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A lit. 'one-sided blade' 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 a katana. The specific term for katana in Japan is lit. 'striking sword' and the term katana (刀) often refers to single-edged swords from around the world.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 日本刀と刀の違い Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World
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. (2025). 9780262511230, The MIT Press. ISBN 9780262511230
Pronounced , the kun'yomi (Japanese reading) of the kanji 刀, originally meaning single edged blade (of any length) in Chinese language, the word has been adopted as a loanword by the Portuguese. (1988). 9788120604131, South Asia Books. ISBN 9788120604131 In Portuguese the designation (spelled catana) means "large knife" or machete.
With a few exceptions, katana and tachi can be distinguished from each other, if signed, by the location of the signature on the tang . 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.Anthony J. Bryant and Angus McBride (1994) Samurai 1550–1600. Osprey Publishing. p. 49. However, the main weapons on the battlefield in the Sengoku period in the 16th century were Yumi, Yari, 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 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 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.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Transition of kotō, shintō, shinshintō, and gendaitō. Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> List of terms related to Japanese swords "Sasuga". Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World. 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.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 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, p. 43.
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
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 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 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.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> History of Japanese swords "Muromachi period － Azuchi-Momoyama period". Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Arms for battle – spears, swords, bows. Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World.
On the other hand, Kenjutsu 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) with the sharpened edge facing up. Ideally, samurai could draw the sword and strike the enemy in a single motion. Previously, the curved tachi had been worn with the edge of the blade facing down and suspended from a belt. (1987). 9780870117985, Kodansha International. ISBN 9780870117985
From the 15th century, low-quality swords were mass-produced under the influence of the large-scale war. These swords, along with spears, were lent to recruited farmers called ashigaru and swords were exported. Such mass-produced swords are called kazuuchimono, and swordsmiths of the Bisen school and Mino school produced them by division of labor. 歴史人 September 2020, p. 40. 歴史人 September 2020. pp. 70–71. The export of katana and tachi reached its peak during this period, from the late 15th century to early 16th century when at least 200,000 swords were shipped to Ming dynasty China in official trade in an attempt to soak up the production of Japanese weapons and make it harder for wokou in the area to arm. In the Ming dynasty of China, Japanese swords and their tactics were studied to repel pirates, and wodao and miaodao were developed based on Japanese swords.Takeo Tanaka (2012). Wokou p. 104. Kodansha. Koichi Shinoda (1 May 1992). Chinese Weapons and Armor. Shinkigensha. Rekishi Gunzo (2 July 2011). Complete Works on Strategic and Tactical Weapons. From Ancient China to Modern China. Gakken.
From this period, the tang ( nakago) of many old tachi were cut and shortened into katana. This kind of remake is called suriage (磨上げ).
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 日本刀鑑賞のポイント「日本刀の姿」 Nagoya Touken Museum Touken World. For example, many of the tachi that Masamune forged during the Kamakura period were converted into katana, so his only existing works are katana and tantō.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 相州伝の名工「正宗」. Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World.
From around the 16th century, many Japanese swords were exported to Thailand, where katana-style swords were made and prized for battle and art work, and some of them are in the collections of the Thai royal family.
From the late Muromachi period (Sengoku period) to the early Edo period, samurai were sometimes equipped with a katana blade pointing downwards like a tachi. This style of sword is called handachi, "half tachi". In handachi, both styles were often mixed, for example, fastening to the obi was katana style, but metalworking of the scabbard was tachi style.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> weblio. Handachi-Goshirae.
In the Muromachi period, especially the Sengoku period, people such as farmers, townspeople, and monks could have a sword. However, in 1588 Toyotomi Hideyoshi banned farmers from owning weapons and conducted a sword hunt to forcibly remove swords from anyone identifying as a farmer.
The length of the katana blade varied considerably during the course of its history. In the late 14th and early 15th centuries, katana blades tended to have lengths between . During the early 16th century, the average length dropped about , approaching closer to . By the late 16th century, the average length had increased again by about , returning to approximately .
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> History of Japanese sword. Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 日本刀鑑賞のポイント「日本刀の映りとは」. Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World.
As the Sengoku period (period of warring states) ended and the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the Edo period started, katana-forging also developed into a highly intricate and well-respected art form. Lacquered saya (scabbards), ornate engraved fittings, silk handles and elegant tsuba (handguards) were popular among samurai in the Edo period, and eventually (especially when Japan was in peace time), katana became more cosmetic and ceremonial items than practical weapons.Masayuki Murata. 明治工芸入門 p. 120. Me no Me, 2017 The Umetada school led by Umetada Myoju who was considered to be the founder of shinto led the improvement of the artistry of Japanese swords in this period. They were both swordsmiths and metalsmiths, and were famous for carving the blade, making metal accouterments such as tsuba (handguard), remodeling from tachi to katana ( suriage), and inscriptions inlaid with gold.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 特別展「埋忠〈UMETADA〉桃山刀剣界の雄」. Internet Museum.
During this period, the Tokugawa shogunate required samurai to wear katana and shorter swords in pairs. These short swords were wakizashi and tantō, and wakizashi were mainly selected. This set of two is called a daishō. Only samurai could wear the daishō: it represented their social power and personal honour. (1991). 9780804816847, Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 9780804816847 Samurai could wear decorative sword mountings in their daily lives, but the Tokugawa shogunate regulated the formal sword that samurai wore when visiting a castle by regulating it as a daisho made of a black scabbard, a hilt wrapped with white ray skin and black string.Kazuhiko Inada (2020). Encyclopedia of the Japanese Swords, p. 46. Japanese swords made in this period are classified as shintō. 歴史人 September 2020, pp. 42–43.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 清麿展 －幕末の志士を魅了した名工－ Internet Museum.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 源清麿 四谷正宗の異名を持つ新々刀随一の名工. Kōgetudō.
The idea that the blade of a sword in the Kamakura period is the best has been continued until now, and as of the 21st century, 80% of Japanese swords designated as National treasure in Japan were made in the Kamakura period, and 70% of them were tachi.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 日本刀の格付けと歴史. Touken World
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 鎌倉期の古名刀をついに再現 論説委員・長辻象平. Sankei Shimbun. 2 July 2017.
The arrival of Matthew Perry in 1853 and the subsequent Convention of Kanagawa caused chaos in Japanese society. Conflicts began to occur frequently between the forces of sonnō jōi (尊王攘夷派), who wanted to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate and rule by the Emperor, and the forces of sabaku (佐幕派), who wanted the Tokugawa Shogunate to continue. These political activists, called the shishi (志士), fought using a practical katana, called the kinnōtō (勤皇刀) or the ō (幕末刀). Their katana were often longer than 90 cm (35.43 in) in blade length, less curved, and had a big and sharp point, which was advantageous for stabbing in indoor battles.
Military action by Japan in China and Russia during the Meiji period helped revive interest in swords, but it was not until the Shōwa period that swords were produced on a large scale again. Japanese military swords produced between 1875 and 1945 are referred to as guntō (military swords).
During the pre-World War II military buildup, and throughout the war, all Japanese officers were required to wear a sword. Traditionally made swords were produced during this period, but in order to supply such large numbers of swords, blacksmiths with little or no knowledge of traditional Japanese sword manufacture were also recruited. In addition, supplies of the Japanese steel ( tamahagane) used for swordmaking were limited, so several other types of steel were also used. Quicker methods of forging were also used, such as the use of power hammers, and quenching the blade in oil, rather than hand forging and water. The non-traditionally made swords from this period are called shōwatō, after the regnal name of the Emperor Hirohito, and in 1937, the Japanese government started requiring the use of special stamps on the tang ( nakago) to distinguish these swords from traditionally made swords. During this period of war, older antique swords were remounted for use in military mounts. Presently, in Japan, shōwatō are not considered to be "true" Japanese swords, and they can be confiscated. Outside Japan, however, they are collected as historical artifacts.
Outside Japan, some of the modern katanas being produced by western swordsmiths use modern steel alloys, such as Tool steel. These modern swords replicate the size and shape of the Japanese katana and are used by martial artists for iaidō and even for cutting practice ( tameshigiri).
Mass-produced swords including iaitō and shinken in the shape of katana are available from many countries, though China dominates the market. These types of swords are typically mass-produced and made with a wide variety of steels and methods.
According to the Parliamentary Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Japanese Swords, organized by National Diet members, many katana distributed around the world as of the 21st century are fake Japanese swords made in China. The Sankei Shimbun analyzed that this is because the Japanese government allowed swordsmiths to make only 24 Japanese swords per person per year in order to maintain the quality of Japanese swords.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Sankei Shimbun, June 22, 2018, p. 1.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Sankei Shimbun, June 22, 2018, p. 2.
Many swordsmiths after the Edo period have tried to reproduce the sword of the Kamakura period which is considered as the best sword in the history of Japanese swords, but they have failed. Then, in 2014, Kunihira Kawachi succeeded in reproducing it and won the Masamune Prize, the highest honor as a swordsmith. No one could win the Masamune Prize unless he made an extraordinary achievement, and in the section of tachi and katana, no one had won for 18 years before Kawauchi.
Katana are traditionally made from a specialized Japanese steel called tamahagane, which is created from a traditional smelting process that results in several, layered steels with different carbon concentrations. "Secrets of the Samurai Sword". Pbs.org. Retrieved 2013-08-08. This process helps remove impurities and even out the carbon content of the steel. The age of the steel plays a role in the ability to remove impurities, with older steel having a higher oxygen concentration, being more easily stretched and rid of impurities during hammering, resulting in a stronger blade. The smith begins by folding and welding pieces of the steel several times to work out most of the differences in the steel. The resulting block of steel is then drawn out to form a billet.
At this stage, it is only slightly curved or may have no curve at all. The katana
This process also creates the line down the sides of the blade called the hamon, which is made distinct by polishing. Each hamon and each smith's style of hamon is distinct. Hamon does not refer to the white area on the side of the blade. The white part is the part that is whitened by a polishing process called hadori to make it easier to see the hamon, and the actual hamon is a fuzzy line within the white part. The actual line of the hamon can be seen by holding the sword in your hand and looking at it while changing the angle of the light shining on the blade.
After the blade is forged, it is then sent to be polished. The polishing takes between one and three weeks. The polisher uses a series of successively finer grains of polishing stones in a process called glazing, until the blade has a mirror finish. However, the blunt edge of the katana is often given a matte finish to emphasize the hamon.
Japanese swords are generally made by a division of labor between six and eight craftsmen. Tosho ( Toko, Katanakaji) is in charge of forging blades, togishi is in charge of polishing blades, kinkōshi ( chokinshi) is in charge of making metal fittings, shiroganeshi is in charge of making habaki (blade collar), sayashi is in charge of making scabbards, nurishi is in charge of applying lacquer to scabbards, tsukamakishi is in charge of making hilts, and tsubashi is in charge of making tsuba (hand guards). Tosho use apprentice swordsmiths as assistants. Prior to the Muromachi period, tosho and kacchushi (armorer) used surplus metal to make tsuba, but from the Muromachi period onwards, specialized craftsmen began to make tsuba. Nowadays, kinkōshi sometimes also serves as shiroganeshi and tsubashi.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 刀装具の名工 Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Nagoya Touken World Bizen Osafune Japanese Sword. Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> How to appreciate a Japanese sword. Tozando.Kazuhiko Inada (2020). Encyclopedia of the Japanese Swords, pp. 117–119.
It is said that there are three objects that are the most noteworthy when appreciating a blade. The first is the overall shape referred to as sugata which is the curvature, length, width, tip, and shape of tang of the sword. The second is a fine pattern on the surface of the blade, which is referred to as hada or jigane. By repeatedly folding and forging the blade, fine patterns such as fingerprints, tree rings and bark are formed on its surface. The third is hamon. Hamon is a fuzzy line in the white pattern of the cutting edge produced by quenching and tempering. The object of appreciation is the shape of hamon and the crystal particles formed at the boundary of hamon. Depending on the size of the particles, they can be divided into two types, a nie and a nioi, which makes them look like stars or mist. The pattern, nie and nioi of the hamon are generally difficult to see, and the viewer usually holds the sword in his hand, changing the angle of the light as it hits the blade. In addition to these three objects, a swordsmith signature and a file pattern engraved on tang, and a carving inscribed on the blade, which is referred to as horimono, are also the objects of appreciation.
The Hon'ami clan, which was an authority of appraisal of Japanese swords, rated Japanese swords from these artistic points of view. In addition, experts of modern Japanese swords judge when and by which swordsmith school the sword was made from these artistic points of view.
Generally, the blade and the sword mounting of Japanese swords are displayed separately in museums, and this tendency is remarkable in Japan. For example, the Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum "Nagoya Touken World", one of Japan's largest sword museums, posts separate videos of the blade and the sword mounting on its official website and YouTube. Touken World YouTube videos about Japanese swords Touken World YouTube videos on koshirae (sword mountings)
In 1719, Tokugawa Yoshimune, the 8th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, ordered Hon'ami Kōchū, who was an authority of sword appraisal, to record swords possessed by daimyo all over Japan in books. In the completed " Kyōhō Meibutsu Chō" (享保名物帳) 249 precious swords were described, and additional 25 swords were described later. The list also includes 81 swords that had been destroyed in previous fires. The precious swords described in this book were called " Meibutsu" (名物) and the criteria for selection were artistic elements, origins and legends. The list of "Meibutsu" includes 59 swords made by Masamune, 34 by Awataguchi Yoshimitsu and 22 by Go Yoshihiro, and these three swordsmiths were considered special. Daimyo hid some swords for fear that they would be confiscated by the Tokugawa Shogunate, so even some precious swords were not listed in the book. For example, Daihannya Nagamitsu and Yamatorige, which are now designated as National Treasures, were not listed.
Yamada Asaemon V, who was the official sword cutting ability examiner and executioner of the Tokugawa shogunate, published a book " Kaiho Kenjaku" (懐宝剣尺) in 1797 in which he ranked the cutting ability of swords. The book lists 228 swordsmiths, whose forged swords are called " Wazamono" (業物) and the highest " Saijo Ō Wazamono" (最上大業物) has 12 selected. In the reprinting in 1805, one swordsmith was added to the highest grade, and in the major revised edition in 1830 " Kokon Kajibiko" (古今鍛冶備考), two swordsmiths were added to the highest grade, and in the end, 15 swordsmiths were ranked as the highest grade. The katana forged by Nagasone Kotetsu, one of the top-rated swordsmith, became very popular at the time when the book was published, and many counterfeits were made. In these books, the three swordsmiths treated specially in " Kyōhō Meibutsu Chō" and Muramasa, who was famous at that time for forging swords with high cutting ability, were not mentioned. The reasons for this are considered to be that Yamada was afraid of challenging the authority of the shogun, that he could not use the precious sword possessed by the daimyo in the examination, and that he was considerate of the legend of Muramasa's curse.
At present, by the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, important swords of high historical value are designated as Important Cultural Properties ( Jūyō Bunkazai, 重要文化財), and special swords among them are designated as National Treasures ( Kokuhō, 国宝). The swords designated as cultural properties based on the law of 1930, which was already abolished, have the rank next to Important Cultural Properties as Important Art Object ( Jūyō Bijutsuhin, 重要美術品). In addition, the Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords, a public interest incorporated foundation, rates high-value swords in four grades, and the highest grade Special Important Sword ( Tokubetsu Juyo Token, 特別重要刀剣) is considered to be equivalent to the value of Important Art Object. Although swords owned by the Japanese imperial family are not designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties because they are outside the jurisdiction of the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, there are many swords of the National Treasure class, and they are called " Gyobutsu" (御物).
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> ＜審査規程第17条第1項に基づく審査基準＞. Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai.
Currently, there are several authoritative rating systems for swordsmiths. According to the rating approved by the Japanese government, from 1890 to 1947, two swordsmiths who were appointed as Imperial Household Artist and after 1955, six swordsmiths who were designated as Living National Treasure are regarded as the best swordsmiths. According to the rating approved by The Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords, a public interest incorporated foundation, 39 swordsmiths who were designated as Mukansa (無鑑査) since 1958 are considered to be the highest ranking swordsmiths. The best sword forged by Japanese swordsmiths is awarded the most honorable Masamune prize by The Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords. Since 1961, eight swordsmiths have received the Masamune Prize, and among them, three swordsmiths, Masamine Sumitani, Akitsugu Amata and Toshihira Osumi, have received the prize three times each and Sadakazu Gassan II has received the prize two times. These four people were designated both Living National Treasures and Mukansa.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 日本刀の刀匠・刀工「無鑑査刀匠」. Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World.
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