A katana is a long, single-edged slashing weapon. It has a slightly curved one-sided blade, a long or short handle, can be slightly developed in front, this allows you to cover it with two palms. The shape of the blade allows cutting and stabbing. The length of the blade is 60 centimeters, the handle could be different. Weighs up to one kilogram.
History of the katana
Such a sword appeared in the fifteenth century and lasted until the end of the twentieth as a weapon of the samurai. His "ancestor" was a long japanese saber tati. Their main difference was the way they were worn. Tati was tied with a special bandage on the belt, and the katana was thrust behind it. The first was paired with a tanto, the second with a wakizashi.
It was made from two types of metals. Viscous for the central part and hard for the blade. Before forging, the components were thoroughly cleaned. The handle was covered with leather and wrapped in silk fabric. This method of manufacture did not allow hands to slide over it. Handles made of wood or ivory, described various patterns, can be seen on ostentatious and decorative sabers.
The carrying case was made of wood and varnished. Metal ones also took place, their mass production began in the 20th century, but, nevertheless, they also had a wooden lining.
The sword was part of the clothing of the samurai and was worn on the left side of the body in a sheath, blade up. But after the seventeenth century, there was no particular need to take it with you every time. In addition, the blade could corrode. Therefore, they came up with a way to preserve the integrity of the sword. A mount was worn behind the belt, which included a scabbard. The sword itself was kept at home in a wooden case, which was not varnished, which made it possible for it to breathe, moisture accumulated in it. Therefore, no corrosion appeared on the blade. In the nineteenth century, this method of making sword cases became widespread. In the twentieth century, after the ban on wearing swords, they began to disguise them. The sheath began to be made in the form of a cane or staff.
The art of swordsmanship
The use was as a cutting weapon, and less often as a stabbing one. Wrapped around with two or one hand. The first schools teaching young samurai were formed in the fifteenth century. The techniques of Japanese swords differ from European ones in that the axis of the sword during the attack does not go to the enemy at a right angle, but along, thereby cutting the enemy. For such a construction of the battle, it is the curved blade that is very suitable.
In spite of, big changes in the history of the development of the state, concerning the wearing of the sword, the schools of samurai art have survived to this day. The most famous are Kashima Shinto Ryu, Kashima Shin Ryu and Katori Shinto Ryu.
Saber care
The implementation of cleaning the sword occurs in stages and with different tools.
With the help of polishing stones, notches are removed.
Rice paper, which does not contain acid, perfectly removes the remnants of oil that is smeared on the sword. Before use, it is strongly rubbed to make it soft so as not to scratch the blade. If you don't have rice paper handy, you can also use a regular paper towel. Lime has cleaning and polishing properties. When using it, it also does not leave scratches.
Hello, friends!
In a previous article, I began to tell you about katana, today I want to tell you more about it interesting weapons. 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 ( ancient state, later renamed Japan in 670). The legend says 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 be safely called the Japanese sword tachi (tato), commonly used 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 japanese katana displaces tati and becomes 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), laid 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 unfinished 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. Yes, exercising for a long time, the warrior brought the knowledge of techniques to automatic and used them unconsciously in battle, 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 more later times and in modern world used wooden models of swords.
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 the possession 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 one well-adjusted movement in a matter of seconds.
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. katana and others samurai swords used as a weapon of self-defense. 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 important place in the life of a samurai, therefore 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 (luxuriantly 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 until 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.
katana self made Samurai Sword Katana, cost - 5248.37 rubles.
There is no doubt that the Japanese katana sword is not only the most famous weapon of Japan, but also its symbol known throughout the world. Let's take a closer look at what a katana sword is.
A katana is a long, curved two-handed sword. It has a long handle, suitable for a two-handed grip, making it suitable for slashing. The blade of the sword is slightly curved outward, which, in combination with a pointed, slightly curved end, allows this sword to be used for stabbing as well. The katana blade has a length of 60 cm, while the weight of this Japanese weapon varies from 750 grams to 1.5 kilograms.
Katana making
Making a katana is a very laborious process, it can take several months. We can conditionally divide the manufacture of the sword into several stages.
The most important role in the manufacture of the blade is played by the quality of the steel used by the blacksmith. Traditionally, Japanese craftsmen use refined steel (purified from harmful impurities - phosphorus, sulfur and slag). The main grade of steel used to make katana (and other Japanese swords and daggers) is called tamahagane (Japanese for "diamond steel"). This steel is a unique Japanese invention and has been used since ancient times. This steel is made in Japanese melting furnaces - Tatara, the temperature in such furnaces can reach 1500 ° C.
The first step can be called the preparation of steel. Tamahagane ingots are coated with a solution of clay (some blacksmiths also add ash at this stage). In the process of melting, slag is released from the metal, which absorbs clay and ash.
The next stage of production is forging. The craftsman heats the pieces of the resulting steel to join them. Next, the blacksmith begins to flatten the resulting bar of steel with a hammer, folding it, which doubles the layers of steel. This operation can be repeated up to 20 times if necessary. In this way, the master achieves a uniform distribution of carbon over the workpiece, which ensures the incredible hardness of the future sword.
After that, the master needs to add softer steel, this is done so that the katana can withstand large power loads and not break. During the forging process, which can last from several days to a week, the bar is stretched in length, and the gunsmith, by arranging layers of steel with varying degrees of hardness, creates the structure and preliminary appearance of the blade.
The next step is to harden the blade. Before hardening, the workpiece is again covered with a clay solution, this is necessary to prevent overheating of the workpiece and its oxidation.
During hardening, the blade is heated to a high temperature and instantly cooled (usually a water bath is used for this), as a result of which the cutting edge becomes incredibly hard and durable. The katana blade consists of several parts - a hard cutting edge (yakiba) and a softer and more flexible back part (hiraji). During the hardening process, a jamon is formed between the yakiba and the hiraji (the boundary between hard and softer steel).
After hardening is completed, a long process of sharpening, polishing and shaping the blade follows. Polishing is done by a separate master - togishi. The blade is polished with stones with different grain sizes (as an example, modern sandpaper with different grain sizes can be cited). A master can spend about five days of work on one sword. This work is very responsible, since the togishi must completely preserve the shape that the blacksmith gave to the blade. Togishi also eliminates minor flaws in the work of a blacksmith. Modern masters sometimes engraved on the handle and unhardened sections of the blade. Most often, scenes for engraving are scenes of Buddhist epics.
After the blade is polished, the master proceeds to create the handle and scabbard of the katana. The scabbard is called "saya", and the hilt is called "tsuka". It is worth noting that all katanas are equipped with a sheath. Saya are made of wood and traditionally varnished. There are also non-lacquered saya, the so-called "sarasaya" (white scabbard). The handle is traditionally covered with stingray skin or wrapped with silk laces. When the scabbard and hilt are ready, the creation of the katana is completed.
Modern katanas are made not only by hand, but also in factories, which of course greatly simplified production and reduced the time it took to make a sword. Nevertheless, the quality of steel remains an important and unchanged attribute.
Katana care
They take care of the katana with the help of special tools. All actions are performed in strict sequence. First, nicks or deep scratches are removed, this is done with polishing stones. Then, with crumpled (to prevent scratches from large particles) rice paper, the blade of the sword is cleaned of old oil. If the katana is heavily soiled, then lime is added to the rice paper, which removes dirt well and does not scratch the blade. Then, using a new sheet of rice paper, a small amount of oil (most often clove) is applied. A thin layer of oil will protect the blade from rust and dirt.
Katana types
Katanas can be divided into several types.
Combat katana, the manufacturing process of which is described above. Used for warfare and battles. There are also training katanas. These swords are both metal and wooden, used for training and honing sword skills. There are also souvenir katanas that are not suitable for battle or training, due to their weak design, but are perfect for a gift or interior decoration.
In modern times, the word "katana" is used for any long Japanese sword. But still, traditionally, each Japanese sword has its own name. So, for example, a straight katana is called a “ninjato” sword (used by famous ninjas), or a Japanese “tachi” saber, very similar to a katana, but having a longer and more curved blade. Wakizashi is a short, curved Japanese sword worn by samurai paired with a katana (daisho). More different types we will consider Japanese edged weapons in the following articles.
wooden katana
Katanas, both in antiquity and now, are an expensive pleasure. Now, of course, you can buy a souvenir model made in China for about 3 thousand rubles. And for an antique or well-made modern sword, you will have to pay from several thousand dollars to tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars (if we talk about swords made by hand by famous craftsmen). So, the Kamakura sword of the 13th century became the most expensive katana in the world. An unknown collector from Europe paid $418,000 for it.
In the modern world, katana, of course, have lost their direct purpose - combat. But are milestone culture, history and traditions of Japanese society. Used in traditional rites and ceremonies. Katanas are also popular in the film industry and Japanese animation- the image of a samurai with a katana can often be found in movies or anime. The Japanese treat weapons with care and respect, and pass them down from generation to generation.
You can see which katanas can be purchased at a fairly reasonable price by clicking on the picture:
Samurai Sword Katana - handmade Japanese high-carbon steel katana
Hand Katana - Orange Samurai Sword
20" Black Dragon katana
Production technology
In 710 AD, the legendary man and the first swordsman Amakuni used for the first time in battle sword with a curved blade, which was forged from several dissimilar iron plates. This sword distinguished by a "saber profile" and from XII to mid-nineteenth existed in this form almost unchanged.
From the 12th century katana became an indispensable attribute of the Japanese aristocracy. After the Meiji Revolution, when officials were ordered to wear swords european style, katana lost their privileged position.
Today any japanese weapons, incl. katana, classified by blade length, each type sword has its own name. The main types are: nodachi - two-handed sword with a blade length of more than 84 cm; tati - samurai court saber with a blade like katana, but more magnificent decoration; tinsa-katana- courtier saber up to 61 cm long; wakizashi- was a couple katana or tati, up to 51 cm long; tanto- a combat knife, which was often worn instead of wakizashi, with a blade of 28-40 cm, and kaiken- female knife with a straight blade 8-16 cm.
katana significantly different from any other swords invented by mankind. Flexibility, sharpness and strength katana outnumber Arabic damask steel, not to mention European swords. Most experts uncompromisingly believe katana the best long blade in the world.
In the movie "Kill Bill", director Quentin Tarantino made a serious error in time and method of production katana. By Japanese tradition, the gunsmith who forged the blade would never have begun to manufacture accessories - for this he had a whole staff of production workers. In fact, katana is a whole designer as a result of the work of many people, and a real samurai always had several sets of accessories for his sword. The blade was inherited from century to century, and depending on various circumstances, the appearance katana changed. For example, in a war it was necessary to give sword ascetic appearance, and on a date with a lady, a samurai could come with a richly decorated katana katana gained such wide popularity largely due to the technology of its manufacture. The most important thing in any katana- this is a metal, a special iron ore was intended for the manufacture of the blade, containing impurities of molybdenum and tungsten. 
The bars were buried in a swamp for 8 years so that the rust would eat away the weak points in the product, after which it was sent to the blacksmith. The blacksmith flattened the bars with a special hammer, turning them into foil, then this foil was folded and flattened again - as a result, the finished blade contained about 50,000 layers of the strongest metal. An important fact is that real katana was self-sharpening due to the ordered movement of molecules - it was enough to hang the blade on the wall so that through certain time get a razor-sharp blade again. The blade was subjected to phased grinding: nine grinding wheels reduced the graininess, after which the master personally polished it with charcoal dust. Final stage in production - this is hardening in liquid clay, during which a thin matte strip - yakiba - appeared on the blade. Notable masters put their signature on the tail of the blade. At the end of forging and hardening, the sword was polished to a mirror shine for 2 weeks, and only after that the work was considered finished.
Usually the master created the blade alone or with a chosen student, to whom he passed on his knowledge and experience by word of mouth. Manufacturing process sword could last from several months to 10-15 years. There are many cases when the head of a samurai clan ordered a master katana making for his newborn son, so that when the heir grows up and completes his studies, he can receive his sword"by special order".
"Weapon of the Soul"
For the Japanese katana was not just a weapon - it reflected the spirit of the Japanese nation and was a symbol of the estates that made history for centuries. And although sword not the most ancient weapons Japan, it occupies a special place in the history and mentality of the country. The very first japanese swords were very similar to their Chinese counterpart - the straight sword "jian", and looked little like katana. These swords actively used by the first estates of the samurai in early middle ages, and even then sword was practically considered the "weapon of the soul" of the military caste. The attitude of the samurai sword and the ethics of "ken-juzu" were an integral part of the "bushido" code, which determined the entire way of life of the samurai. Along with a mirror and a jasper necklace, sword was one of the sacred symbols of imperial power. Sword was also hallmark the social status of a warrior, a symbol of purity, and - which is typical only for Japan - the best precious gift.
Katana presented noble people, sword brought to churches on special occasions, presented to the ambassadors of other states as a sign of respect. However, wearing rules sword strictly regulated by etiquette. 
After the appearance katana, this one sword began to be considered a symbol of samurai dignity, the “weapon of the soul” of a noble warrior who strictly observed complex rituals even for everyday wear katana. The samurai had their own signs of dignity. For example, one of them was the presence of a large assortment swords- 10 or more - differing in shape and color of scabbards and hilts. All swords intended to be worn in different situations: at court holidays, hunting, at war. Say, if a samurai wanted to express his peacefulness, he hung katana on the right side, because getting it out of its sheath was more difficult. katana on the left side meant that her owner was "ready for war."
Coming to visit, the samurai passed on his katana a servant who bowed and hoisted the sword blade up on a special stand. If a samurai came to visit an old friend, he would even shoot a short blade wakizashi by hanging it under right hand handle towards you. The hilt turned to the interlocutor could be interpreted as an insult, because such a gesture meant the doubt of the owner of the blade in the fencing skills of the opponent. If the interlocutor accidentally touched the sword of his guest, this was perceived by the latter as a threat to his honor, and could even lead friends to a duel. If the owner of the house sincerely admired the beauty of the blade and asked permission to admire it, touching the blade through a thin fabric, then this, on the contrary, was considered a great honor for its owner.
From the point of view of Japanese blacksmiths, sword really worth something if the soul of a blacksmith was invested in it. One very interesting duel entered history, in which the greatest gunsmiths of the 14th century competed with Muromasoy and Masamune. The blacksmiths plunged their katana into the bottom of a small stream, turning the blades of the swords against the current. At that time, it was autumn, and all the leaves that fell on the blade of Muromasa's sword were cut in half, and the leaves that approached Masamune's blade went around him without touching. Muromasa pleaded defeated in this duel, because. Japanese "sword mythology" says that sword is not a weapon of aggression, but a weapon of peace, and its true purpose is to prevent and stop wars.
The use of katana
In feudal Japan, application training katana looked more than cruel - just created katana cut down prisoners to see what impact sword exerts on bones and tissues. katana sword in its shape it had a slightly curved blade, which allowed the blade to stay in the cut longer, thereby penetrating deeper into the wound. Many fighting techniques of the samurai were specially conceived in such a way that, using only 10-15 cm of the tip of the sword, it would penetrate the body by 5-10 cm. This made it much easier and faster to make a cut and pull out the sword for further use.
Scramble on katanah lasted several seconds, and in order not to get bored, the samurai sought to master a variety of tactics. They had more subtle tricks than the obvious "hit first", allowing the opponent to make the first shot, and then the attack became fatal for him. In all this lies the idea - to deceive the opponent, almost everyone is endowed with the same meaning. katana battles. With the movement of the eyes and body, the samurai presented to the enemy certain picture, within which he attacked, and in response acted unexpectedly. Old school samurai didn't brandish their swords, maintaining a cold calm until the decisive moment. They knew that "if you raise the sword too high, it will be difficult to deceive the enemy."
