What is the Japanese samurai knife called? Samurai swords

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The sword has always been the weapon of the nobility. Knights treated their blades like comrades in battle, and having lost his sword in battle, a warrior covered himself with indelible shame. Among the glorious representatives of this type of edged weapons, there is also their own "know" - the famous blades, which, according to legend, have magical properties, for example, to put enemies to flight and protect their master. There is some truth in such tales - an artifact sword with its very appearance could inspire the associates of its owner. Here are some of the deadliest relics in Japanese history known to the world.

Kusanagi no tsurugi

After carefully examining the sword, the experts came to the conclusion that, most likely, this is the same legendary artifact, since the estimated time of its creation coincides with the events described in the Nihon shoki, in addition, the Isonokami-jingu shrine is mentioned there, so the relic simply lay there more than 1.5 thousand years until it was found. © Dmitry Zykov

Samurai sword

The Japanese technology for making iron swords began to develop from the 8th century and reached its highest perfection by the 13th century, allowing you to make not just military weapons, but a real work of art that cannot be fully reproduced even in modern times. For about a thousand years, the shape of the sword remained practically unchanged, slightly changing mainly in length and degree of bend in accordance with the development of close combat tactics. The sword, being one of the three ancient regalia of the Japanese emperor, also had ritual and magical significance in Japanese society.

Terminology

Literature often uses Japanese names to refer to varieties of the Japanese sword and its details. A short glossary of the most commonly used terms:

Comparative table of Japanese swords

History of the Japanese sword

Ancient swords. Until the 9th century.

The first iron swords were brought to the Japanese islands in the 2nd half of the 3rd century by Chinese merchants from the mainland. This period of Japanese history is called Kofun (lit. "mounds", III - centuries). In the mound-type graves, swords of that period, albeit heavily damaged by rust, were preserved, divided by archaeologists into Japanese, Korean, and the most frequent Chinese samples. Chinese swords had a straight narrow single-edged blade with a large annular pommel on the shank. Japanese examples were shorter, with a wider straight double-edged blade and a massive pommel. In the Asuka period (- years), with the help of Korean and Chinese blacksmiths in Japan, they began to produce their own iron, and by the 7th century they mastered composite technology. Unlike previous examples, forged from a single iron strip, swords began to be made by forging from iron and steel plates.

In the old days (the period of koto swords, about - BC), there were about 120 blacksmith schools that over the centuries produced swords with characteristic stable features developed by the founding master of the school. In modern times (the period of Shinto swords, - gg.), 80 schools are known. There are about 1,000 outstanding blacksmith craftsmen, and in total over a thousand years of the history of the Japanese sword, more than 23 thousand gunsmiths were recorded, of which most (4 thousand) during the period of koto (old swords) lived in the province of Bizen (modern Okayama Prefecture ).

Ingots of iron were flattened into thin plates, cooled rapidly in water and then broken into pieces the size of a coin. After that, the selection of pieces was carried out, pieces with large inclusions of slag were discarded, the rest were sorted according to the color and granular structure of the fault. This method allowed the blacksmith to select steel with a predictable carbon content ranging from 0.6 to 1.5%.

Further isolation of slag residues in steel and a decrease in the carbon content was carried out in the process of forging - joining individual small pieces into a blank for a sword.

Blade forging

Section of a Japanese sword. Shown are two common structures with excellent combination in the direction of the steel layers. Left: Blade metal will show texture itame, on right - masame.

Pieces of steel with approximately the same carbon content were poured onto a plate of the same metal, everything in a single block is heated to 1300 ° C and welded together with hammer blows. The forging process begins. The workpiece is flattened and doubled, then flattened again and doubled in the other direction. As a result of repeated forging, a laminated steel is obtained, finally cleaned of slags. It is easy to calculate that with a 15-fold folding of the workpiece, almost 33 thousand layers of steel are formed - a typical Damascus density for Japanese swords.

The slag still remains a microscopic layer on the surface of the steel layer, forming a peculiar texture ( hada), resembling a pattern on the surface of wood.

To make a sword blank, the blacksmith forges at least two bars of hard high-carbon steel ( kawagane) and softer low-carbon ( shingane). From the first, a U-shaped profile about 30 cm long is formed, inside which a bar is inserted shingane, not reaching the part that will become the top and which is made of the best and hardest steel kawagane. Then the blacksmith heats the block in the furnace and welds the component parts by forging, after which he increases the length of the workpiece at 700-1100 ° C to the size of a sword by forging.

With a more complex technology, up to 4 bars are welded: from the hardest steel ( hagane) form the cutting blade and apex, 2 bars of less hard steel go to the sides, and a bar of relatively soft steel forms the core. The composite structure of the blade can be even more complex with separate butt welding.

Forging forms the blade of the blade to a thickness of about 2.5 mm (near the cutting edge) and its edge. The upper tip is also straightened by forging, for which the end of the workpiece is cut diagonally. Then the long end (from the side of the blade) of the diagonal cut is forged to the short (butt), as a result of which the metal structure at the top provides increased strength in the strike zone of the sword, while maintaining hardness and thus the possibility of very sharp sharpening.

Blade hardening and polishing

The next important step in the manufacture of the sword is the heat treatment of the blade to strengthen the cutting edge, as a result of which the jamon pattern appears on the surface of the sword, which is specific to Japanese swords. Up to half of the blanks in the hands of the average blacksmith never become real swords as a result of failed tempering.

For heat treatment, the blade is covered with an uneven layer of heat-resistant paste - a mixture of clay, ash and stone powder. The exact composition of the paste was kept secret by the master. The blade was covered with a thin layer, the thickest layer of paste was applied to the middle part of the blade, where hardening was undesirable. The liquid mixture was leveled and, after drying, scratched in a certain order in the area closer to the blade, due to which a pattern was prepared jamon. The blade with dried paste is heated evenly along its length to approx. 770 ° C (controlled by the color of the hot metal), then immersed in a container of water with the blade down. Rapid cooling changes the structure of the metal near the blade, where the thickness of the metal and thermal protective paste is the smallest. The blade is then reheated to 160°C and cooled again. This procedure helps to reduce the stresses in the metal that have arisen during hardening.

The hardened area of ​​the blade has an almost white tint compared to the rest of the blade's darker grey-bluish surface. The boundary between them is clearly visible in the form of a patterned line. jamon, which is interspersed with shiny crystals of martensite in iron. In ancient times, the jamon looked like a straight line along the blade; during the Kamakura period, the line became wavy, with bizarre curls and transverse lines. It is believed that in addition to the aesthetic appearance, the wavy heterogeneous line of the jamon allows the blade to better withstand shock loads, damping sharp stresses in the metal.

If the procedure is followed, as an indicator of the quality of hardening, the butt of the blade acquires a whitish tint, utsuri(lit. reflection). Utsuri recalls jamon, but its appearance is not a consequence of the formation of martensite, but an optical effect as a result of a slight change in the structure of the metal in this zone compared to the nearby body of the blade. Utsuri is not a mandatory attribute of a quality sword, but indicates a successful heat treatment for some technologies.

When the blade is heated during the hardening process to a temperature of more than 770 °, its surface becomes rich in shades and rich in pattern details. However, the strength of the sword may suffer. Only the blacksmiths of the Sagami province during the Kamakura period managed to combine the fighting qualities of the sword with the luxurious design of the metal surface; high-quality swords of other schools are distinguished by a rather strict style of blade design.

The final finishing of the sword is no longer carried out by a blacksmith, but by an artisan polisher, whose skill was also highly valued. Using a series of polishing stones of varying grits and water, the polisher would polish the blade to perfection, after which the smith would engrave his name and other details on the unpolished tang. The sword was considered ready, the remaining operations for attaching the hilt ( tsuki), guards ( tsuba), the application of jewelry belonged to the category of auxiliary procedures that did not require magical skill.

fighting qualities

The combat quality of the best Japanese swords cannot be assessed. Due to their uniqueness and high price, testers do not have the opportunity to test and compare them with the best work of gunsmiths from other regions of the world. It is necessary to distinguish between the possibilities of the sword for different situations. For example, sharpening a sword for the greatest sharpness (for tricks with cutting handkerchiefs in the air) will be unsuitable for cutting through armor. In antiquity and the Middle Ages, legends were circulated about the capabilities of weapons that could not be demonstrated in modern times. Below are collected individual legends and facts on the capabilities of the Japanese sword.

Modern evaluation of Japanese swords

After the surrender of Japan in World War II, the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition issued an order to destroy all Japanese swords, but after the intervention of experts, in order to preserve historical relics of significant artistic value, the order was changed. The "Society for the Preservation of Artistic Japanese Swords" (NBTHK) was created, one of its tasks was an expert assessment of the historical value of the sword. In 1950, Japan passed the law "On Cultural Property", which, in particular, determined the procedure for preserving Japanese swords as part of the cultural heritage of the nation.

The sword evaluation system is multi-stage, starting with the assignment of the lowest category and ending with the award of the highest titles (the top two titles are within the competence of the Ministry of Culture of Japan):

• National Treasure ( kokuho). About 122 swords have the title, mainly tachi of the Kamakura period, katanas and wakizashi in this list less than 2 dozen.
• Important cultural asset. The title has about 880 swords.
• A very important sword.
• Important sword.
• A highly guarded sword.
• Protected sword.

In modern Japan, it is possible to keep a registered sword with only one of the above titles, otherwise the sword is subject to confiscation as a type of weapon (if not related to souvenirs). The quality of the sword itself is certified by the Japanese Sword Protection Society (NTHK), which issues an expert opinion according to the established model.

At present, in Japan, it is customary to evaluate the Japanese sword not so much by its combat parameters (strength, cutting ability), but by the criteria applicable to a work of art. A high-quality sword, while retaining the properties of an effective weapon, must bring aesthetic pleasure to the observer, have the perfection of form and harmony of artistic taste.

Sources

The article is based on the materials of the following publications:

• Sword. Kodansha encyclopedia of Japan. 1st ed. 1983. ISBN 0-87011-620-7 (U.S.)
• A. G. Bazhenov, "History of the Japanese sword", - St. Petersburg, 2001, 264 p. ISBN 5-901555-01-5
• A. G. Bazhenov, "Examination of the Japanese sword", - S.-Pb., 2003, 440 p. ISBN 5-901555-14-7.
• Leon and Hiroko Kapp, Yoshindo Yoshihara, "The Craft of the Japanese Sword". Translation into Russian on the site www.katori.ru.

Notes

1. The term "tati" was established in Russian-language literature. Russian phonetics does not allow to accurately convey the sound, English phonetics reproduces the name as tachi.
2. There is no exact standard for deflection for tati. At the beginning, the tati sword had an almost saber curvature; by the 14th century, the blade straightens. The deflection of the "sori" is standardly measured as the maximum distance from the butt to a straight line between the tip of the sword and the base of the blade. The handle is not taken into account in the calculation of curvature.
3. The definitions of the types of Japanese swords are given in the book by A. Bazhenov "Expertise of the Japanese sword" according to the explanation of the Japanese association NBTHK ("Society for the Preservation of Artistic Japanese Swords"), which is responsible for the certification of Japanese blades.
4. Although the tachi is on average longer than the katana, it is not uncommon for the katana to be longer than the tachi.
5. These lengths are obtained by converting the traditional Japanese measure of length shaku (30.3 cm, approx. cubit length) into cm.
6. That is, until the end of the Momoyama period. Traditionally, Japanese history is divided into unequal periods, defined by the names of the settlements that became the residence of the emperor.
7. Aoi Art Tokyo: Japanese auction house specializing in Japanese swords.
   Japanese Sword Ginza Choshuya Magazine: Japanese sword shop, releases a catalog every month.
8. The Kogarasu-Maru sword is in the unusual kissaki-moroha style popular during the Nara period. Half of the blade is double-edged to the tip, the other half with a blunt butt. A central hollow runs along the blade, the blade itself is very slightly curved, but there is a rather strong bending of the shank in relation to the blade. There is no signature on the sword. Stored in the collection of the imperial family. See photo in Bazhenov's book "The History of the Japanese Sword".
9. "Lumbar bend" ( koshi-zori) is so named because the maximum deflection of the blade when wearing a sword comfortably fit the body just in the lumbar region.
10. The butt can be flat or semicircular, but such examples are extremely rare among real Japanese swords.
11. A. G. Bazhenov, "History of the Japanese sword", p. 41
12. A. G. Bazhenov, "History of the Japanese sword", p. 147
13. Sword. Kodansha encyclopedia of Japan.
14. A. Bazhenov, "Examination of the Japanese sword", pp. 307-308
15. A shiny, clean fracture color indicates a carbon content above 1% (high carbon steel).
16. The forging process of the sword is described according to the booklet of the All Japan Swordsmiths Association and the book "The Craft of the Japanese Sword" (see sources), which describes the ancient technology restored by a modern master.

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). 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 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), 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. 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 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. 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 (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 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 a martial art as 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 his 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.

Although many associate only the samurai sword with Japan, they are wrong. Some of the most diverse and famous Japanese swords are katana, wakizashi, tachi, tanto dagger, rare ken, various types of yari spears and naginata halberd.

Tati - a long sword (blade length from 61 cm) with a relatively large bend (sori), intended mainly for equestrian combat. There is a kind of tachi called odachi, that is, a “large” tachi with a blade length of 1 m (from 75 cm from the 16th century). Visually, it is difficult to distinguish a katana from a tachi by the blade, they differ, first of all, in the manner of wearing. Tachi is usually longer and more curved (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). Tati, unlike the katana, was not tucked behind the obi (cloth belt) with the blade up, but hung on the thigh in a bandage designed for this, with the blade down. To protect against damage by armor, the scabbard often had a winding.

Kosigatana is a small sword that does not have a guard. The length of the blade is up to 45 cm. Sometimes a tanto dagger is worn instead or in addition.

Naginata - an intermediate weapon between a sword and a spear: a strongly curved blade up to 60 cm long, mounted on a handle as long as a person. Since the naginata was adopted by the samurai, it was usually and most often used by women to protect themselves from attack during the absence of men. It was most widely used during the reign of the Kamakura and Muromachi era emperors.

Yari is a Japanese spear that was not designed for throwing. The yari has been used by warriors since ancient times. The design of the yari somewhat resembles an ordinary sword. Simple artisans (not craftsmen) were engaged in the manufacture of yari, since structurally this weapon did not require great skill and was made "from a single piece." The length of the blade is about 20 cm. Yari was used by both samurai and ordinary soldiers.

When the word "sword" is pronounced, the imagination draws a long, straight blade. But long swords were predominantly cavalry weapons and became noticeably widespread only in the Middle Ages. And even then they were much less common than short swords that served as infantry weapons. Even the knights girded themselves with long swords only before the battle, and at other times they constantly wore daggers.

Stylet

In the 16th century, the cords lengthened somewhat and acquired a closed guard. The direct successor of the legionary sword - a short sword - "landsknecht" - remained the most massive weapon of the European infantry until the appearance of bayonets at the end of the 17th century.

"Landsknecht"
The greatest drawback of daggers was not modest length, but insufficient penetration power. Indeed: the Roman sword reached 45 cm from the palm, but the long sword of European knights of the 12th century was also only 40-50 cm. After all, it is desirable to cut with the middle of the blade. Even shorter were katanas, scimitars and checkers. The cutting blow is applied with a section of the blade as close as possible to the handle. Blades of this type were not even equipped with a guard, as it could catch on the enemy's clothes.
So, from a practical point of view, the dagger was not short. But he did not pierce the armor either. The small weight of the dagger did not allow them to reflect the blows of heavy weapons.
But the blow of a short piercing blade could be delivered very accurately and suddenly. Great strength for fighting with short swords was not required, but only a very experienced and dexterous warrior could effectively use this weapon.

Pugio
In the middle of the century, the legionary sword not only did not disappear, but did not change at all. Under the name of stylet or cord, it continued to be the most widespread type of bladed weapon in Europe. Cheap, light and compact cords were used by both nobles and residents of medieval cities as “civilian” weapons. Medieval infantry also wore short swords for self-defense: pikemen and crossbowmen.

On the other hand, pig steel was very soft. The saber, forged from Asian Damascus, simply cut through the saber from English steel. Elastic, but soft blades of the 16th century blunted literally “on the air”. The soldiers were forced to spend all their leisure time with a grindstone in their hand.

DAGA
Since the daga served, first of all, to repel blows, the guard was its main detail. This was especially noticeable among European dagas of the 16th century, the guard of which was a large bronze plate. Such a guard could be used as a shield.

Sai - Okinawa, trident stiletto with a faceted or round central blade and two outward-curving side blades.

Misericordia
Another question is that daggers were not usually adapted specifically for throwing. They did not have the overbalance to the point necessary for throwing weapons. To defeat the enemy at a distance, there were special knives.

shurikens
The variety of shapes of small projectiles is so great that they are practically unclassifiable. Unites all the "throwing iron", perhaps, only one property: the soldiers never used it. Never before the phalanx, along with archers and slingers, did knife throwers go. Yes, and the knight preferred to practice throwing a dagi that was completely unsuitable for this purpose, and not to carry a special knife with him.
The knife could not withstand competition from other projectiles. Its penetrating power was insufficient against the lightest armor. Yes, and he flew far, inaccurately and too slowly.

Kansashi is a Japanese female combat stiletto in the form of a hair clip with a blade 200 mm long. Served as a secret weapon.

Guan Dao is a Chinese edged weapon - a glaive, often mistakenly called a halberd, consisting of a long shaft with a warhead in the form of a wide curved blade; weight within 2-5 kg. for combat samples and from 48 to 72 kg. - for weapons used during the Qing period to conduct examinations for military positions (the so-called ukedao). The total length of the weapon also varies within 2 meters. The shaft was made of wood, glued bamboo or metal (for ukedao). Like other types of glaive, the butt of the yanyuedao has a punch that could be used to strike or parry an opponent's blow.