Japanese Sword - Antique Japanese Samurai Swords

Japanese Sword - Antique Japanese Samurai Swords

The Japanese sword is an elegant, innovative weapon. Japanese swords developed from copying the straight double bladed Chinese designs to the thin, curved, single bladed design we know today. Learn about antique Japanese swords and buying Japanese katanas online.

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Length determines the category of a Japanese sword. Japanese swordmakers use measurements of shaku, which is almost one foot. The most famous type of Japanese sword , the Japanese katana sword, also called the Japanese samurai sword, is one of the daito categories of swords. A daito sword is more than two shaku long, or more than two feet. A katana sword averages about two feet, three inches.

A sword that measures less than one shaku is considered a tanto. A sword that measures more than one shaku but less than two is called a shoto, or short sword. Well-known shoto swords are the kodachi, which could be used by the non-samurai classes, and the wakizashi, which is the smaller sword carried by the samurai.

The longest Japanese swords are nodachi, which are longer than five shaku, and could measure to about four and a half feet. These were rarely used because they were difficult to forge and to wield, but were devastating when used by skilled warriors.

Japanese swords like katana are used for martial arts swords, like kenjutsu and kendo.

Although antique Japanese swords tend to be samurai swords, there are also authentic Japanese swords that are not katana style. The tachi, for example, was a sword that was used by the bushi warrior class. This sword was worn suspended by cords from a belt, and was drawn out of its sheath differently than a katana.

There are also tanto, kodachi, and nodachi Japanese swords for sale by antique merchants, as well as brand new reproductions available from knife makers.

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