ANTIQUE WEAPON
AUGUST 4, 2023
Katana : The True Meaning Of Weapon And Art
This Japanese sword is the true product mix between weapon and art made by perfect craft of the maker inherited since hundred years ago.
Katana (刀) is a type of sword from Japan that is usually used as a weapon by samurai, so it is called a “samurai sword” (a sword owned by samurai). The katana is a long sword 大刀 (daitō), although in Japan itself this refers to curved swords measuring more than 2 shaku and less than 3 shaku, 1 shaku is approximately 33 cm.
The katana itself has a blade length of about 60 cm, if it is equipped with a tsuka (sword hilt) the length will be around 100 cm. In the past, the katana itself was a symbol of the status of a samurai because at that time only samurai were allowed to carry a katana.
Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines the samurai, firstly, as military assistants to the Japanese daimyo following the Bushido rites. The second meaning of samurai is a warrior in Japanese aristocratic society.
ORIGIN
Apparently, Japan had relations with China and Korea which made swords successfully enter the Japanese market at that time.
But at the end of the 10th century, Japan broke the relationships with the two countries and became independent. Since then, Japan has been looking for ways to make their own swords.
At that time, there was a legendary sword maker in the Empire of Japan. It was Amakuni Yasutsuna who designed the first curved single-edged sword known as the ‘tachi’ during the Asuka Period in 700 AD. Amakuni Yasutsuna is also known as the creator of the first katana or samurai sword.
He saw many samurai returning from the battlefield with broken swords, especially after fighting the Mongolian army. That’s why Amakuni began to design a new samurai sword that was difficult to destroy. The materials used are iron, sand, and coal. Until now, the iron used by katana swordsmen was made using this technique.
The katana is usually paired with a wakizashi or shōtō, similar in shape but made shorter, both worn by members of the warrior class. The two weapons worn together were called daishō, and represented the social power and personal honor of the samurai.
A POWERFUL WEAPON
Not everyone can hold a katana properly. The samurai alone need practice to be able to grip and use it properly. Not to mention the weight of this sword is quite heavy compared to other swords, which is around 750 grams to 1,000 grams.
The katana is primarily used for chopping, and is preferably worn with a two-handed grip.
Unlike most swords from any country, the Katana has a different way of laying it on the wearer’s hip, unlike other swords that carry a sword with the blade pointing downwards, the katana is just the opposite, the blade is pointing up, this is intended to make it easier for a samurai to carry out activities, including blood oaths, simply by pulling the handle of the sword a little and scratching the thumb on the blade.
KATANA TODAY
In modern times like this, the manufacturers of swords is declining. The decline in sword production was due to the gunpowder used as a weapon on the battlefield.
A katana is considered an antique and must have a valid certificate. Large companies in Japan also continue to produce swords with different variations and high quality.
Genuine Japanese swords today are a rarity, although truly antique ones can be obtained at very high prices. Modern katanas and wakizashi are only made by a few licensed practitioners who still craft these weapons today.
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