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124-405: A tachi ( 太刀 ) is a type of sabre-like traditionally made Japanese sword ( nihonto ) worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. Tachi and uchigatana generally differ in length, degree of curvature, and how they were worn when sheathed, the latter depending on the location of the mei ( 銘 ) , or signature, on the tang . The tachi style of swords preceded the development of

248-408: A wakizashi were called kodachi . The longest tachi (considered a 15th-century ōdachi ) in existence is 3.7 metres (12 ft) in total length with a 2.2 metres (7 ft 3 in) blade, but is believed to be ceremonial. In the late 1500s and early 1600s, many tachi blades were modified into katana , their cut tangs ( o-suriage ) removing the smiths' signatures from

372-485: A tachi is wrapped in leather or ray skin, and it is wrapped with black thread or leather cord, and the scabbard is coated with black lacquer. On the other hand, court nobles wore tachi decorated with precisely carved metal and jewels for ceremonial purposes. High-ranking court nobles wore swords of the style called kazari tachi or kaza tachi ( 飾太刀, 飾剣 ), which meant decorative tachi , and lower-ranking court nobles wore simplified kazatachi swords of

496-626: A tachi wrapped in leather, was popular. The kawatsutsumi tachi was stronger than the kurourushi tachi because its hilt was wrapped in leather or ray skin, lacquer was painted on top of it, leather straps and cords were wrapped around it, and the scabbard and sometimes the tsuba (hand guard) were also wrapped in leather. By the 15th century, Japanese swords, including tachi , had already gained international fame by being exported to China and Korea. For example, Koreans learned how to make Japanese swords by sending swordsmiths to Japan and inviting Japanese swordsmiths to Korea. According to

620-555: A blade. In the Kamakura period (1185–1333), high-ranking samurai wore hyogo gusari tachi (hyogo kusari no tachi, 兵庫鎖太刀) , which meant a sword with chains in the arsenal. The scabbard of the tachi was covered with a gilt copper plate and hung by chains at the waist. At the end of the Kamakura period, simplified hyogo gusari tachi came to be made as an offering to the kami of Shinto shrines and fell out of use as weapons. On

744-479: A change in the designs of Japanese swords. The swordsmiths of the Sōshū school represented by Masamune studied ruined tachi – broken or bent in battle – to develop new production methods, and create innovative swords. They forged the blade using a combination of soft and hard steel to optimize the temperature and timing of the heating and cooling of the blade, resulting in a lighter and very robust blade. They also made

868-498: A compilation from the 18th century called the "Kyoho Meibutsucho". The swords listed are Koto blades from several different provinces; 100 of the 166 swords listed are known to exist today, with Sōshū blades being very well represented. The "Kyoho Meibutsucho" also listed the nicknames, prices, history and length of the Meibutsu , with swords by Yoshimitsu, Masamune, Yoshihiro, and Sadamune being very highly priced. Each blade has

992-471: A gently curved single-edged blade, and the structure of nakago , was completed. Its shape may reflect the changing form of warfare in Japan. Cavalry were now the predominant fighting unit and the older straight chokutō were particularly unsuitable for fighting from horseback. The curved sword is a far more efficient weapon when wielded by a warrior on horseback where the curve of the blade adds considerably to

1116-553: A great cost.". From the Heian period (794–1185), ordinary samurai wore swords of the style called kurourusi tachi (kokushitsu no tachi, 黒漆太刀) , which meant black lacquer tachi . The hilt of a tachi is wrapped in leather or ray skin, and it is wrapped with black thread or leather cord, and the scabbard is coated with black lacquer. On the other hand, court nobles wore tachi decorated with precisely carved metal and jewels for ceremonial purposes. High-ranking court nobles wore swords of

1240-523: A great flood, the spread of the Mino school, and the virtual unification of Japan by Toyotomi Hideyoshi , which made almost no difference in the steel used by each school. Japanese swords since the Shintō period often have gorgeous decorations carved on the blade and lacquered maki-e decorations on the scabbard. This was due to the economic development and the increased value of swords as arts and crafts as

1364-461: A greater taper from hilt to point, was more curved and had a smaller point area for penetrating heavy clothing. Unlike the traditional manner of wearing the katana , the tachi was worn hung from the belt with the cutting edge down, and was most effective used by cavalry . Deviations from the average length of tachi have the prefixes ko- for "short" and ō- for "great, large" attached. For instance, tachi shōtō and closer in size to

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1488-455: A high concentration in the burial goods of the Ōshū and Hokkaido regions. Mokusa Area was famous for legendary swordsmiths in the Heian period (AD 794–1185). They are considered as the original producers of the Japanese swords known as " Warabitetō " which can date back to the sixth to eighth centuries. " Warabitetō " gained its fame through the series of battles between Emishi people (蝦夷) and

1612-572: A position preparing a catalogue of the Imperial Library. 1043 was the high point in the first half of the eleventh century for reformers. Ouyang and Fan spurred the Qingli Reforms , a ten-point reform platform. Among other things, these included improved entrance examinations for government service, elimination of favouritism in government appointments, and increased salaries. They were able to implement some of these ideas in what

1736-471: A scabbard covered with metal, which was used as a weapon until the Muromachi period. The meaning was a sword wrapped around a leech, and its feature was that a thin metal plate was spirally wrapped around the scabbard, so it was both sturdy and decorative, and chains were not used to hang the scabbard around the waist. The Mongol invasions of Japan in the 13th century during the Kamakura period facilitated

1860-463: A single author. As a poet, he was a noted writer of both the cí and shi genres. But it was his prose writings like Zuiwengting Ji that won him the greatest acclaim. Treatises from Ouyang's voluminous œuvre range from studies of flowers to literary criticism and political commentaries. Politically, Ouyang Xiu was one of the major proponents of the Qingli Reforms of the 1040s. When lead reformer Fan Zhongyan fell from power in 1045 CE, Ouyang

1984-410: A smaller blade; both worn edge-up. This style is called buke-zukuri , and all daitō worn in this fashion are katana , averaging 70–74 cm (2 shaku 3 sun to 2 shaku 4 sun 5 bu) in blade length. However, Japanese swords of longer lengths also existed, including lengths up to 78 cm (2 shaku 5 sun 5 bu). It was not simply that the swords were worn by cords on a belt, as a 'style' of sorts. Such

2108-546: A statement trivializes an important function of such a manner of bearing the sword. It was a very direct example of 'form following function.' At this point in Japanese history, much of the warfare was fought on horseback. Being so, if the sword or blade were in a more vertical position, it would be cumbersome, and awkward to draw. Suspending the sword by 'cords' allowed the sheath to be more horizontal, and far less likely to bind while drawing it in that position. Abnormally long blades (longer than 3 shaku ), usually carried across

2232-569: A statesman of the Song dynasty in China, described Japanese swords as follows: "It is a treasured sword with a scabbard made of fragrant wood covered with fish skin, decorated with brass and copper, and capable of exorcising evil spirits. It is imported at a great cost." From the Heian period (794–1185), ordinary samurai wore swords of the style called kurourusi tachi ( kokushitsu no tachi , 黒漆太刀 ), which meant black lacquer tachi . The hilt of

2356-424: A sword with chains in the arsenal. The scabbard of the tachi was covered with a gilt copper plate and hung by chains at the waist. At the end of the Kamakura period, simplified hyogo gusari tachi came to be made as an offering to the kami of Shinto shrines and fell out of use as weapons. On the other hand, in the Kamakura period, there was a type of tachi called hirumaki tachi ( 蛭巻太刀 ) with

2480-403: A sword with three basic external elements of Japanese swords, the cross-sectional shape of shinogi-zukuri , a gently curved single-edged blade, and the structure of nakago , was completed. Its shape may reflect the changing form of warfare in Japan. Cavalry were now the dominant fighting unit, and the older straight chokutō were unsuitable for fighting from horseback. The curved sword

2604-758: A system of low-interest loans to farmers. He was finally permitted to retire in 1071. In his prose works, he followed the example of Han Yu , promoting the Classical Prose Movement . While posted in Luoyang, Ouyang founded a group who made his “ancient prose” style a public cause. He is listed as one of the Eight Masters of the Tang and Song . Among his most famous prose works is the Zuiwengting Ji ( lit.   ' An Account of

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2728-421: A tanto making the length distinction somewhat arbitrary but necessary when referring to unmounted short blades. When the mounts are taken out of the equation, a tanto and wakizashi will be determined by length under or over 30 cm (12 in), unless their intended use can be absolutely determined or the speaker is rendering an opinion on the intended use of the blade. In this way, a blade formally attributed as

2852-480: A thoroughfare. A lying dog encountered it and was killed." Ouyang teased his junior colleagues, "A history book in your hands would remain incomplete after ten thousand volumes." When asked for his own rendering, Ouyang, replying with a smile, wrote: "A galloping horse killed a dog in its path." His poems are generally relaxed, humorous and often self-deprecatory; he gave himself the title The Old Drunkard . He wrote both shi and cí . His shi are stripped down to

2976-526: A trapezoidal shape). A flat or narrowing shinogi is called shinogi-hikushi , whereas a flat blade is called a shinogi-takushi . The shinogi can be placed near the back of the blade for a longer, sharper, more fragile tip or a more moderate shinogi near the center of the blade. The sword also has an exact tip shape, which is considered an extremely important characteristic: the tip can be long ( ōkissaki ), medium ( chūkissaki ), short ( kokissaki ), or even hooked backwards ( ikuri-ōkissaki ). In addition, whether

3100-465: A true daitō and a wakizashi . A shōtō and a daitō together are called a daishō (literally, "big-little" ). The daishō was the symbolic armament of the Edo period samurai . A blade longer than two shaku is considered a daitō , or long sword. To qualify as a daitō the sword must have a blade longer than 2 shaku (approximately 24 inches or 60 centimeters) in a straight line. While there

3224-409: A unique profile, mostly dependent on the swordsmith and the construction method. The most prominent part is the middle ridge, or shinogi . In the earlier picture, the examples were flat to the shinogi, then tapering to the blade edge. However, swords could narrow down to the shinogi, then narrow further to the blade edge, or even expand outward towards the shinogi then shrink to the blade edge (producing

3348-429: A very long curved single-edged sword; uchigatana , a slightly shorter curved single-edged long sword; wakizashi , a medium-sized sword; and tantō , which is an even smaller knife-sized sword. Naginata , nagamaki , and yari , despite being polearms, are still considered to be swords, which is a common misconception; naginata, nagamaki and yari differ from swords. The type classifications for Japanese swords indicate

3472-501: A wakizashi due to length may be informally discussed between individuals as a tanto because the blade was made during an age where tanto were popular and the wakizashi as a companion sword to katana did not yet exist. The following are types of Japanese swords: There are other bladed weapons made in the same traditional manner as Japanese swords, which are not swords, but are still classified as Japanese swords ( nihontō ) (as "tō" means "blade", rather than specifically "sword") because of

3596-436: Is a far more efficient weapon wielded by a warrior on horseback; the curve of the blade adds considerably to the downward force of a cutting action. According to historian Karl Friday , before the 13th century, there are no written references or drawings showing swords of any kind were used from horseback. However, According to Yoshikazu Kondo, bow and arrows were certainly the main weapons used in cavalry battles, but from around

3720-401: Is a list of lengths for different types of blades: Blades whose length is next to a different classification type are described with a prefix 'O-' (for great) or 'Ko-' (for small), e.g. a Wakizashi with a length of 59 cm is called an O-wakizashi (almost a Katana) whereas a Katana of 61 cm is called a Ko-Katana (for small Katana; but note that a small accessory blade sometimes found in

3844-775: Is a school that originated in Yamato Province corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture . Nara was the capital of ancient Japan. Since there is a legend that it was a swordsmith named Amakuni who first signed the tang of a sword, he is sometimes regarded as the founder and the oldest school. However, the founder identified in the material is Yukinobu in the Heian period . They forged the swords that were often worn by monk warriors called sōhei in Nara's large temples. The Yamato school consists of five schools: Senjuin, Shikkake, Taima, Tegai, and Hōshō . Each school forged swords under

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3968-449: Is a well defined lower limit to the length of a daitō , the upper limit is not well enforced; a number of modern historians, swordsmiths, etc. say that swords that are over 3 shaku in blade length are "longer than normal daitō " and are usually referred to as ōdachi . The word "daitō" is often used when explaining the related terms shōtō (short sword) and daishō (the set of both large and small sword). Miyamoto Musashi refers to

4092-507: Is considered a tantō (knife). A blade longer than one shaku but less than two is considered a shōtō (short sword). The wakizashi and kodachi are in this category. The length is measured in a straight line across the back of the blade from tip to munemachi (where blade meets tang ). Most blades that fall into the "shōtō" size range are wakizashi . However, some daitō were designed with blades slightly shorter than 2 shaku . These were called kodachi and are somewhere in between

4216-408: Is derived from the fact that the central part of tang is hollowed out in the shape of an ancient Japanese tweezers ( kenuki ). In the tachi developed after kenukigata-tachi , a structure in which the hilt is fixed to the tang ( nakago ) with a pin called mekugi was adopted. As a result, a sword with three basic external elements of Japanese swords, the cross-sectional shape of shinogi-zukuri ,

4340-642: Is medium in size. It is often evaluated as a sword with a simple and strong impression. The Yamashiro school is a school that originated in Yamashiro Province , corresponding to present-day Kyoto Prefecture . When Emperor Kanmu relocated the capital to Kyoto in 794, swordsmiths began to gather. The founder of the school was Sanjō Munechika in the late 10th century in the Heian period. The Yamashiro school consisted of schools such as Sanjō, Ayanokōji, Awataguchi, and Rai . At first, they often forged swords in response to aristocrats' demands, so importance

4464-570: Is still used today, whereas the old usage of the word nihontō is found in the poem the Song of Nihontō , by the Song dynasty poet Ouyang Xiu . The word nihontō became more common in Japan in the late Tokugawa shogunate . Due to importation of Western swords, the word nihontō was adopted to distinguish it from the Western sword ( 洋刀 , yōtō ) . Meibutsu (noted swords) is a special designation given to sword masterpieces which are listed in

4588-400: Is the signature inscribed on to the tang of the Japanese sword. Fake signatures ("gimei") are common not only due to centuries of forgeries but potentially misleading ones that acknowledge prominent smiths and guilds, and those commissioned to a separate signer. Sword scholars collect and study oshigata , or paper tang-rubbings, taken from a blade: to identify the mei, the hilt is removed and

4712-454: Is thought that the Emishi improved the warabitetō and developed [[[Kenukigata-warabitetō]]  [ ja ] ] Error: {{Lang}}: Non-latn text/Latn script subtag mismatch ( help ) ( 毛抜形蕨手刀 ) with a hole in the hilt and [[[kenukigatatō]]  [ ja ] ] Error: {{Lang}}: Non-latn text/Latn script subtag mismatch ( help ) ( 毛抜形刀 ) without decorations on the tip of the hilt, and

4836-440: Is worn on the wielder's left waist. Since a tachi was worn cutting edge down, and the katana was worn cutting edge up, the mei would be in opposite locations on the tang of both types of swords. An authentic tachi had an average cutting edge length ( nagasa ) of 70–80 cm ( 27 + 9 ⁄ 16 – 31 + 1 ⁄ 2  in), and compared to a katana, was generally lighter in proportion to its length, had

4960-790: The obi was katana style, but metalworking of the scabbard was tachi style. With the rise of statism in Shōwa Japan , the Imperial Japanese Army and the Imperial Japanese Navy implemented swords called shin guntō , worn tachi style (cutting-edge down). In the Shintō period from around 1596 in the Azuchi–Momoyama period , the traditional techniques of the Kotō period were lost, and no smith

5084-568: The Shintō period focused on reproducing the blade of a Japanese sword in the Kamakura period. There are more than 100 Japanese swords designated as National Treasures in Japan , of which the Kotō of the Kamakura period account for 80% and the tachi account for 70%. From the end of the Kamakura period to the end of the Muromachi period (1333–1573), kawatsutsumi tachi ( 革包太刀 ), which means

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5208-460: The katana , which was easy to carry, became the mainstream. The dazzling-looking tachi gradually became a symbol of the authority of high-ranking samurai. From the 15th century, low-quality swords were mass-produced under the influence of the large-scale war. These swords, along with spears, were lent to recruited farmers called ashigaru , while swords were exported. Such mass-produced swords are called kazuuchimono , and swordsmiths of

5332-636: The Bisen school and Mino school produced them by division of labor. The export of Japanese sword reached its height during the Muromachi period —at least 200,000 swords were shipped to Ming dynasty China in official trade in an attempt to soak up the production of Japanese weapons and make it harder for pirates in the area to arm. In the Ming dynasty of China, Japanese swords and their tactics were studied to repel pirates, and wodao and miaodao were developed based on Japanese swords. From this period,

5456-518: The Genpei War in the 12th century, the use of tachi on horseback increased. Early models had uneven curves with the deepest part of the curve at the hilt . As eras changed, the center of the curve tended to move up the blade. By the 11th century during the Heian period, tachi were exported to neighboring countries in Asia. For example, in the poem "The Song of Japanese Swords" Ouyang Xiu ,

5580-637: The Sengoku period ended and the peaceful Edo period began. Japanese swords are still commonly seen today; antique and modern forged swords can be found and purchased. Modern, authentic Japanese swords ( nihontō ) are made by a few hundred swordsmiths. Many examples can be seen at an annual competition hosted by the All Japan Swordsmith Association, under the auspices of the Nihontō Bunka Shinkō Kyōkai (Society for

5704-504: The Shinogi-Zukuri katana , which is a single-edged and usually curved longsword traditionally worn by samurai from the 15th century onwards. Western historians have said that Japanese katana were among the finest cutting weapons in world military history, for their intended use. Other types of Japanese swords include: tsurugi or ken , which is a straight double-edged sword; ōdachi , tachi , which are older styles of

5828-574: The Shinto period focused on reproducing the blade of a Japanese sword in the Kamakura period. There are more than 100 Japanese swords designated as National Treasures in Japan , of which the Kotō of the Kamakura period account for 80% and the tachi account for 70%. Japanese swords since shintō are different from kotō in forging method and steel. This was due to the destruction of the Bizen school due to

5952-599: The hamon . It is often evaluated as a sword with a showy and gorgeous impression. The Sōshū school is a school that originated in Sagami Province , corresponding to present-day Kanagawa Prefecture . Sagami Province was the political center of Japan where the Kamakura shogunate was established in the Kamakura period. At the end of the 13th century, the Kamakura shogunate invited swordsmiths from Yamashiro school and Bizen school, and swordsmiths began to gather. Shintōgo Kunimitsu forged experimental swords by combining

6076-426: The katana style where the blade was worn thrust through the belt, edge up. The tachi was worn slung across the left hip. The signature on the tang of the blade was inscribed in such a way that it would always be on the outside of the sword when worn. This characteristic is important in recognizing the development, function, and different styles of wearing swords from this time onwards. When worn with full armour,

6200-402: The katana , which was not mentioned by name until near the end of the twelfth century. Tachi were the mainstream Japanese swords of the Kotō period between 900 and 1596. Even after the Muromachi period (1336–1573), when katana became the mainstream, tachi were often worn by high-ranking samurai. The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods: The predecessor of

6324-401: The tachi would be accompanied by a shorter blade in the form known as koshigatana (腰刀, "waist sword"); a type of short sword with no handguard, and where the hilt and scabbard meet to form the style of mounting called an aikuchi ("meeting mouth"). Daggers ( tantō ), were also carried for close combat fighting as well as carried generally for personal protection. By the 11th century during

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6448-507: The tang ( nakago ) of many old tachi were cut and shortened into katana . This modification is called suriage . For example, many of the tachi Masamune forged during the Kamakura period were converted into katana , so his only existing works are katana and tantō . From around the 16th century, many Japanese swords, including tachi , were exported to Thailand , where katana -style swords were made and prized for battle and art work, and some of them are in

6572-408: The tang ( nakago ), integrated with the blade, is directly gripped and used. The term kenukigata is derived from the fact the central part of tang is hollowed in the shape of ancient Japanese tweezers ( kenuki ). In the tachi developed after kenukigata-tachi , a structure in which the hilt is fixed to the tang ( nakago ) with a pin called mekugi was adopted. As a result,

6696-518: The Chief Councillor and submitting reform proposals. Ouyang was later demoted as well for his defense of Fan, an action that brought him to the attention of other reform-minded people. Military threats from the Liao dynasty and Xi Xia in the north in 1040 caused Fan Zhongyan to come back into favor. Fan offered Ouyang a post as secretary, but Ouyang refused. Instead, in 1041 Ouyang obtained

6820-557: The Eastern Study he states how literary minded gentlemen might utilize their leisure to nourish their mental state. The practice of calligraphy and the appreciation of associated art objects were integral to this Daoist-like transformation of intellectual life. The Ming dynasty writer Feng Menglong recorded a possibly apocryphal anecdote regarding Ouyang's writing style in his collection of short stories Gujin Tan'gai ( 古今譚概 ). As

6944-526: The Five Dynasties on his own following his official service. The book was not discovered until after his death. As a historian, he has been criticised as overly didactic, but he played an important role in establishing the use of epigraphy as a historiographic technique. Epigraphy, as well as the practice of calligraphy, figured in Ouyang's contributions to Confucian aesthetics . In his Record of

7068-413: The Heian period, Japanese swords had already been exported to neighboring countries in Asia. For example, in the poem "The Song of Japanese Swords" Ouyang Xiu , a statesman of the Song dynasty in China, described Japanese swords as "It is a treasured sword with a scabbard made of fragrant wood covered with fish skin, decorated with brass and copper, and capable of exorcising evil spirits. It is imported at

7192-425: The Japanese sword has been called [[[warabitetō]]  [ ja ] ] Error: {{Lang}}: Non-latn text/Latn script subtag mismatch ( help ) ( 蕨手刀 ). In the middle of the Heian period (794–1185), samurai improved on the warabitetō to develop [[[kenukigata-tachi]]  [ ja ] ] Error: {{Lang}}: Non-latn text/Latn script subtag mismatch ( help ) ( 毛抜形太刀 ) (early Japanese sword). To be more precise, it

7316-555: The Kamakura period, and it developed to the largest school in the history of Japanese swords. Kanemitsu and Nagayoshi of the Osafune school were apprentices to Masamune of the Sōshū school, the greatest swordsmith in Japan. While they forged high-quality swords by order, at the same time, from the Muromachi period, when wars became large-scale, they mass-produced low-quality swords for drafted farmers and for export. The Bizen school had enjoyed

7440-463: The Masamune Prize without extraordinary achievements, and in the field of tachi and katana , no one won until Kawauchi for 18 years. With a few exceptions, katana and tachi can be distinguished from each other, if signed, by the location of the signature ( mei ) on the tang . In general, the signature should be carved into the side of the tang facing outward as the sword

7564-462: The Old Toper's Pavilion ' ). The Zuiweng Pavilion near Chuzhou is named in his honor whilst the poem is a description of his pastoral lifestyle among the mountains, rivers and people of Chuzhou. The work is lyrical in its quality and acclaimed as one of the highest achievements of Chinese travel writing. Chinese commentators in the centuries immediately following the work's composition focused on

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7688-593: The Promotion of Japanese Sword Culture). However, to maintain the quality of Japanese swords, the Japanese government limits the number of Japanese swords a swordsmith can make in a year to 24 (up to 2 swords per month). Therefore, many of the swords called "Japanese sword" distributed around the world today are made in China, and the manufacturing process and quality are not authorized. Many old Japanese swords can be traced back to one of five provinces, each of which had its own school, traditions, and "trademarks" (e.g.,

7812-413: The Sōshū school gathered in Mino. The Mino school became the largest production area of Japanese swords after the Bizen school declined due to a great flood. The production rate of katana was high, because it was the newest school among five big schools. Their swords are often characterized by a slightly higher central ridge and a thinner back. There are irregular fingerprint-like patterns on the surface of

7936-747: The Tamatsukuri Fuju 諷誦,Houji 寶次 and one from Gassan signing just Gassan 月山. According to the Nihonto Meikan, the Ōshū swordsmith group consists of the Mokusa (舞草), the Gassan (月山) and the Tamatsukuri (玉造), later to become the Hoju (寶壽) schools. Ōshū swords appear in various old books of this time, for example Heiji Monogatari 平治物語 (Tale of Heiji), Konjaku Monogatari 今昔物語 (Anthology of tales from

8060-648: The Yamato-chotei government (大 和朝廷) in the late eighth century. Using " Warabitetō ," the small number of Emishi soldiers could resist against the numerous Yamato-chotei army over a Thirty-Eight Years' War (三十八年戦争) (AD 770–811). The Meikan describes that from earlier time there was a list of forty-two famous swordsmiths in the Toukou Meikan 刀工銘鑑 at Kanchiin 観智院. Eight of the swordsmiths on this list were from Ōshū schools. Five from Mokusa being Onimaru 鬼丸, Yoyasu 世安, Morifusa 森房, Hatafusa 幡房 and Gaan 瓦安, two from

8184-427: The back, are called ōdachi or nodachi . The word ōdachi is also sometimes used as a synonym for Japanese swords. Odachi means "great sword", and Nodachi translates to "field sword". These greatswords were used during war, as the longer sword gave a foot soldier a reach advantage. These swords are now illegal in Japan. Citizens are not allowed to possess an odachi unless it is for ceremonial purposes. Here

8308-511: The base or center, and have a sparkle on the surface of the blade, with the hamon being straight and the grains on the boundary of the hamon being small. It is often evaluated as a sword with an elegant impression. The Bizen school is a school that originated in Bizen Province , corresponding to present-day Okayama Prefecture . Bizen has been a major production area of high-quality iron sand since ancient times. The Ko-bizen school in

8432-491: The beginning of the 8th century were from the Mokusa school, listing over 100 Mokusa smiths before the beginning of the Kamakura period. Archaeological excavations of the Ōshū Tohoku region show iron ore smelting sites dating back to the early Nara period. The Tohoku region and indeed the whole Ōshū district in the 8th century was controlled and populated by the Emishi. Archaeological evidence of recovered Warabitetō (蕨手刀) show

8556-490: The blade and the sword mounting of Japanese swords are displayed separately in museums, and this tendency is remarkable in Japan. For example, the Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum "Nagoya Touken World", one of Japan's largest sword museums, posts separate videos of the blade and the sword mounting on its official website and YouTube. Japanese sword The word katana was used in ancient Japan and

8680-506: The blade, the hamon are various, and the grain on the border of the hamon are hardly visible. The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods: jōkotō (ancient swords, until around 900 A.D.), kotō (old swords from around 900–1596), shintō (new swords 1596–1780), shinshintō (new new swords 1781–1876), gendaitō (modern or contemporary swords 1876–present) Early examples of iron swords were straight tsurugi , chokutō and others with unusual shapes, some of

8804-673: The characteristic of literary playfulness common to Northern Song poetry. For example, many poems have titles that indicate that they originated in rhyme games, and feature extensive rhyming schemes throughout. Below is one of the many poems Ouyang Xiu wrote about the famed West Lake in Hangzhou . Deep in Spring, the Rain's Passed (Picking Mulberries) 採桑子 春深雨過西湖好， 百卉爭妍， 蝶亂蜂喧， 晴日催花暖欲然。 蘭橈晝舸悠悠去， 疑是神仙。 返照波間， 水闊風高颺管絃。 He died in 1072 in present-day Fuyang, Anhui . His influence

8928-511: The collections of the Thai royal family. In the Sengoku period (1467–1615) or the Azuchi–Momoyama period (1568–1600), the itomaki tachi ( itomaki no tachi , {{lang|ja|糸巻太刀), which means a tachi wound with thread, appeared and became the mainstream of tachi after that. Itomaki tachi was decorated with lacquer decorations with many maki-e and flashy colored threads, and

9052-485: The combination of a blade and its mounts as this, then, determines the style of use of the blade. An unsigned and shortened blade that was once made and intended for use as a tachi may be alternately mounted in tachi koshirae and katana koshirae. It is properly distinguished, then, by the style of mount it currently inhabits. A long tanto may be classified as a wakizashi due to its length being over 30 cm (12 in); however, it may have originally been mounted and used as

9176-617: The commission compiling the New Book of Tang (1060). He also served as Song ambassador to the Liao on annual visits and served as examiner of the jinshi examinations, working on improving them in the process. In the early 1060s, he was one of the most powerful men in court, concurrently holding the positions of Assistant Chief Councillor, Hanlin Academician, Vice Commissioner of Military Affairs, and Vice Minister of Revenues. Around

9300-411: The curve of the blade gentle, lengthened the tip linearly, widened the width from the cutting edge to the opposite side of the blade, and thinned the cross section to improve the penetration and cutting ability of the blade. Historically in Japan, the ideal blade of a Japanese sword is considered to be the kotō in the Kamakura period, and the swordsmiths from the Edo period to the present day after

9424-472: The cutting edge of tip) types. Kissaki usually have a curved profile, and smooth three-dimensional curvature across their surface towards the edge—though they are bounded by a straight line called the yokote and have crisp definition at all their edges. While the straight tip on the "American tanto" is identical to traditional Japanese fukura, two characteristics set it apart from Japanese sword makes: The absolute lack of curve only possible with modern tools, and

9548-460: The design originated in America. A hole is punched through the tang nakago , called a mekugi-ana . It is used to anchor the blade using a mekugi , a small bamboo pin that is inserted into another cavity in the handle tsuka and through the mekugi-ana, thus restricting the blade from slipping out. To remove the handle one removes the mekugi. The swordsmith's signature mei is carved on

9672-411: The downward force of a cutting action. Early models had uneven curves with the deepest part of the curve at the hilt . As eras changed the center of the curve tended to move up the blade. The tachi is a sword which is generally larger than a katana , and is worn suspended with the cutting edge down. This was the standard form of carrying the sword for centuries, and would eventually be displaced by

9796-708: The essentials emphasised in the early Tang period, eschewing the ornate style of the late Tang. He is best known, however, for his cí . In particular, his series of ten poems entitled West Lake Is Good set to the tune Picking Mulberries helped to popularise the genre as a vehicle for serious poetry. Ouyang's poetry, especially the mature works of the 1050s, dealt with new themes that previous poets had avoided. These include interactions with friends, family life, food and beverages, antiques, and political themes. He also used an innovative style containing elements that he had learned from his prose writing. This includes his use of self-caricature and exaggeration. Ouyang's poetry bears

9920-504: The forging technology of Yamashiro school and Bizen school. Masamune , who learned from Shintōgo Kunimitsu, became the greatest swordsmith in Japan. From the lessons of the Mongol invasion of Japan , they revolutionized the forging process to make stronger swords. Although this forging method is not fully understood to date, one of the elements is heating at higher temperatures and rapid cooling. Their revolution influenced other schools to make

10044-458: The front edge of the tip is more curved ( fukura-tsuku ) or (relatively) straight ( fukura-kareru ) is also important. The kissaki (point) is not usually a "chisel-like" point, and the Western knife interpretation of a "tantō point" is rarely found on true Japanese swords; a straight, linearly sloped point has the advantage of being easy to grind, but less stabbing/piercing capabilities compared to traditional Japanese kissaki Fukura (curvature of

10168-597: The grains at the boundary of the hamon are large. The Mino school is a school that originated in Mino Province , corresponding to present-day Gifu Prefecture . Mino Province was a strategic traffic point connecting the Kanto and Kansai regions, and was surrounded by powerful daimyo (feudal lords). The Mino school started in the middle of the Kamakura period, when swordsmiths of the Yamato school who learned from

10292-414: The highest prosperity for a long time, but declined rapidly due to a great flood which occurred in the late 16th century during the Sengoku period . Their swords are often characterized as curved from the base, with irregular fingerprint-like patterns on the surface of the blade, while the hamon has a flashy pattern like a series of cloves , and there is little grain but a color gradient at the boundary of

10416-434: The highest quality swords, but this technique was lost before the Azuchi–Momoyama period ( Shintō period). The Sōshū school declined after the fall of the Kamakura shogunate. Their swords are often characterized by a shallow curve, a wide blade to the back, and a thin cross-section. There are irregular fingerprint-like patterns on the surface of the blade, the hamon has a pattern of undulations with continuous roundness, and

10540-470: The last, when present, is sometimes a variation of 'made by', or, 'respectfully'. The date will be inscribed near the mei, either with the reign name; the Zodiacal Method; or those calculated from the reign of the legendary Emperor Jimmu , dependent upon the period. What generally differentiates the different swords is their length. Japanese swords are measured in units of shaku . Since 1891,

10664-437: The late 15th century in the Muromachi period expanded into a large-scale domestic war, in which employed farmers called ashigaru were mobilized in large numbers. They fought on foot using katana shorter than tachi . In the Sengoku period (period of warring states) in the late Muromachi period, the war became bigger; ashigaru fought in a close formation using yari (spears) lent to them. Furthermore, in

10788-406: The late 16th century, Tanegashima (matchlock arquebuses) were introduced from Portugal, and Japanese swordsmiths mass-produced improved products, with ashigaru fighting with leased guns. On the battlefield in Japan, guns and spears became main weapons in addition to bows. Due to the changes in fighting styles in these wars, the tachi and naginata became obsolete among samurai, and

10912-515: The long sword in The Book of Five Rings . He is referring to the katana in this, and refers to the nodachi and the odachi as "extra-long swords". Before about 1500 most swords were usually worn suspended from cords on a belt, edge-down. This style is called jindachi-zukuri , and daitō worn in this fashion are called tachi (average blade length of 75–80 cm). From 1600 to 1867, more swords were worn through an obi (sash), paired with

11036-486: The mid Heian period was the originator. The Bizen school consisted of schools such as Ko-bizen, Fukuoka-ichimonji, Osafune, and Hatakeda . According to a sword book written in the Kamakura period, out of the 12 best swordsmiths in Japan who were convened by the Retired Emperor Go-Toba , 10 were from the Bizen school. Great swordsmiths were born one after another in the Osafune school which started in

11160-581: The middle of the Heian period (794–1185), samurai improved on the Warabitetō to develop Kenukigata-tachi ( ja:毛抜形太刀 ) -early Japanese sword-. To be more precise, it is thought that the Emishi improved the warabitetō and developed Kenukigata-warabitetō ( ja:毛抜形蕨手刀 ) with a hole in the hilt and kenukigatatō ( ja:毛抜形刀 ) without decorations on the tip of the hilt, and the samurai developed kenukigata-tachi based on these swords. Kenukigata-tachi , which

11284-513: The modern Japanese shaku is approximately equal to a foot (11.93 inches), calibrated with the meter to equal exactly 10 meters per 33 shaku (30.30 cm). However, the historical shaku was slightly longer (13.96 inches or 35.45 cm). Thus, there may sometimes be confusion about the blade lengths, depending on which shaku value is being assumed when converting to metric or U.S. customary measurements. The three main divisions of Japanese blade length are: A blade shorter than one shaku

11408-530: The nature of the writing. Huang Zhen said that the essay is an example of "using writing to play around". It was agreed that the essay was about fengyue , the enjoyment of nature. During the Qing dynasty , however, commentators began to see past the playfulness of the piece to the thorough and sincere joy that the author found in the joy of others. Ouyang led the commission compiling the New Book of Tang , which completed its work in 1060. He wrote New History of

11532-566: The number of people wearing a funny looking Tachi 太刀 is increasing." In "Kauyagokau" 高野御幸 1124AD :" when emperor Shirakawa 白河法皇 visited Kouyasan 高 野山, Fujiwara Zaemon Michisue 藤原左衛門通季 was wearing a Fushū sword “ In “Heihanki" 兵範記 1158AD there was a line that mentioned the Emperor himself had Fushū Tachi." It seems that during the late Heian the Emishi-to was gaining popularity in Kyoto. In

11656-414: The other hand, in the Kamakura period, there was a type of tachi called hirumaki tachi (蛭巻太刀) with a scabbard covered with metal, which was used as a weapon until the Muromachi period. The meaning was a sword wrapped around a leech, and its feature was that a thin metal plate was spirally wrapped around the scabbard, so it was both sturdy and decorative, and chains were not used to hang the scabbard around

11780-430: The part close to the cutting edge side of a planar blade, gradually appeared. Swords of this period are classified as jōkotō and are often referred to in distinction from Japanese swords. The direct predecessor of the tachi (太刀) has been called Warabitetō ( ja:蕨手刀 ) by the Emishi (Not to be confused with Ainu ) of Tohoku . The Nihonto Meikan shows the earliest and by far the largest group of Ōshū smiths from

11904-517: The past), Kojidan 古事談 (Japanese collection of Setsuwa 説話), and Gikeiki 義経記 (War tale that focuses on the legends of Minamoto no Yoshitsune 源義経 and his followers). Ōshū swordsmiths appeared in books in quite early times compared to others. Tales in these books tell of the Emishi-to in the capital city and these swords seem to have been quite popular with the Bushi. Maybe a badge of honour being captured weapons. For example, In "Nihongiryaku" 日本紀略 983AD :"

12028-696: The record of June 1, 1430, in the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty , a Korean swordsmith who went to Japan and mastered the method of making Japanese swords presented a Japanese sword to the King of Korea and was rewarded for the excellent work which was no different from the swords made by the Japanese. Traditionally, yumi (bows) were the main weapon of war in Japan, and tachi and naginata were for close combat. The Ōnin War in

12152-407: The samurai developed kenukigata-tachi based on these swords. Kenukigata-tachi , which was developed in the first half of the 10th century, has a three-dimensional cross-sectional shape of an elongated pentagonal or hexagonal blade called shinogi-zukuri and a gently curved single-edged blade, typical features of Japanese swords. There is no wooden hilt attached to kenukigata-tachi , and

12276-399: The sheath of a long sword is also a "kogatana" (小刀) ). Since 1867, restrictions and/or the deconstruction of the samurai class meant that most blades have been worn jindachi-zukuri style, like Western navy officers. Since 1953, there has been a resurgence in the buke-zukuri style, permitted only for demonstration purposes. In modern times the most commonly known type of Japanese sword is

12400-496: The story goes, during one of Ouyang's trips outside the Hanlin Academy with his associates, they witnessed an unusual event: a horse became spooked, galloped down a busy street, and kicked to death a dog sleeping there. Ouyang challenged his two associates to express this event in writing. One wrote: "A dog was lying in the thoroughfare and was kicked to death by a galloping horse," while the other wrote: "A horse galloped down

12524-521: The style called hosodachi ( 細太刀 ) , which meant thin tachi . The kazatachi and hosodachi worn by nobles were initially straight like a chokutō , but since the Kamakura period they have had a gentle curve under the influence of tachi . Since tachi worn by court nobles were for ceremonial use, they generally had an iron plate instead of a blade. In the Kamakura period (1185–1333), high-ranking samurai wore hyogo gusari tachi ( hyogo kusari no tachi , 兵庫鎖太刀 ), which meant

12648-505: The style called kazari tachi or kaza tachi (飾太刀, 飾剣), which meant decorative tachi , and lower-ranking court nobles wore simplified kazatachi swords of the style called hosodachi (細太刀), which meant thin tachi . The kazatachi and hosodachi worn by nobles were initially straight like a chokutō , but since the Kamakura period they have had a gentle curve under the influence of tachi . Since tachi worn by court nobles were for ceremonial use, they generally had an iron plate instead of

12772-493: The styles and techniques were derived from Chinese dao , and some directly imported through trade. The swords of this period were a mixture of swords of Japanese original style and those of Chinese style brought to Japan via the Korean Peninsula and East China Sea. The cross-sectional shape of the blades of these early swords was an isosceles triangular hira-zukuri , and the kiriha-zukuri sword, which sharpened only

12896-407: The supervision of a different temple. In the middle of the Muromachi period , swordsmiths moved to various places such as Mino , and the school disappeared. Their swords are often characterized by a deep curve, a narrow width from blade to back, a high central ridge, and a small tip. There are direct lines on the surface of the blade, the hamon is linear, and the grain at the boundary of the hamon

13020-413: The sword is held point side up. The mei is chiseled onto the tang on the side which traditionally faces away from the wearer's body while being worn; since the katana and wakizashi are always worn with the cutting edge up, the edge should be held to the viewer's left. The inscription will be viewed as kanji on the surface of the tang: the first two kanji represent the province; the next pair is the smith; and

13144-742: The swords from Mino province were "from the start famous for their sharpness"). These schools are known as Gokaden (The Five Traditions). In the Kotō era there were several other schools that did not fit within the Five Traditions or were known to mix elements of each Gokaden , and they were called wakimono (small school). There were 19 commonly referenced wakimono . The number of swordsmiths of Gokaden , as confirmed by signatures and documents, were 4005 in Bizen, 1269 in Mino, 1025 in Yamato, 847 in Yamashiro and 438 in Sōshū. These traditions and provinces are as follows: The Yamato school

13268-420: The swords. For a sword to be worn in tachi style, it needed to be mounted in a tachi koshirae . The tachi koshirae has two hangers (ashi) so the sword can be worn in a horizontal position with the cutting edge down. A sword not mounted in a tachi koshirae could be worn tachi style by use of a koshiate , a leather device allowing any sword to be worn in the tachi style. Generally,

13392-640: The tang. In Japanese, the scabbard is referred to as a saya , and the handguard piece, often intricately designed as an individual work of art—especially in later years of the Edo period —was called the tsuba . Other aspects of the mountings ( koshirae ) , such as the menuki (decorative grip swells), habaki (blade collar and scabbard wedge), fuchi and kashira (handle collar and cap), kozuka (small utility knife handle), kogai (decorative skewer-like implement), saya lacquer, and tsuka-ito (professional handle wrap, also named tsukamaki ), received similar levels of artistry. The mei

13516-604: The temperature and timing of the heating and cooling of the blade, resulting in a lighter but more robust blade. They also made the curve of the blade gentle, lengthened the tip linearly, widened the width from the cutting edge to the opposite side of the blade, and thinned the cross section to improve the penetration and cutting ability of the blade. Ouyang Xiu Ouyang Xiu ( Chinese : 歐陽脩 ; pinyin : Ōuyáng Xiū ; Wade–Giles : Ou-Yang Hsiu ; 1007 – 1072 CE), courtesy name Yongshu , also known by his art names Zuiweng ( 醉翁 ) and Liu Yi Jushi ( 六一居士 ),

13640-544: The time of the ascension of Emperor Shenzong of Song in 1067, Ouyang was charged with several crimes, including having sexual relations with his daughter-in-law. While the charges had no credibility, the investigation alone damaged Ouyang's reputation. His request to retire was declined by the emperor, who sent him to magistrate positions in Shandong and Anhui . While a magistrate in Shandong , he opposed and refused to carry out reforms advocated by Wang Anshi , particularly

13764-410: The use of the word "tanto" in the nomenclature of the western tribute is merely a nod to the Japanese word for knife or short sword, rather than a tip style. Although it is not commonly known, the "chisel point" kissaki originated in Japan. Examples of such are shown in the book The Japanese Sword by Kanzan Sato. Because American bladesmiths use this design extensively it is a common misconception that

13888-409: The waist. The Mongol invasions of Japan in the 13th century during the Kamakura period spurred further evolution of the Japanese sword. The swordsmiths of the Sōshū school represented by Masamune studied tachi that were broken or bent in battle, developed new production methods, and created innovative Japanese swords. They forged the blade using a combination of soft and hard steel to optimize

14012-553: The way for future masters like Su Shi and Su Zhe . Ouyang Xiu's interests as a writer were remarkably diverse. As a historian, he was put in charge by Emperor Renzong of Song of creating the New Book of Tang , which was completed in 1060 CE. He also wrote in his spare time the Historical Records of the Five Dynasties , the only book in the Twenty-Four Histories to have been written in private by

14136-415: The way they are made in a similar manner to Japanese swords: Other edged weapons or tools that are made using the same methods as Japanese swords: Each Japanese sword is classified according to when the blade was made.: Historically in Japan, the ideal blade of a Japanese sword has been considered to be the kotō in the Kamakura period , and the swordsmiths from the Edo period to the present day from

14260-557: The writings of Han Yu . Politically, he was an early patron of the political reformer Wang Anshi , but later became one of his strongest opponents. At court, he was both much loved and deeply resented at the same time. In 1034 he was appointed to be a collator of texts at the Imperial Academy in Kaifeng where he was associated with Fan Zhongyan , who was the prefect of Kaifeng. Fan was demoted, however, after criticizing

14384-414: Was a Chinese historian , calligrapher , epigrapher , essayist , poet , and politician of the Song dynasty . He was a renowned writer among his contemporaries and is considered the central figure of the Eight Masters of the Tang and Song . He revived the Classical Prose Movement (first begun by the two Tang dynasty masters two centuries before him) and promoted it in imperial examinations , paving

14508-425: Was a judge, though his family came from present-day Jishui (then known as Luling), Jiangxi . His family was relatively poor, not coming from one of the old great lineages of Chinese society. Losing his father when he was three, his literate mother was responsible for much of his early education; her method is the origin of the chengyu 修母畫荻 ("a mother's admirable dedication to the education of her children"). He

14632-423: Was able to reproduce the tachi of the Kamakura period. However, in 2014, Kunihira Kawachi succeeded in reproducing a tachi from the Kamakura period. He received the Masamune Prize, the highest honor as a swordsmith. On the tachi he forged, midare-utsuri (a pattern of hazy white shadows between hamon and shinogi ), characteristic of the Bizen school in the Kamakura period. Nobody could win

14756-529: Was also demoted to posts away from the capital. He returned to the central government only in 1054, and gradually moved up the bureaucratic ladder again, until in 1060 he was made the assistant councilor of the state. He retired from politics in 1071, after vehemently (and unsuccessfully) opposing the New Policies of Wang Anshi , whose career he very much helped. He was born in Sichuan , where his father

14880-423: Was developed in the first half of the 10th century, has a three-dimensional cross-sectional shape of an elongated pentagonal or hexagonal blade called shinogi-zukuri and a gently curved single-edged blade, which are typical features of Japanese swords. There is no wooden hilt attached to kenukigata-tachi , and the tang ( nakago ) which is integrated with the blade is directly gripped and used. The term kenukigata

15004-542: Was later called the Minor Reform of 1043, but the emperor rescinded their changes and Fan and his group fell from power. Ouyang was demoted to service in the provinces. He returned briefly to court in 1049 but was forced to serve a two-year sabbatical during the mourning period for his mother, who died in 1052. Upon his return to government service, he was appointed to the Hanlin Academy , charged with heading

15128-447: Was placed on aesthetics and practicality was not emphasized. However, when a domestic conflict occurred at the end of the Heian period, practicality was emphasized and a swordsmith was invited from the Bizen school. In the Kamakura period , tachi from a magnificent rai school became popular among samurai. After that, they also adopted the forging method of Sōshū school. Their swords are often characterized as long and narrow, curved from

15252-458: Was unable to afford traditional tutoring and was largely self-taught. The writings of Han Yu were particularly influential in his development. He passed the jinshi degree exam in 1030 on his third attempt at the age of 22. After passing the jinshi exam, he was appointed to a judgeship in Luoyang , the old Tang dynasty eastern capital. While there, he found others with his interest in

15376-467: Was used as a gift, a ceremony, or an offering to the kami of Shinto shrines. In later Japanese feudal history, during the Sengoku and Edo periods , certain high-ranking warriors of the ruling class wore their sword tachi -style (edge-downward), rather than with the scabbard thrust through the belt with the edge upward. This style of swords is called handachi , "half tachi ". In handachi , styles were often mixed, for example, fastening to

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