History Of The Samurai Sword
Few weapons in the history of warfare hold such fascination and regard as the Samurai Sword. Rich in Japanese history, the Samurai Sword is believed to date back as far as 4500 BC. Now historians arrange the history of the Samurai Sword into four phases, or time periods.
The “Chokuto”, or period of antiquity, represents the time before 900 AD. The origins of the Samurai Sword closely mirrors that of Japan itself. History tells us that before the recognized formation of what is now known as Japan, there were collections of loose warring tribes. In 660 BC, Jimmu Tenno headed a group of these warring clans carrying what were called the earliest Samurai Swords. Tenno was a great warrior and had many victories. He eventually settled in the area of Yamato and eventually became the Yamato Dynasty. The first Samurai Swords were so thin that when they were held parallel with the ground they would bend.
History of the Samurai Sword
The second phase is named “Koto”, or the old sword period, and represents the time period from 900 – 1573 AD. The signaling of this period was represented by new forging techniques in Japan giving their swords a distinctive style. Most warriors in this period fought from horseback, so the blades were curved so that they were more suitable for slashing rather than stabbing. Also during this period emerged the Samurai Warrior who took the Samurai Sword as their primary weapon. This is the period in which sword smiths developed the techniques and style that gives Samurai Swords their unique look and durability that lasts to this day.
The third phase is named “Shinto”, or new sword period is widely believed to span from 1574 to the modern period starting in 1868. One of the most important developments in this period was that Samurai Warriors began carrying two swords. The “katana” sword was the longer of the two and measured between 60cm – 76cm long. The Katana Sword was used as the Samurai’s primary weapon. The second sword was called the “wakizashi” and measured approximately 45cm long. The Wakizashi Sword was largely ceremonial. The period also saw a decrease in Samurai Sword production due to the outlawing of sword possession by farmers and also by the coming to power of the Tokugawa clan which brought with it 250 years of peace.
The fourth and final phase is named “Gendaito”, or the modern sword period. This phase represents the time period from 1868 to the present. During this period Japan was modernized and brought together by Emperor Meiji. During this time feudalism was abolished and with it, the reign of the Samurai Warrior. Even though feudalism was dead, the Emperor saw the Samurai Sword as a national art form and allowed sword smiths to continue their work. At the completion of World War II, the American occupying force outlawed the production of swords for seven years. It is said that the prohibition caused such problems for modern sword makers that it took decades to reach the quality achieved in previous centuries.
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