Despite its size, it had the same craftsmanship as other Japanese swords. In earlier times, the sunnobi tanto had longer than usual blades, blurring the line between a long dagger and a short sword. The tanto refers to Japanese blades with a length of less than 30 centimeters, so it is considered a dagger. The samurai traditionally wore the dagger on their belts when wearing armor.

Some even featured carvings or horimono on the blade. It first emerged as a practical weapon but eventually evolved into a decorative blade with all the fittings of a samurai sword.

The tanto was the ceremonial dagger of the samurai, used in seppuku ritual suicide to avoid capture after battlefield defeats. The tachi varied in blade lengths, depending on the period, but was then officially fixed between 44 to 67 centimeters long. Nobles and other low-rank court officials were not permitted to carry the traditional tachi and instead used shorter swords. It is similar to its successor, the katana, though it usually had a more pronounced curvature.įor most of Japanese history, it was the proper sword the warriors wore with armor. Early warriors from horseback wore the tachi sword slung from a belt, with its blade facing down, which allowed a much more effective cutting technique. The first Japanese sword to have a curved blade, the tachi served as a cavalry sword. Tachi Blade and Mounting for a Slung Sword (Tachi), ca. When indoors, a samurai often left the katana by the door but still carried the short sword. The wakizashi accompanied the katana, completing the daisho. During the Edo period in Japan, it became traditional for samurai to carry two swords. The term daisho translates as large and small, apparent in the Japanese words daito (long sword) and shoto (short sword). It also served as a self-defense weapon for other social groups, including townsmen and merchants. Both types of swords are curved and single-edged, but the wakizashi was particularly suitable in close-quarter fighting. It measures around 45 centimeters long and features the decorative mountings of the long sword. The shorter version of the Japanese katana, the wakizashi, was the samurai’s constant companion.

Wakizashi Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi) blade, dated 1839 mounting, early–mid 19th century ( Source) The katana had blade lengths of over 60 centimeters but featured a shallow curvature compared to older swords. The samurai wore the katana with its edge facing up and typically held it in a two-handed grip, making it efficient in fighting on foot. It served both as a badge of rank and a lethal efficient blade. The most popular Japanese sword, the katana, was the longsword of the samurai. Here are the different samurai swords in Japanese history: 1.

The early samurai warriors used the tachi on horseback, but eventually, infantry tactics required the katana sword. Different Types of Samurai Swordsīattles and military strategies dictated the changes in sword lengths and designs. Let’s talk about the different swords the samurai used, their history, development, and why collectors consider them to be among the finest blades ever made. These blades became the symbol of the samurai’s elevated status in Japanese society and are now works of art. Early swordsmiths perfected the art of swordmaking and adapted their swords to changing military strategies of the time. Most recognized for their curved blades, the samurai swords were among the finest weapons in history.

Katana japanese swords