The Historic Samurai Swords And Their Types

This article talks about the history and types of Samurai swords that are available from various sources.

A Samurai sword has a long and colorful history behind its making. Samurai swords are popularly known as katana swords. The swords emerged as one of the most efficient cutting weapons ever manufactured in the history of Japan. The Samurai swords can be found mainly in two varieties known as Katana and Wakisashi. The longer swords were commonly known as the Katana Swords and the shorter variety was called Wakizashi. The swords symbolized the importance and integrity of a Samurai warrior and became his most treasured possession.

Earlier, most of the weapons were designed either to pierce or slash and Katana’s two different kinds of steel gave it strong qualities for both.

The Samurai Katana became the strongest and best performing weapon in the history of Japan. It became a versatile weapon in the battles that ravaged this nation of warriors. Use of Swedish powered steel in the manufacturing of Katana led to the outstanding quality and performance.

Types of Samurai Swords: Before you venture out to find a Samurai Sword Katana for sale, you should check out the various types of Samurai swords given below:

Katana: These swords emerged as the most treasured possession of a Samurai warrior. It was mainly used for outdoor fights. Measured over 24 inches, they became the most common companion of a Samurai warrior. Curved and single edged, a Samurai treated these Katana swords with great respect. When a male child turned 13 years old, they used to organize elaborate ceremonies and the child would receive his first Katana sword and armor, along with adult names and granting of a Samurai status.

Wakizashi: The Wakizashi sword was short with a curved blade. It was popularly called as Kodachi. The length of the sword normally remained between one to two feet long. It became Samurai’s honor weapon and would always remain with him. The Samurai would even sleep with the sword under his pillow. When the Samurai entered his home, he was supposed to leave his armor and weapons outside. But, he would always keep the Wakizashi by his side for safety. It allowed the Samurai to fight between constricted quarters. The sword was mainly used as a backup tool.

Chisa: The sword was mainly measured a foot shorter than the full-sized Katana. It was mainly used for indoor fighting. Some of these swords were mainly made out from damaged Katana swords.

Tachi and Nodachi: These swords featured a longer and curved blade. It was mainly worn on a cord and frequently used for fighting on horseback. The bigger version of Tachi is known as Nodachi. They were the longest swords used by the Samurai in battles. The longer blade and handle would give advantage for extra reach and force to the warriors in the battlefield. These swords were mainly worn on the back.

History: The earliest Japanese sword makers imitated the design of Chinese Jian swords. The Samurai swords () gradually refined over the centuries to meet the exact standards of strength and sharpness.

Guns were introduced in Japan () in the year 1543 due to Western influence. Many swords makers changed their profession during this period and started making guns as the Japanese government introduced a major program of modernization. However, the demand for this exotic weapon again picked up post World War II. The surge in demand led to the creation of a mass market for replicas of Samurai swords which exists till today. Resource box: If you are looking to find a Japanese Samurai sword for sale, then the author of this article recommends Real-sword.com.