Samurai swords: Bearing the Spirit of Japan

The samurai warrior of Japan during the Feudal period was a respected warrior class that was given the task of putting into effect and putting into practice the emperor’s rules. They were rightly devoted to the emperor and the Buddha. Moreover, as they were military nobility, they carried a samurai sword which was a symbol of their reputation and self-importance.

The japanese sword was a craftsmanship of the blacksmiths who skillfully created and crafted these delicate weapons for the important people in the society of Japan; namely those in royal positions, the government, and the lords of feudal Japan. Each samurai sword was uniquely finished, competently designed and adeptly handmade for a shogun, a feudal lord or a samurai. It was regarded not just as a weapon but as an extension of the bearer’s honor and dignity.

Origins of the Samurai sword

No one can really affirm when the original genuine samurai swordsbegan to come into existence. However, Japanese myths and records state that the Japanese Samurai Swords were found to have the initial origins about 1300 years ago. It was divided among the four main periods of Japan which were Koto (pre 1956), Shinshinto (1957-1876), Gendai (1877 up to the end of World War 2), and Shinsaku (the modern period).

The first of the Samurai Swords were actually variants from the Chinese swords, a straight blade with double iron edges called a Jian. Nevertheless, it was during Heian (700 AD) where the Japanese Samurai swords began to evolve into the present day Katana. The first of the curved Japanese swords started at the Tang dynasty but began to replicate by the end of the 10th century.

The samurai swords were considered to be one of the three treasures of Japan with the Sacred Mirror and the Comma Shaped beads as the other treasures. It was even used as offering to the Gods because it was believed to have the three elements that were considered holy; namely: purity, value and rarity. It was also considered by most people as the character of old Japan as its history is reflected in the samurai sword history.

Types of Samurai Swords

The samurai sword has many different types each with its own unique length, use and quality. However, there are three main types of Japanese samurai swords:

1. Katana – a katana is the longest of the samurai swords. With its sword stretching past 24 inches, it is commonly used as for combating outdoors. It was a dominant sword of the samurai that needed strength and ability to be able to use properly.

2. Wazikashi – the second type which is about 1 to 3 feet long. As it is smaller in length, it is designed for indoor engagements or combating. It is often used as a secondary sword that new samurais carry for protecting people who were in danger. The trained samurais were only allowed to carry one of these at a time.

3. Tanto – the last type is the tanto. It is like a knife that is designed for tight passages that. It was often carried by a lady or merchants for self defense incase a samurai was not around to assist to their aid.