu government issued a law that prohibited the possession of a sword over a certain length. After the law went into effect, many odachi were cut to fit the established norms. 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. Due to the fact that their manufacture requires the highest skill, it was recognized that the reverence inspired by their appearance is consistent with 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 is much more difficult to forge than the blade of a sword of ordinary length. This sword was worn behind the back due to its large size. This was an exception because other Japanese swords such as the katana and the wakizashi were worn tucked into the belt, with the tachi hung blade down. However, nodachi was not snatched from behind. Due to its great length and weight, it was a very difficult weapon.
One of Nodachi's assignments was to fight riders. It is often used in conjunction with a spear because with its long blade it was ideal for hitting an opponent and his horse in one fell swoop. Due to its weight, it could not be applied everywhere with ease and was usually discarded when close combat began. The sword with one blow could hit several enemy soldiers at once. After using the nodachi, the samurai used a shorter and more convenient katana for close combat.

Kodati

Kodachi (小太刀) - Literally translated as "little tachi", this 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 drawn very quickly and also swordd with it. It could be used where movement was constrained or when attacking shoulder to shoulder. Since this sword was shorter than 2 shaku (about 60 cm), it was allowed during the Edo period to be worn by non-samurai, usually merchants.
Kodachi is similar in length to wakizashi, and while their blades differ considerably in design, kodachi and wakizashi are so similar in technique that the terms are sometimes (erroneously) used interchangeably. The main difference between the two is that kodachi are (usually) wider than wakizashi. In addition, kodachi, unlike wakizashi, was always worn in a special sash with a downward bend (like tati), while wakizashi was worn with the blade curved up behind the obi. Unlike other types of Japanese weapons, no other sword was usually carried along with the kodachi.

Kaiken

Kaiken (jap. 懐剣, before the spelling reform kwaiken, also futokoro-gatana) is a dagger worn by men and women of the samurai class in Japan, a kind of tanto. Kaiken were used for indoor self-defense, where long katanas and medium length wakizashi were less useful and effective than short daggers. Women wore them in an obi belt for self-defense or (rarely) for suicide (jigaya). It was also possible to carry them in a brocade bag with a drawstring, which made it possible to quickly get a dagger. Kaiken was one of the wedding gifts for a woman. Currently, it is one of the accessories of the traditional Japanese marriage ceremony: the bride takes a kaiken so that she is lucky.

Kusungobu, yoroidoshi, metezashi.

Kusungobu (jap. nine sun five bu) - 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 melee weapon with a long oval handle (just 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. In the course of history, a shortened (1.2-1.5 m) and lightweight version became much more common, which was used in training and showed greater combat capability. It is an analogue of the glaive (although 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. In Japan, there were 425 schools where they studied the technique of fighting naginatajutsu. It was the favorite weapon of the sohei, warrior monks.

Bisento

Bisento (jap. 眉尖刀 bisento:) is a Japanese melee weapon with a long handle, a rare variety of naginata.
The bisento differs from the naginata in its larger size and different style of address. These weapons work necessarily with wide grip, engaging 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 a bisento blade, unlike a katana, can not only repel and deflect a blow, but also press 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 piercing and pushing properties.
It is believed that the Japanese took the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthis weapon from Chinese swords.

Nagamaki

Nagamaki (jap. 長巻 - “long wrap”) is a Japanese melee weapon consisting of a pole handle with a large tip. It was popular in the XII-XIV centuries. It was similar to the owl, naginata or glevia, but differed in that the lengths of the hilt and tip were approximately equal, which allows it to be classified as a sword.
Nagamaki are weapons made in 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, like a katana handle.
This weapon was used during the Kamakura (1192-1333), Namboku-cho (1334-1392) periods and during the Muromachi period (1392-1573) reached its greatest prevalence. It was also used by Oda Nobunaga.

Tsurugi

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

Chokuto

Chokuto (直刀 chokuto:, "straight sword") is the common name for ancient type swords that appeared among Japanese warriors around the 2nd-4th century AD. It is not known for sure whether chokuto originated in Japan or was exported from China; it is believed that in Japan the blades were copied from foreign designs. At first, swords were cast from bronze, later they began to be forged from a single piece of low-quality (there was no other then) steel using a rather primitive technology. Like its Western counterparts, the chokuto was primarily intended for thrusting.
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 (a sword with a hammer-shaped head) had a hilt with an oval guard ending in an onion-shaped copper head, and a 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 sheath covered with sheet copper and decorated with perforated patterns.

Shin-gunto

Shin-gunto (1934) - 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 tati, the shin gunto was worn on the sword belt with the blade down and the cap of the kabuto-gane handle was used in its design, instead of the kashiro adopted on katanas), and in the methods 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 way.
Shingunto 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 junior army ranks were already made without braid, and sometimes even from stamped aluminum.
For naval ranks in 1937, their own military was introduced - kai-gunto. It represented a variation on the theme of shin-gunto, but differed in design - the braid of the hilt is brown, on the hilt there is black stingray leather, the scabbard is always wooden (for shin-gunto - metal) with black trim.
After the end of World War II, most of the shin gunto was destroyed by order of the occupying authorities.
Ninjato, Shinobigatana (fictional)
Ninjato (jap. 忍者刀 ninjato:), also known as ninjaken (jap. 忍者刀) or shinobigatana (jap. 忍刀) is a sword used by ninja. It is a short sword forged with much less care 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 the wakizashi, was used for cutting only, not stabbing. This statement may be erroneous, since the main opponent of the ninja was the samurai, and his armor required an accurate piercing blow. However, the main function of the katana was also a powerful cutting blow.

Shikomizue

Shikomizue (Jap. 仕込み杖 Shikomizue) is a weapon for "hidden warfare". In Japan, it was used by the ninja. In modern times, this blade often appears in movies.
Shikomizue was a wooden or bamboo cane with a hidden blade. The blade of the shikomizue could be straight or slightly curved, because the cane had to exactly follow all the curves of the blade. Shikomizue could be both a long sword and a short dagger. Therefore, the length of the cane depended on the length of the weapon.

zanbato, zambato, zhanmadao

The Japanese reading of zhanmadao characters is zambato (jap. 斬馬刀 zambato :) (also zanmato), however, it is not known whether such a weapon was actually used in Japan. However, the zambato is mentioned in some contemporary Japanese popular culture.
Zhanmadao or mazhandao (Chinese 斬馬刀, pinyin zhǎn mǎ dāo, literally “a sword to cut horses”) is a Chinese two-handed saber with a wide and long blade, used by infantrymen against cavalry during the Song dynasty (the mention of mazhandao is present, in particular, in the "Biography of Yue Fei" dynastic history "Song shi"). The tactics of using mazhandao, according to the Song Shi, are attributed to the famous military leader Yue Fei. The infantry detachments, armed with mazhandao, which acted before the formation of the main part of the troops in loose formation, tried to cut the legs of enemy horses with its help. 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 mazhandao saber was also used by the Mongol army of Genghis Khan.

The main part of the Japanese wars was fought between the Japanese, that is, within the framework of one people and one culture. Both sides used similar weapons and similar military tactics and strategies. Under these conditions, such, usually not very significant factors, as the personal skills of soldiers in the use of weapons (mastery of martial arts) and the military leadership talents of army commanders, acquired particular importance.
Military periods of history Japan are amenable to self-classification based on the types of weapons used in a given period. If for European history changes in weapons and methods of their use had consequences of political significance (and therefore they cannot be studied in isolation from politics), then for history Japan these changes were of exclusively cultural significance, and therefore can be studied independently and separately.

IN military history Classical Japan can be divided into three main periods: Luke, spears and a sword.

Age of Bow

The bow (yumi) is an ancient Japanese weapon. It has been actively used since prehistoric times. Archery has traditionally been known in two forms - as an important part of Shinto rites (Kyudo - "The Way of the Bow") and as a military art itself (Kyujitsu - "The Art of Archery"). The first, as a rule, was practiced by aristocrats, the second - by samurai.

The Japanese bow is asymmetrical, with the top half about twice as long as the bottom. Bow length - 2 m or more. Traditionally, the limbs of the bow are made in composite, that is, the outer part is wooden, and the inner part is bamboo. As a result, the arrow almost never flies straight, making precise aiming a matter of great practice. The usual distance of an aimed flight of an arrow is about 60 meters, for a master - up to 120 meters.

Arrowheads were often hollowed out so that they would make whistling sounds as they flew. It was believed that it scares away evil spirits.

In ancient times, there were bows that were pulled not by one person, but by several (bows that were pulled by seven people are known!). These heavy bows were used not only against people, but also in naval battles to destroy enemy boats.

Besides just archery, shooting from a horse (bakujitsu) was an important art.

Age of the Spear

In the 16th century in Japan European muskets imported from Portugal became widespread. They reduced the value of kyujitsu to almost zero. At the same time, the importance of the spear (yari) rose. Therefore, the period of the Civil War is called the Age of the Spear.

Main tactical technique when using a spear, there was a knocking down of mounted samurai from a horse. Falling to the ground, such a warrior became practically defenseless. Usually spears were used by foot soldiers. The length of such a spear was approximately 5 meters, and its possession required considerable physical strength. Various samurai clans used spears of various lengths and tip configurations.

Age of the Sword

With the establishment in 1603 Tokugawa Shogunate military art as the art of "victory at any cost" is a thing of the past. It has become a self-sufficient art of self-improvement and sports competition. Therefore, the physical strength of the spear masters was replaced by the mastery of the sword (kenjutsu).

It was during this period that the samurai sword began to be considered the "soul of the samurai." It is sharpened from one convex side, and the concave side serves as a kind of "shield" during fencing. Special multi-layer forging technologies make the sword amazingly strong and sharp. Its production is very long and laborious, so even a brand new sword has always cost a lot of money. The ancient sword, created by the great master, is a fortune. The distribution of swords between sons has always been specified in a special line in the wills of the samurai.

The main varieties of the sword were:

Ancient straight sword.

Ken- an ancient straight double-edged sword that had religious uses and was rarely used in combat.

- a dagger or knife up to 30 cm long.

Wakizashi, Shoto or Kodati- small sword (from 30 to 60 cm).

- a large sword (from 60 cm), worn with the tip down.

or Daito- a large sword, worn with the tip up.

or Oh-date- an extra-large sword (from 1 m to 1.5-1.8 m), worn behind the back. More common in manga, anime, and video games than in real life.

Bamboo was also used for training. shinai swords(introduced by Ono Takada) and wooden bokken swords(introduced by Miyamoto Musashi). The latter were also used on their own as a weapon to fight an "unworthy" opponent, such as a robber.

Men of the lower classes had the right to carry only small swords or daggers - for self-defense from bandits. Samurai had the right to carry two swords - large and small. At the same time, however, they fenced only with a large sword, although there were also schools of fencing with both swords at the same time. It was believed that the master is determined by the ability to deal with the enemy with the least number of swings of the sword. " Aerobatics"It was considered the ability to kill, only taking out the sword from the scabbard - in one movement (the art of iaijutsu). Such fights lasted literally a split second.

Less significant types of samurai weapons

Auxiliary and secondary weapons included, in particular:

Bo- fighting pole. Currently used as a sporting weapon. It exists in many variants of various lengths (from 30 cm to 3 m) and sections (from round to hexagonal).

- a weapon in the form of a two-toothed iron "fork". It was used by Tokugawa-era police to capture the sword of an enraged (usually drunk) samurai, and also as a fighting club.

- "dagger of mercy", a kind of stiletto, which was used to finish off the wounded.

- women's combat knife. It was used by girls from noble families as a suicide weapon in an attempt on their honor.

- combat knife. Often used as a household item.

- Japanese halberd. A pole with a flat blade attached to it. It was originally used by foot soldiers to damage the legs of enemy horses. In the 17th century, it began to be considered a defensive weapon for girls from samurai families. The usual length of a naginata is about 2 m.

tessen) - battle fan. Fan with steel spokes. Weapons of the military leaders. It was used for its intended purpose, as well as a small shield. Sometimes the needles were sharpened, and then such a fan could be used as a battle ax.

Firearms - it was most widely used during the Civil War. We are talking about single-shot arquebus guns, which were usually used by light infantrymen (ashigaru).

After the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate, firearms quickly fell into disuse as "unworthy of a true warrior."

Hello, friends!

In a previous article, I began to tell you about the katana, today I want to tell you more about this interesting weapon. Let's start with the history of origin.

According to ancient Japanese legend, the first katana, a samurai sword, was created by the blacksmith Amakuni in the 7th century, who lived in Yamato (an ancient state, later renamed Japan in 670). Legend has it that the blacksmith watched the warriors returning from the battlefield and noticed that many of the swords he had forged were broken - this broke the heart of the master. He and his son Amakura swore that they could forge such a strong sword that would not fail in the most furious battle.

They locked themselves in their forge and prayed for a week to the gods of Shinto to help them create the perfect sword. How much time they spent on creating the sword is not known for certain, but as a result of their efforts, a combat katana appeared. And when the warriors returned from the war the following year, all the swords forged by Amakuni were intact. The emperor himself thanked the blacksmith for his work.

The progenitor can safely be called the Japanese sword tachi (tato), widely used by Japanese warriors. Tachi differs from katana in a longer (from 75 cm) and more curved blade. It should be mentioned that tachi is inferior to katana in quality of manufacture. Gradually, by the 15th century, the Japanese katana replaced the tati and became the main weapon of the samurai.

The culture of wearing a katana was formed in Japanese society by the 17th century, when the Sengoku period (“the era of the warring provinces”) ended. The period in which the power of the Ashikaga dynasty in Japan weakened and principalities appeared on the periphery, which waged constant internecine wars. Samurai always wore a katana paired with a wakizashi short sword. Such wearing in pairs is called daisho (“long-short” in Japanese). We will talk about wakizashi in detail in the next article.

The katana should be worn only on the left side, always in a sheath (saya) tucked behind an obi (a narrow belt tied with a simple knot) with the blade up. Wearing a samurai katana requires the performance of special rituals. So, entering the house, the samurai took out the katana because of the obi, and if he felt that he was in danger, he held it in his left hand and was ready to strike at any second. As a sign of special respect and trust, the samurai held the katana with his right hand. Sitting down, the samurai put the katana on the floor, but it was always within his reach.

On March 28, 1876, a law was passed in Japan banning the carrying of swords for everyone except the military and police, as well as people in ceremonial clothes. Many were dissatisfied with this ban, so at that time it became common to carry a katana in an untreated wooden scabbard (sarasaya) and without any decorations or inlays. Thus, the combat katana became like a wooden sword - bokuto. In the 20th century, katana appeared, the blades of which were stored in a sheath that looked like a wooden staff.

Kenjutsu - Japanese art of swordsmanship

Kenjutsu appeared more than 12 centuries ago when the warrior class appeared in Japan. The emphasis in this martial art is on swordsmanship. Often, mastery is achieved by thousands of repetitions of kata. Kata is a sequence of movements that can be called fighting techniques. So, having trained for a long time, the warrior brought the knowledge of techniques to automatic and in battle used them unconsciously, at the level of reflexes.

In ancient times, training often took place with the use of combat swords, which is why they were cruel and traumatic. In later times and in the modern world, wooden models of swords are used.

The main idea of ​​kenjutsu can be formulated as follows - during the attack, the sword should go to the target not at a right angle (strike), but along its plane, thus causing cuts. This is the uniqueness and one of the main differences from Western sword techniques.

Perhaps the most famous and impressive Kenjutsu technique is iaido.

Iaido (literally meaning the art of sitting down to meet) is a fighting technique that consists of instantly attacking or counterattacking an opponent. In iaido, there is no fencing as such, it is the instant defeat of the enemy with the sword, which was originally in the sheath, that is being studied here. All techniques and movements of iaido are simple. But mastery of this technique requires not only physical abilities, but also a sharp mind, since not a single mistake can be made and it is necessary to finish the duel in a matter of seconds with one verified movement.

Since katana combat was fleeting (usually from a few seconds to a minute), cunning was the key to success. With all his appearance (facial expressions, gaze) and behavior, the samurai showed the enemy that he was going to act in a certain manner, forcing the enemy to adapt to him. At this moment, the samurai attacked the enemy with lightning speed with an unexpected technique, giving no chance for defense. And the battle was over.

Using a katana

Initially, the samurai did not use the sword as the main weapon - bows and spears were preferred. katanas and other samurai swords were used as self-defense weapons. They were also used to decapitate a defeated enemy or to commit ritual suicide - seppuku. Only in the 15th century, when samurai were officially allowed to use only swords, did katanas come to the fore. It was at this time that sword techniques became especially popular.

Katanas occupied an important place in the life of a samurai, so it was considered necessary to have not one katana, but several. So, in the arsenal of a self-respecting samurai, there were combat katanas (which were usually performed in an ascetic style, without decorations), katanas for celebrations and holidays (luxuriously decorated). Rich inlay (precious metals and stones) can be explained by the fact that samurai were forbidden to wear jewelry. In this way they could show their wealth and position.

Masamune and Muramasa are great Masters

The first Master is Masamune. Born at the end of the 11th century in the province of Sagami, where he worked. He can rightly be considered the most famous gunsmith in Japan. Gained fame for having created his own technique for making swords - Soshu. Weapons using this technology were manufactured according to strict canons. The basis of the sword was four strips of steel welded together, which were folded together and forged five times, as a result, the number of layers in the blade became 128. This technique was used by more than one generation of his students. According to legend, Masamune refused to sign his blades, as they could not be faked.

The second Master is Muramasa. The founder of a whole dynasty of gunsmiths from the province of Ise. His swords were famous for their incredible sharpness. The master was dissatisfied with the policy pursued by the then ruler of Japan and put curses for the imperial family into each of his swords. For this reason, in the 17th century, Muramasa swords were banned and destroyed, and the people who kept them were persecuted up to the death penalty. Perhaps that is why there is a legend that Muramasa's swords are bloody swords and can awaken the thirst for blood in the owner. Only four Muramasa swords have survived to this day, one of which holds the title of the sharpest sword in the world, which consists of 25,000 layers of steel.

These masters are connected by one legend - each of the gunsmiths stuck his sword into the bottom of the river overgrown with lotus, lotus flowers passed unscathed past Masamune's sword, while Muramasa's sword cut them into small pieces. In this duel, Muramasa recognized the victory of Masamune, since according to Japanese philosophy, the sword is not a weapon of aggression, but a weapon of peace and was created to stop wars.

Handmade katana Samurai Sword Katana, cost - 5248.37 rubles.

The outstanding qualities of samurai swords are legendary. Indeed, technology-forged Japanese blades are incredibly sharp. According to the legends, they can cut both iron and a sheet of paper in the air. Yes, a blade sharpened in a razor will easily cut even rice paper in the air, but chopping iron with such a sword means immediately spoiling it. To cut iron, the sharpening of the sword must be done at a large angle (as on a chisel), otherwise, after the blow, the cutting edge will have to be corrected, removing the nicks on the blade.

With the phrase "Japanese sword", most will immediately think of a katana. Indeed, a katana is a Japanese sword, but besides it, there were still quite a few varieties of samurai bladed weapons.

Daisho - a pair of samurai swords

If you look deep into history, you will notice that the samurai carried two swords at the same time. One was long and was called daito (aka katana sword), the second was short, called seto (wakizashi). If the long Japanese sword was used in battle or in duels, then the short sword served as a spare weapon when the katana broke. When fighting in a confined space, the wakizashi sword was also used.

When the samurai came to visit, he gave the katana to the servant at the entrance or left it on a special stand. In the event of a sudden danger, it was the short sword that could save the life of its owner, so a lot of time was devoted to the art of owning a short sword.

If the long sword was considered a privilege of the ruling samurai class and only they could wear it, then short swords were worn by wealthy merchants and artisans who tried to learn the art of swordsmanship from the samurai. It should be noted that such knowledge in medieval Japan was worth its weight in gold and was jealously guarded by clans. And if the master (for a huge price) agreed to show the technique, then he demonstrated it only once, after which, with a sense of accomplishment, he importantly took the reward.

Combat samurai sword - its parameters and varieties

The Japanese sword katana or daito had a length of 95 to 110 centimeters. The width of its blade was about three centimeters, with a blade thickness of 5-6 millimeters. The handle of the sword was wrapped with a silk cord or covered with shark skin to prevent slipping. The length of the katana handle was about three fists, which allowed them to work using a two-handed grip.

The Japanese seto or wakizashi sword is practically no different from a katana, except for the length. It is 50-70 centimeters. Naturally, the short swords of merchants and samurai differed significantly from each other in quality and finish. The short sword of the samurai, as a rule, was part of the daisho kit and was made in the same style as the katana. Even the tsuba of both swords was made in the same style.

Samurai swords were not limited to katana and wakizashi models. There were also such variants of this weapon:

• The kokatana is a variant sometimes used in place of the short sword in a daisho kit. This sword was distinguished by an almost straight blade, in cramped corridors such a blade perfectly delivered stabbing blows (the legendary ninja sword may have come from this particular type of samurai sword). The length of the kokatana was about 600 millimeters;
• Tachi is a Japanese sword common from the 10th to the 17th century. Tachi is a weapon older than the katana and was worn only by noble samurai. This sword was intended for equestrian combat. Its great length and curvature contributed to delivering a powerful chopping blow. Over time, the combat value of the tati was lost, and this sword was used as a ceremonial or ceremonial weapon;
• Nogachi was a huge sword with a blade length of a meter or more. There were swords with a three-meter blade. Of course, such a monster weapon could not be controlled by one person. He was taken by several samurai and cut down by mounted troops. The most powerful warriors, who, as a rule, were the bodyguards of their master, were armed with standard nails;
• Tanto or short sword. Despite the fact that now tanto is considered a knife, its name clearly indicates that this is a type of sword. Most often, tanto was used to break through armor or finish off a wounded enemy.

The katana sword and its varieties were worn on the belt or behind the back (the longest blades). For fastening, a sageo silk cord was used, which could be used to bind the enemy or for other purposes (sageo ninja were especially inventive). If the sword was worn behind the back, then a special design scabbard was used for this.

Katana - strengths and weaknesses of this sword

There are many myths regarding the quality of samurai swords:

• Katana is made of steel, which is forged tens of thousands of times, while acquiring the qualities of real Damascus steel. In fact, the steel that was mined in Japan has never had outstanding characteristics. To give the necessary hardness, it had to be forged several thousand times. As a result of this, multi-layered blades were obtained, which had nothing to do with Damascus steels;
• The katana easily cuts through any material, be it flesh or iron. In fact, Japanese armor has never been particularly strong, so it was not difficult to cut it;
• A katana blade could easily cut through a European sword. This situation is absurd in itself. The European sword was intended for breaking through heavy iron armor, and the katana for precise strikes. If European knights could block blows with swords, samurai evaded blows, since one single blow to the sword could chip the cutting edge of the sword. The sword fighting technique of the samurai was fundamentally different from the battle of the knights.

Most likely, the myth about the quality of Japanese swords came from the fact that the katana easily cut through the light swords of Europeans, who no longer had heavy swords in this era.

You can often hear the opinion that a katana can both cut and deliver effective stabbing blows. In fact, stabbing with a katana is quite inconvenient. Its shape emphasizes that its main purpose is felling. Of course, there are samurai swords that can cut iron, but these are single copies. If we compare them with the total number of European swords capable of the same feat, then the comparison will turn out not in favor of the katana.

The weaknesses of the samurai sword blade were as follows:

• Since the katana is not designed for swordsmanship, its main weakness is its fragility;
• Possessing great hardness, the katana blade can easily break from a blow to the plane of the blade, so in battle the samurai carefully took care of their weapons, which could cost the annual income of a large village;
• By the way, the katana blade could be broken by hitting its flat side with nunchucks.

What are the parts of a samurai sword?

Any samurai sword, regardless of size, consists of the following parts:

• Directly the katana blade itself, which is inserted and removed from the handle using special bamboo wedges;
• The handle, the dimensions of which depend on the type of samurai sword and the personal preferences of the owner;
• Garda, she is a tsuba, which has a more decorative role than a protective one;
• Handle wrap. For this, a silk cord was used, which was wound around the handle according to a special pattern;
• To fix the sword in the scabbard, a habaki clutch served.

The device of the sword is quite simple, but requires very careful fitting of parts.

Wakizashi - partner of the katana

A short wakizashi sword was worn paired with a katana. Its total length was 50-80 centimeters, of which 30-60 were on the blade. With his appearance, the wakizashi completely copied the katana, they only held it with one hand (although, if necessary, a two-handed grip could be used). For merchants and artisans, the wakizashi was the main weapon and was worn in tandem with the tanto.

Samurai used the short sword in castles or close combat when there was no room for a long sword. Although it is believed that the katana and wakizashi are a combat set, they were most often worn by samurai in times of peace. A more serious sword was taken to war - tati, which, in addition to length, was also a generic weapon. Instead of wakizashi, they used tanto, which perfectly pierced the enemy’s armor in close combat.

Since often the wakizashi remained the only weapon available to the warrior (since when entering someone else's house as a guest, the samurai without fail took off his katana). In this regard, a lot of time was devoted to the art of owning a short sword. Some clans even practiced fighting with a katana in one hand and a wakizashi in the other. The art of fighting with a weapon in each hand was quite rare and most often came as a complete surprise to the enemy.

Wakizashi samurai wore in Everyday life almost always. This sword was often called the "Guardian of Dignity and Honor", as it was constantly at hand.

How to properly wear a katana

The Japanese sword is worn on the left side (for left-handers it is allowed to wear it on the right) in a special scabbard. The scabbard is held by a belt called an obi. The katana is worn in such a position that its blade is directed upwards. This position of the sword allows you to pull it out and deliver a fatal blow in one movement (now there is such martial arts like yaido, where exactly this technique is honed).

When a threat appeared or surrounded by ill-wishers, the samurai took a katana in a sheath in his left hand, so that in case of danger he could instantly get it with his right hand. If he wanted to show his trust in the interlocutor, then the katana was held in right hand. When the samurai sat down, the katana lay within reach (if she did not give up at the entrance to someone else's house).

Katana fighting technique

Although formally a katana is considered a sword (even a two-handed one), by the principle of its action it is more like a saber. You should not think that Japanese swords were fenced, as shown in modern films. A real samurai had to kill the enemy with one single blow. This is not a whim at all, but the need to save expensive blades, since getting a new one was quite problematic.

The long blade of the samurai sword allowed for a wide range of different strikes. Since the katana was most often held with two hands, one blow could not only cut off a head or limb, but also cut the enemy in half.

There are three main stances in katana combat:

1. Jodan - upper stance;
2. Chudan - stand at the middle level;
3. Gedan is the lower level stance.

To fight using a samurai sword, you need to take into account and analyze all the movements of the enemy and understand his fighting style. In accordance with this, one should plan his attacks, and the implementation should follow as quickly as possible.

Now that Japanese fencing (kendo and yaido) is quite popular, it is easy to find a section where this exciting sport is practiced. Several such schools in Japan trace their lineage to the samurai clan schools of the Middle Ages. During the period of the ban on the wearing of swords, many schools disappeared, but some managed to preserve the ancient traditions of swordsmanship to the present day.

How was the sharpness of the katana blade achieved?

Although the Japanese metal was of rather low quality, the forging technique used by the blacksmiths of Japan made it possible to forge blades of excellent quality. Due to the many layers obtained during the forging process, the sharpness of the katana was at its best. Zone hardening and careful polishing gave the blade even more outstanding qualities.

Now in any souvenir shop you can buy a copy of the samurai sword, which is only suitable for decorating the interior. Real katanas are quite expensive. If you want to buy an inexpensive but high-quality replica of a Japanese sword, order it from a blacksmith who works according to ancient technology.