How the samurai sword katana appeared: myths and reality. Samurai sword - a perfect weapon or a well-promoted brand

Katana.

Katana and Wakizashi swords.

Today almost everyone can answer the question, what is the name Samurai sword- katana. In general this is the correct answer, but not entirely. The classification of samurai swords and the terminology of their names is actually not such a simple matter. The easiest way to distinguish Japanese swords is by length. It is a widely known fact that the Japanese warrior always carried two swords with him: long and short. This pair was called “daisho” and consisted of “daito” - a large sword, and “shoto” - a small sword. It is precisely the daito that should be called a katana, while the shoto will later receive the name wakizashi, which serves as a melee weapon or, as a last resort, a device for ritual suicide if there is no weapon at hand specifically designed for this. Traders and artisans had the right to wear wakizashi, but only samurai and aristocrats had the right to wear daito.

Katana and Wakizashi paired.

Katana - two-handed curved japanese sword 95-105 cm long (the blade itself was on average 70-75 cm, but in any case for a katana there are more than two shaku (1 shaku = 30.3 cm).
Along with the short sword, the wakizashi was part of the samurai's weapon set.
Japanese swords were stored on a special stand - Katanakake.
The handle of the katana is 3.5 fists long. The width of the blade is about three centimeters, the thickness of the back is from 5 mm. The handle is covered with the skin of a stingray, shark or other material and braided with a silk cord. There are more than ten braiding methods. The weight of a katana depends on its length, blade thickness and other parameters. In any case, a steel katana weighs more than 1 kg. There are katanas weighing 1.9 kg. A well-hardened katana can cut through softer metal without harming itself.

Stand – Katanakake

Tamahagane-Japanese steel.

pieces of steel after primary smelting

The unique tamahagane technology has an amazing history. It miraculously turned out to be not lost for us, modern connoisseurs of knife art, and was revived in the 70s of the 20th century. What is unique about the famous Japanese tamahagane steel, and why is it - which has such ancient roots - so highly valued throughout the world, in the age of robots and nanotechnology?
Tamahagane steel has a heterogeneous structure, that is, different degrees of hardness in different parts of the blade, which allows the knife blade to better absorb shock, which means it provides it with a long life. The heterogeneous structure of tamahagane is explained by the uneven carbon content, which is unique to this technology. In addition to high technical characteristics Tamahagane steel has an incredibly luxurious appearance(of course, already at the final stage - after polishing) - the unusual patterns on the surface of the tamahagane fascinate anyone - from a professional to an ordinary user. It was these qualities of the legendary Tamahagane that formed the basis for the creation of the Samura Tamahagane series of kitchen knives.
Tamahagane, tamahagane, tamahagane is the main and basic Japanese steel for making blades of swords, katanas and knives. On the western coast of Japan, in Shimane Prefecture on the island of Honshu in the 6th-7th centuries AD, where iron “black sand” - satetsu - was mined in river beds, the history of the origin of tamahagane steel begins. It was here, in the unique smelting furnaces of the Tatars, that the first pieces of legendary steel for swords were born Japanese samurai. Tamahagane production is an interesting, complex and rather expensive process.

Tatara

Tamahagane were made in special disposable Tatara furnaces; one smelting process requires 5 days - one day to build a Tatara, three days to smelt, and one day to extract the smelted iron. Essentially, a tatara is a trench made of clay, approximately 5 feet wide, 15 feet long and 48 inches high. Charcoal is poured into a specially prepared place, directly under the future furnace, which will be burned until the entire place is dry. will be filled to the brim with ash. After the construction of new walls, a fire is lit at the bottom of the Tatar, into which charcoal and small pieces of oak are continuously added for three hours. The resulting coals are covered with satetsu iron sand, and charcoal is poured on top. The process of adding iron and charcoal is repeated every half hour for three days! As a result, the smelted iron is saturated with carbon.

A drawing by artist Nagashio Setsuzan (1774-1833) on a silk scroll depicts the workings of a Tatara kiln.

Jamon— the hardening line of the blade of a katana. The katana's capabilities are based on advanced technology. The genius of Japanese blacksmiths was manifested in the fact that they managed to create a blade that was both sharp and flexible. The secret lies in the heat treatment of the finished blade. By covering the blade with clay, you can control the cooling rate - as a result, two types of steel are formed in one blade: flexible and very hard, i.e. the sword turns out to be sharp and shock-resistant. The boundary between the two types of steel is unique to each sword.

Components of a katana: Decoration adjacent to the tsuba, a ring that strengthens the handle (muff) - Fuchi, Cord - Ito, Blade - Kami, Upper ring (head) of the handle - Kashira, Sheath entrance - Koiguchi (Koiguchi), Sheath tip - Kojiri, Tie loop - Kurikata, Bamboo wedge for fixing the blade in the handle - Mekugi, Decoration on the handle under (or above) braid - Menuki, Tang — Nakago, Straps — Sageo, Leather on the handle — Same, Sheath — Saya, Spacer between the guard and the ring (washer) — Seppa, Hammer for disassembling the sword — Tetsu, blade — Tosin ,Guard - Tsuba, Handle - Tsuka, Braid - Tsukamaki, Clutch for fixing the sword in the sheath - Habaki.
Tsuba

the guard of Japanese bladed weapons, such as the katana and other swords (tachi, wakizashi), tanto or naginata.
Tsubas are usually decorated with elegant decoration and are highly collectible these days. The craft of making tsuba in Japan was a handicraft passed down from generation to generation. Bushido condemned the wearing of rings, earrings and other jewelry by samurai. However, the samurai found a way out of the situation by decorating the scabbard and tsuba. Thus, the taste and wealth of the samurai were formally shown without violating the code.
It is a mistaken belief that the tsuba served as a guard. Guard - crossbar, part of a European sword. The guard is designed to protect the hand from enemy weapons. On early weapons the guard did not exist at all. The first versions of the guard were a bar perpendicular to the blade and handle, and located in the same plane. Starting from the 16th century, round guards began to appear, as well as guards that protected the entire hand with the help of a curved part running from the top of the handle to the bottom. The Japanese fencing school does not know katana blocks in principle. The katana was made of steel of fairly high hardness, but very brittle. The cost of a katana reached incredible proportions, depending on its quality. However, both katana are forged on the production line, and katana are manufactured according to special requirements. order, when hit by another katana, they had a high chance of flying apart. Blocks are not provided by the blade, tsuba, or any other part of the katana. Tsuba, in addition to a purely decorative function, served as a rest for the hand. The pressure experienced by the hand when resting on the tsuba is several times less than the pressure when resting on the guard, since the area of ​​application of force is significantly larger than that of the guard. This and a number of other reasons determined the appearance of lunges in kendo. With a heavy European sword, lunges were much harder and more inconvenient.

Terminology.

Japanese names are often used in literature to refer to varieties of Japanese swords and their parts. A brief dictionary of the most commonly used concepts:
Tachi is a long sword (blade length from 61 cm) with a relatively large bend (sori), intended mainly for mounted combat. There is a type of tachi called odachi, that is, a “large” tachi with a blade length of 1 m (from 75 cm from the 16th century). In museums they are shown in the blade-down position. The katana is a long sword (blade length 61-73 cm), with a slightly wider and thicker blade and less curvature compared to the tachi. Visually, it is difficult to distinguish a katana from a tachi based on the blade; they differ primarily in the manner of wearing. Gradually, from the 15th century, the katana replaced the tati as a weapon for foot combat. In museums they are shown in the position with the blade up, according to the manner of wearing. In ancient times, daggers were called katanas, but since the 16th century this name was transferred to uchigatana swords.
Wakizashi - short sword(blade length 30.3-60.6 cm). Since the end of the 16th century, paired with a longer katana, it forms the standard set of samurai weapons, daisho (“long and short”). It was used both for fighting in close quarters and in tandem with a katana in some fencing techniques. Unlike the katana, non-samurai were allowed to wear it.
Tanto (koshigatana) - a dagger or knife (blade length< 30,3 см). В древности кинжалы называли не «танто», а «катана». Меч тати, как правило, сопровождался коротким танто.
Tsurugi is a straight, double-edged sword, common in Japan until the 10th century. Many samples do not belong to real Japanese swords (nihonto), as they are made using Chinese or Korean technology. In a broad sense, the term was used in ancient times to refer to all swords. At a later time, it was replaced by the term ken to denote a straight sword. Naginata is an intermediate weapon between a sword and a spear: a strongly curved blade up to 60 cm long, mounted on a handle as long as a person’s height. Koto - lit. "old sword" Swords produced before 1596. It is believed that after this time many techniques of traditional technology were lost. Shinto - lit. "new sword" Swords produced from 1596 to 1868, that is, before the industrial revolution of the Meiji period. With rare exceptions, Shinto swords are not considered highly artistic creations of blacksmiths, although they may have luxurious finishes. By external signs They reproduce koto swords, but are inferior in metal quality. Gendaito - lit. "modern sword" Swords produced after 1868 to the present. Among them there are both showato (literally “sword of the Showa period”), mass-produced for the army using simplified factory technology, including shin-gunto (Japanese sin gunto:?, lit. “new army sword”), and swords , forged after the resumption of production in 1954 by modern blacksmiths using traditional techniques, for which it is proposed to use the name shin-sakuto (yapsin sakuto?, “newly made sword”) or shin-gendaito (lit. “new modern sword”).
History of Katana.

Katana - Tati.
So, the katana or daito originates from the fact that the first iron swords were brought to the Japanese Islands in the 2nd half of the 3rd century by Chinese traders from the mainland. This period of Japanese history is called Kofun (lit. “mounds”, III-VI centuries). The kurgan-type graves preserved, although heavily damaged by rust, swords from that period, divided by archaeologists into Japanese, Korean and, most commonly, Chinese designs. Chinese swords had a straight, narrow, single-edged blade with a large ring-shaped pommel on the tang. Japanese examples were shorter, with a wider, straight, double-edged blade and a massive pommel. During the Asuka period (538–710), with the help of Korean and Chinese blacksmiths, Japan began to produce its own iron, and by the 7th century they mastered the technology of forging multilayer steel. Unlike previous samples, forged from a solid iron strip, swords began to be made by forging from iron and steel plates.
At the turn of the 7th-8th centuries. Japanese swords now have a curve. Legend connects the appearance of one of the first such swords with the name of the blacksmith Amakuni (English) from the Yamato province. Amakuni is said to have forged the famous sword Kogarasu-Maru (Little Crow) in 703, and although exact dating is unknown, this sword is considered to be the oldest curved Japanese sword.
At the beginning of the 8th century, as a result of the strengthening of the emperor's power in Japan, the Nara period began (710-794). The production of weapons was placed under the control of a centralized state, and blacksmiths were ordered to sign their products. The purchased swords were stored in imperial warehouses and issued to soldiers for the duration of the war or their service. The development of technology for local hardening of the cutting blade by applying heat-resistant paste to the blade is noted. However, the nobility of the Nara period preferred long straight and curved swords of Chinese and Korean origin, perhaps due to their luxurious jewelry decoration. In Korea, 44 Daito swords ("great swords") were made, which the emperor, over the following centuries, presented to a military leader or dignitary as a symbol of the granted powers for the duration of the campaign.
The fighting qualities of the katana.

The fighting qualities of the best Japanese swords cannot be assessed. Due to their uniqueness and high price testers do not have the opportunity to conduct a test and compare them with best works gunsmiths from other regions of the world. It is necessary to distinguish between the capabilities of the sword for different situations. For example, sharpening a sword for maximum sharpness (for tricks with cutting handkerchiefs in the air) will be unsuitable for cutting through armor. In ancient times and the Middle Ages, legends were spread about the capabilities of weapons that could not be demonstrated in modern times. Below are some legends and facts about the capabilities of the Japanese sword. The swords of the master Monju from the Chikuzen province (Heian period) were incredibly sharp. The sword Higegiri (“Beard Cutter”) was so called because when cutting off a head, it cut off the victim’s beard. Another sword, Hizamaru (“Lord of the Knees”), when executing convicts while sitting on their knees, cut off the head, and in addition, by inertia, cut off the knees. The sword of the master Nagamitsu from the Bizen province (Kamakura period) was called Azuki (bean), because the bean that fell on its blade was cut into two parts. The sword tester Ono Hankei (17th century) cut the barrel of a gun with his sword. During World War II, Japanese soldiers were shown a propaganda film in which a master cuts the barrel of a machine gun. The myth was refuted in the TV show “Mythbusters” - even a robot, whose impact force was many times greater than that of a human, could only bend the barrel of an M2HB machine gun. In 1662, tester Yamano cut two bodies (corpses) laid one on top of the other with a Shinto sword. This was not considered a unique finding.
Modern assessment of Japanese swords.

After the surrender of Japan in World War II, the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition issued an order to destroy all Japanese swords, but after the intervention of experts, in order to preserve historical relics of significant artistic value, the order was changed. The “Society for the Preservation of Artistic Japanese Swords” Nippon Bujutsu To:ken Hozon Kyo:kai was created), one of its tasks was expert assessment historical value sword. In 1950, Japan passed the Law on Cultural Heritage, which, in particular, determined the procedure for preserving Japanese swords as part of the cultural heritage of the nation.
The sword evaluation system is multi-stage, starting with the assignment of the lowest category and ending with the awarding of the highest titles (the top two titles are under the purview of the Japanese Ministry of Culture):

National Treasure (kokuho). About 122 swords have the title, mostly tachi from the Kamakura period, katana and wakizashi in this list are less than 2 dozen.

Important cultural property. About 880 swords have the title.

A particularly important sword.

An important sword.

A particularly guarded sword.

Guarded sword.
In modern Japan, it is possible to keep a registered sword with only one of the above titles, otherwise the sword is subject to confiscation as a type of weapon (unless it is classified as a souvenir). The actual quality of the sword is certified by the Society for the Preservation of Artistic Japanese Swords (NBTHK), which issues an expert opinion according to the established standard. Currently in Japan, it is customary to evaluate a Japanese sword not so much by its combat parameters (strength, cutting ability), but by criteria applicable to a work of art. A high-quality sword, while maintaining the properties of an effective weapon, should provide aesthetic pleasure to the observer, have perfection of form and harmony of artistic taste.

The outstanding qualities of samurai swords are legendary. Indeed, Japanese blades forged using technology have incredible sharpness. According to legends, they can cut both iron and a sheet of paper in midair. Yes, a blade sharpened into a razor will easily cut even rice paper weight, but cutting iron with such a sword means immediately ruining it. To cut iron, sharpening the sword must be done at a large angle (as on a chisel), otherwise after the blow the cutting edge will have to be adjusted, removing nicks on the blade.

When you hear the phrase “Japanese sword,” most will immediately think of a katana. Indeed, the katana is a Japanese sword, but besides it there were quite a few varieties of samurai bladed weapons.

Daisho - a pair of samurai swords

If you look deeper into history, you will notice that samurai carried two swords at the same time. One was long and was called daito (aka katana sword), the second was short, called seto (wakizashi). If the long Japanese sword was used in battle or duels, the short sword served as a backup weapon when the katana broke. When fighting in a confined space, the wakizashi sword was also used.

When a samurai came to visit, he gave the katana to the servant at the entrance or left it on a special stand. In case of sudden danger, it was the short sword that could save the life of its owner, so a lot of time was devoted to the art of wielding a short sword.

If the long sword was considered the privilege of the ruling samurai class and only they could wear it, then short swords were worn by wealthy merchants and artisans who tried to learn the art of swordsmanship from the samurai. It should be noted that such knowledge in medieval Japan was worth its weight in gold and was jealously guarded by clans. And if the master (for a huge price) agreed to show the technique, then he demonstrated it only once, after which, with a sense of fulfillment of duty, he importantly took the reward.

Combat samurai sword - its parameters and varieties

The Japanese sword katana or daito had a length of 95 to 110 centimeters. The width of its blade was about three centimeters, with a blade thickness of 5-6 millimeters. The handle of the sword was wrapped with a silk cord or covered with shark skin to prevent slipping. The length of the katana handle was about three fists, which allowed it to be used with a two-handed grip.

The Japanese Seto or Wakizashi sword is practically no different from the katana, except for the length. It is 50-70 centimeters. Naturally, the short swords of merchants and samurai differed significantly in quality and finish. The samurai's short sword was usually part of the daisho set and was made in the same style as the katana. Even the tsuba of both swords was made in the same style.

Samurai swords were not limited to katana and wakizashi models. There were also such variants of this weapon:

• Kokatana is a variant that was sometimes used in place of the short sword in the daisho set. This sword was distinguished by an almost straight blade; in tight corridors, such a blade perfectly delivered piercing blows (the legendary ninja sword may have come from this particular type of samurai sword). The length of the kokatana was about 600 millimeters;
• Tachi is a Japanese sword common from the 10th to the 17th centuries. Tachi is a weapon older than the katana and was worn only by noble samurai. This sword was intended for equestrian combat. His long length and curvature contributed to delivering a powerful slashing blow. Over time, the combat significance of the tati was lost, and this sword was used as a ceremonial or ceremonial weapon;
• Nogati was with a huge sword with a blade length of a meter or more. There were swords with a three-meter blade. Of course, such a monster weapon could not be controlled by one person. Several samurai took it and cut down the mounted troops. The strongest warriors, who, as a rule, were the bodyguards of their master, armed themselves with standard nogati;
• Tanto or short sword. Although the tanto is now considered a knife, its name clearly indicates that it is a type of sword. Most often, tantos were used to pierce armor or finish off a wounded enemy.

The katana sword and its varieties were worn on the belt or behind the back (the longest blades). A silk sageo cord was used for fastening, which could be used to tie up an enemy or for other purposes (ninjas used sageo especially inventively). If the sword was worn behind the back, then a sheath of a special design was used for this.

Katana - strengths and weaknesses of this sword

There are many myths regarding the quality of samurai swords:

• The katana is made of steel that is forged tens of thousands of times, acquiring the qualities of real Damascus steel. In fact, the steel that was mined in Japan has never had outstanding characteristics. To give it the necessary hardness it had to be forged several thousand times. As a result of this, multilayer blades were obtained that had nothing in common with Damascus steels;
• A katana can easily cut through any material, be it flesh or iron. In fact, Japanese armor was never particularly strong, so cutting it was not difficult;
• The blade of a katana could easily cut through a European sword. This situation in itself is absurd. The European sword was intended to pierce heavy iron armor, and the katana was intended for precise strikes. While European knights could block blows with swords, samurai dodged blows, since one single blow to the sword could chip the cutting edge of the sword. The sword fighting technique of the samurai was radically different from the fighting of knights.

Most likely, the myth about the quality of Japanese swords stems from the fact that the katana easily cut through the light swords of Europeans, who no longer had heavy swords in this era.

You can often hear the opinion that a katana can both chop and deliver effective piercing blows. In fact, stabbing with a katana is quite inconvenient. Its shape emphasizes that its main purpose is cutting. Of course, there are samurai swords that can cut iron, but these are isolated examples. If you compare them with total number European swords capable of the same feat, then the comparison will not be in favor of the katana.

The weaknesses of the samurai sword blade were as follows:

• Since the katana is not intended for fencing, its main weakness is fragility;
• Possessing great hardness, the katana blade can easily break from a blow to the plane of the blade, so in battle the samurai carefully took care of their weapons, which could cost the annual income of a large village;
• By the way, the katana blade could be broken by hitting its flat side with nunchucks.

What parts does a samurai sword consist of?

Any samurai sword, regardless of size, consists of the following parts:

• The katana blade itself, which is inserted and removed from the handle using special bamboo wedges;
• A handle, the size of which depends on the type of samurai sword and the personal preferences of the owner;
• Garda, also known as tsuba, which has more of a decorative role than a protective one;
• Handle braid. To do this, they used a silk cord, which was wound around the handle according to a special pattern;
• A habaki clutch was used to secure the sword in the sheath.

The design of the sword is quite simple, but requires very careful adjustment of the parts.

Wakizashi - katana partner

The short wakizashi sword was worn in tandem with a katana. Its total length was 50-80 centimeters, of which 30-60 were on the blade. In its appearance, the wakizashi completely copied the katana, only it was held with one hand (although, if necessary, a two-handed grip could be used). For merchants and artisans, the wakizashi was the main weapon and was worn in tandem with the tanto.

Samurai used a short sword in castles or close combat when there was no room for a long sword. Although the katana and wakizashi are considered to be combat equipment, samurai most often carried them in times of peace. A more serious sword was taken to war - tati, which, in addition to its length, was also an ancestral weapon. Instead of wakizashi, they used tanto, which perfectly penetrated enemy armor in close combat.

Since often the wakizashi remained the only weapon available to the warrior (since when entering someone else's house as a guest, the samurai was required to take off his katana). In this regard, a lot of time was devoted to the art of wielding a short sword. Some clans even practiced fighting with a katana in one hand and a wakizashi in the other. The art of fighting with a weapon in each hand was quite rare and most often came as a complete surprise to the enemy.

The samurai almost always wore wakizashi in everyday life. This sword was often called the “Guardian of Dignity and Honor”, ​​as it was always at hand.

How to wear a katana correctly

The Japanese sword is worn on the left side (for left-handed people it is allowed to wear it on the right) in a special sheath. The sheath is held in place by a belt called an obi. The katana is worn in such a position that its blade points upward. This position of the sword allows you to pull it out and deliver a fatal blow in one movement (now there is such martial arts like Yaido, where exactly this technique is honed).

When a threat appeared or when surrounded by ill-wishers, the samurai took a sheathed katana in left hand so that in case of danger you can instantly reach it with your right hand. If he wanted to show his trust in his interlocutor, then the katana was held in his right hand. When the samurai sat down, the katana lay within reach (if it did not give up when entering someone else's house).

Katana fighting technique

Although formally a katana is considered a sword (even a two-handed one), according to the principle of its action it is more like a saber. You shouldn’t think that they used Japanese swords to fencing, as they show in modern films. A real samurai had to kill the enemy with one single blow. This is not a whim at all, but a necessity to take care of expensive blades, since getting a new one was quite problematic.

The long blade of the samurai sword allowed a wide range of different strikes. Since the katana was most often held with two hands, with one blow it was possible not only to cut off a head or limb, but also to cut the enemy in half.

There are three main stances in katana combat:

1. Dzedan – top post;
2. Chudan – mid-level stance;
3. Gedan is a lower level stance.

To fight using a samurai sword, you need to take into account and analyze all the enemy’s movements and understand his fighting style. In accordance with this, you should plan your attacks, and the implementation should follow as quickly as possible.

Now that Japanese fencing (Kendo and Yaido) is quite popular, it is not difficult to find a section where this exciting sport is practiced. Several similar schools in Japan trace their origins back to the samurai clan schools of the Middle Ages. During the period of the ban on wearing swords, many schools disappeared, but some managed to preserve the ancient traditions of sword ownership to this day.

How was such a sharpness of the katana blade achieved?

Although Japanese metal was of fairly low quality, the forging techniques used by Japanese blacksmiths made it possible to forge blades of excellent quality. Thanks to the many layers obtained during the forging process, the sharpness of the katana was at its best. Zone hardening and careful polishing gave the blade even more outstanding qualities.

Now in any souvenir shop you can buy a copy of a samurai sword, which is only suitable for interior decoration. Real katanas are quite expensive. If you want to purchase an inexpensive but high-quality replica of a Japanese sword, order it from a blacksmith who works using ancient technology.

The samurai sword katana is not just a sword, but the embodiment of the Japanese spirit, the personification of historical culture and a source of pride for the people of the Land of the Rising Sun.

This weapon is considered a true symbol of the Japanese people, their fighting spirit and will to win. Since ancient times, it was believed that there were three main Japanese treasures. These include a jasper necklace, a sacred mirror and a sword.

For a samurai, the sword was his life partner, and even on the threshold of death, the warrior did not let it go from his hands. The katana also reflected social status his master, being the personification of purity, and - which is characteristic only of the Japanese - was considered the best gift as a tribute. According to Japanese mythology, the sword is not a symbol of war and death, but rather a weapon of peace.

History of the katana sword

For a long time, when participating in bloody battles, the Japanese used spears. But the reign of the Tokugawa shogunate changed the usual way of life of warriors. With coming technical process swords began to be used. The art of swordsmanship is called "kenjutsu". This is not just a set military knowledge, but also spiritual self-improvement.

The emergence of the “weapon of the soul” is associated with a historical change in its more ancient ancestor- the tachi sword, which is considered the traditional weapon of the samurai. The katana is not a native Japanese sword, because its formation was influenced by other Asian cultures. The sword received its final form during the Nara and Heian periods - it is a curved blade with the same handle, sharpened only on one side - this is how we can see it in our time. To create a katana, special techniques for forging and hardening iron were used, and the handle was usually wrapped in silk ribbon. IN in rare cases swords were decorated with engravings; usually such specimens were of particular value.

Carrying a katana

The samurai katana sword is worn on the left side in a sheath, which is located behind a special belt - obi. The blade of the sword, as a rule, is directed upward - this method of wearing is considered generally accepted since the end of the wars during the Sengoku period, when the carrying of weapons took on a traditional character rather than a military one. When the possibility of a threat arose, the katana was held in the left hand, and if they wanted to express their trust, then in the right. When sitting down, the samurai placed the sword not far from him. If the katana was rarely used, it was kept at home in a sheath made of untreated magnolia wood, which prevented the appearance and further spread of corrosion.

The corner in which the sword was kept was called tokonoma. And the special stand on which it was located was a katanakake. While sleeping, the samurai placed his sword at the head of his head in such a way that it could easily be grabbed at any time.

Katana Proficiency

A katana is a cutting weapon that can decapitate an enemy with one blow. The main technique of wielding a Japanese sword is that the blow is struck not at a right angle, but along a plane. Also, to simplify the application of cutting blows, the center of gravity was located closer to the blade.

The length of the katana allowed for various maneuvers. You need to hold it with both hands at once. The middle of the left palm was located at the end of the handle, and the second hand squeezed the area near the guard. Participation in the swing of two arms at once made it possible to obtain a greater amplitude, which strengthened the blow.

There are three types of stances for katana fencing:

• Jodan - the sword is on the top level
• Chudan - in this position the sword should be in front of you
• Gedan - the sword is on the lower level

To successfully apply the mastered fundamentals of katana fencing, you need to be able to anticipate all the enemy’s movements and accurately plan your actions in a short time.

Traditionally, Japanese sword fencing training is divided into three levels:

• Omote -open level, it does not delve into “hidden” sword techniques
• Chudan - intermediate level
• Okuden - closed level

In Japan, many traditional schools teaching the art of swordsmanship have survived to this day. These schools were able to continue to exist even after the ban on wearing swords, which was established by Emperor Meiji.

How is the special sharpness of the Katana achieved?

The katana is considered a unique bladed weapon because it has a self-sharpening function. The stand on which the sword is placed allows the blade to remain sharp for a long time due to the special movement of the molecules. The blade manufacturing process involves the use special equipment. Grinding consisted of ten stages, thus reducing the graininess of the surface. The blade was polished using charcoal dust.

The last step is to harden the blade using liquid clay. She contributed to the emergence of a special strip with a matte surface, which symbolized the boundary between the mirror part of the blade and the matte one. Part of the blade was wrapped in clay, and the other half of the blade was tempered in water. In this way, different surface structures were achieved. If the master was very popular, then at this stage of production he left his signature. But at this stage the blade was not yet considered ready. The final polishing of the blade took two weeks. When the surface of the blade acquired a mirror shine, it was considered that the work was completed.

The metal involved in the manufacturing process of weapons had a special structure. Its peculiarity is its layering. There were several ways to obtain high-quality steel. They were determined under the influence of many external factors.

Samurai katana sword in modern times

Having long ago lost its military significance, the katana sword has become a real find for lovers of Asian culture. A real weapon is an ancient handmade creation. Genuine specimens are most often passed on by inheritance and serve as heirlooms. But not everyone has the opportunity to purchase the best katanas, since only a true connoisseur of edged weapons can distinguish a fake from an original. So how much does a real samurai katana sword cost? The cost of swords made in Japan is at least 1 thousand dollars, and the price of rarer specimens can reach up to 9 thousand dollars. Thus, the most expensive Japanese sword in history is considered to be the 13th century Kamakura sword, which was sold at auction for 418 thousand dollars.

Katana- long Japanese sword (daito). Current Russian standard GOST R 51215-98 katana is characterized as a “Japanese large two-handed saber with a blade more than 60 cm long.” In modern Japanese, the word katana also means any sword. Katana is the Japanese reading (kun'yomi) of the Chinese character 刀; Sino-Japanese reading (on'yomi) - then:. The word means "a curved sword with a single-sided blade." The shape of the blade of the katana resembles a saber, but its handle is straight and long, which allows the use of a two-handed grip. The pommel is missing. The slight bend of the blade and the sharp end also allow piercing blows. The absence of a pommel makes fencing with one hand extremely difficult, despite the standard one (about one and a half kilograms) for a bladed one. hand weapons mass. Perhaps this is explained by the anthropometric data of Japanese warriors (there is another explanation - Japanese blacksmiths at the time of the development of edged weapons did not know how to produce high-quality steel; the blades quickly dulled, and the weapon was effective only with slashing blows, which initially predetermined a two-handed grip. More later, when high-quality steel was discovered, the long handle was already established as a tradition). Unlike tachi, the katana is also civilian weapons samurai, like the sword of European nobles of the 14th-19th centuries.

History of development.
The katana appeared in the 15th century as a consequence of the evolution of tachi and was used from the end of the 14th century (early Muromachi period) as traditional weapons samurai, primarily in combination (daisho, lit. “big-small”) with a short wakizashi (shoto, lit. “small sword”). The katana is similar in many ways to the earlier Chinese Miao Dao sword. A genuine Japanese katana can be easily recognized by its hardening line (jamon), which is explained by the use of special forging and hardening techniques, as well as the handle (tsuka), covered with stingray skin and entwined with a silk ribbon. Ordinary leather was also used for covering. Carved hardwood or ivory hilts are found only on decorative and ceremonial swords. The blade of a katana consists of at least two different types of steel: tough for the base (core) and hard for the cutting part. Both components were first refined by repeated folding and welding before being forged into a blade.
In the narrow sense, a katana is curved (cutting part outward) bastard sword with a blade two or more shaku long (2 shaku is approximately equal to 60.6 cm) and a handle of varying lengths. Weight 750-1000g. If the length of the blade is less than two shaku, then it is a wakizashi, if less than one shaku, it is a dagger (tanto, aikuti, hamidashi). The scabbard for all three types of swords is called saya; they are made of wood and varnished. Only mass-produced swords of the 20th century have a metal scabbard, however, they are also equipped with a wooden lining...

Katana and wakizashi are always worn on the left side of the body in a sheath, tucked into the belt (obi), with the blade facing up. This is an accepted way of wearing in society, formed after the end of the wars of the Sengoku period in early XVII century, when carrying weapons became more of a tradition than military necessity. When the samurai entered the house, he took out a katana from his belt. In case of possible conflicts, he held the sword in his left hand in a state of combat readiness or, as a sign of trust, in his right. When sitting down, he placed the katana on the floor within reach, and the wakizashi was not removed (the samurai wore it in a sheath in his belt). Mounting the sword for outdoor use is called koshirae and includes the lacquered sheath of the sai. If there was no frequent need to use the sword, it was stored at home in a shirasai mount made of untreated magnolia wood, which protected the steel from corrosion. Some modern katanas are initially produced in this version, in which the scabbard is not varnished or decorated. Such installation, in which there was no tsuba and other decorative elements, did not attract attention and became widespread in late XIX centuries after the imperial ban on wearing a sword. It seemed that the sheath was not a katana, but a bokuto - a wooden sword. In the 20th century, camouflaged swords appeared, similar in design to Western cane swords: the blade of the sword rested in a sheath imitating a staff made of bamboo or wood.
Up to early period Muromachi was armed with a tachi - a long sword that was worn on a belt with the blade down. However, starting from the end of the 14th century, it was increasingly replaced by the katana. It was worn in a sheath secured to the belt with a ribbon of silk or other fabric (sageo). A tanto dagger was usually worn along with a tachi, and a wakizashi was usually worn together with a katana.

Design.
A blacksmith making a sword has long been faced with the task of creating a weapon that is sharp and at the same time retains fighting qualities for a long time, does not lose its sharpness, does not rust or break. Depending on the carbon content of the steel and the hardening, it could produce a sword with a high martensite index, therefore very hard and retaining its sharpness for a long time, but brittle and brittle. Conversely, a blade made of softer steel becomes dull faster.
This difficulty is overcome by using a multilayer structure. In the traditional technique, the inner layer is made of low-carbon steel and covered with hard high-carbon steel, which forms the top layer: the smith folds a long, narrow block of hard steel into a U-shape and welds a block of soft steel into it. From the resulting combined whetstone, a sword blank is forged, with the closed side of the “U” subsequently becoming the blade. This combined workpiece is no longer folded.
Other designs feature different combinations, such as placing hard steel in a U-shaped piece of soft steel, or combining hard steel on the blade with soft steel on the back and medium-hard steel making up two additional side inserts. There are numerous complicated techniques, which, however, do not guarantee more High Quality. They are practicing for the most part by low-class blacksmiths who thus seek to bypass the difficult hardening process. Very short blades are sometimes made from one type of steel (mono-material)

Larger samples require a more complex design.

• Maru- the cheapest of all designs, also used for tanto or ko-wakizashi; Such single blades are not subject to differential hardening and consist of one single type of steel.
• Kobuse- a simplified design of the sword, which, due to its low cost, was widely used in military conflicts that required large volumes of weapons until the Second World War
• Khonsammai- the most common design. The side parts are reinforced with additional plates made of medium-hard steel. The sword is highly durable and has the advantage that the back side of the blade (butt) is not hardened and does not allow it to break. Some old swords show similar impact marks.
• Shihozume- a design similar to the honsanmai, which has rear end The blade is protected by a hard iron strip.
• Makuri- a simplified design in which the soft iron core is entirely hidden in a hard steel shell.
• Wariha tetsu- simple but very flexible design.
• Orikaeshi sammai- a slightly improved form of honsanmai
• Gomai- a slightly unusual option with a core of hard iron, which is surrounded by a middle soft layer, in turn covered with a layer of hard steel
• Soshu kitae- one of the most complex structures, having seven layers of steel. Practiced by the blacksmith Masamune, it is considered an exemplary work.

The katana was used primarily as a cutting weapon, sometimes as a piercing weapon, allowing both two-handed and one-handed grips. The oldest schools of katana art date back to the 15th and 16th centuries.
main idea Japanese art swordsmanship (kenjutsu) and techniques based on it (such as iaido) is that the longitudinal axis of the sword during an attack should not go to the target at a right angle, but along its plane, delivering cutting blows. Therefore, it is more appropriate to talk here not about blows - in the form in which they are characteristic of Western sword techniques, but about cuts. This is why the blades have a curved shape. Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi wrote the book “Gorin no sho” (“Book of Five Rings”), in which he reveals his two-sword technique (niten-ryu) and justifies it from an esoteric perspective. Working with katana and wakizashi is similar to eskrima techniques (modern name - Arnis de mano). Kenjutsu, the practical art of fencing with a sword, evolved into modern look- gendai budo. The art of surprise attack and counterattack is called iaido and is a meditative type of combat fought with an imaginary opponent. Kendo is the art of fencing with a bamboo sword (shinai), in which it is mandatory to wear a set of protection, similar to European fencing and consisting of a helmet with a lattice covering the face, and armor. This type of sword fencing, depending on the specific style (ryu), can be practiced as a sports discipline. There are still numerous traditional fencing schools in Japan that managed to survive the general ban on wearing swords by Emperor Meiji. The most famous are Kashima Shinto Ryu, Kashima Shin Ryu and Katori Shinto Ryu.

Main parts:

• Ha- cutting edge
• Habaki- fastening sleeve (so that the blade is fixed in one position and does not move)
• Kasira- handle head
• Koi gucci- entrance to the scabbard
• Monouchi- hitting surface
• Mune- blunt end of the blade
• Mekugi- a bamboo pin that secures Nakago in the handle of the blade
• Nakago- blade base
• Sageo- rope
• Saya- scabbard
• Tsuba- guard
• Tsuka- handle
• Shinogi- edge of the blade

Minor parts:

• Ada patterns (concentric, wavy and linear patterns created during rolling)
• Ha mother- edge of Ha
• Jamon- hardening line
• Boti- hardening line on the tip
• Yokote- dividing line of the tip
• Dzi-ada- blade
• Itsu- groove for Kozuka (knife)
• Kogai- (multi-profile pin), or Uvari-Masi (shelves)
• Kissaki- point
• Kojiri- tip of the scabbard
• Ko-shinogi- edge of the blade at the tip
• Kurikata- loop for Sageo
• Mune machi- region of Mune
• Mai- inscriptions on Nakago (name of the blacksmith, year, testing on those sentenced to death or corpses, etc.)
• Mekugi-ana- hole for pin
• Manuki- handle ornament
• Nagaza- blade length
• Nakago-jiri- tip of Nakago
• Nioi or Nie- martensite particles (large ones are called Nie, small ones - Nio)
• Same-hada- the skin of a huge stingray covering the handle
• Shitotome- hole for Kurikata
• Sorry- deflection
• Sepa- washers
• Footy- handle coupling
• Tsuka-ito- cord wrapping around the handle
• Shinogi-ji- flat part of the blade
• Yaki-a (or Yaki-ha)- hardened part of the blade
• Yasuri-me- file notch on Nakago

Probably, no weapon in the world is shrouded in such an aura of mystery and mysticism as the Japanese katana. Now, these days, it is a collectible weapon (and quite expensive, it is worth noting). In previous centuries, the katana was a symbol of the military class of Japan - the samurai. Its beauty, brilliance, and shape never cease to excite bladed weapon lovers. So what is the secret of the katana? Not in history, literature and cinema. This fame is due to the legendary quality of the blade, as well as the almost mystical relationship between the katana and its samurai owner.

Katana (Japanese reading of the word - kun'yomi) is a curved sword with a one-sided sharpened blade. Weapons were made from steel. You can compare a katana with a saber, but there is also a difference - the handle of a Japanese sword is long, which requires the use of two hands at once. The length of the blade is from 60 to 75 cm, the handle is somewhere around 15-20 cm. Thus, it can be calculated that the entire length of the katana was approximately 100 cm.

History of creation

The katana was first mentioned in sources in the 15th century. Japanese warriors before her already carried weapons - a tachi, which was hung on a belt, an okatana (a larger sword). The katana became more of a modified modification of the tati. Only samurai were allowed to carry a katana and use it for its intended purpose. Of course, they also had other types of weapons - bows, arrows, spears. But none of them gained such popularity as the long, slightly curved sword carried at the samurai's belt. It was not so much its use as the creation process that raised a lot of questions. The bond between the katana and the samurai welder was sacred.

It was believed that the sword contained the soul of a warrior, so it was used only in the most extreme cases– for example, the katana can be used in matters of honor (which may include saving a noble or family members, protecting against certain death). There were also cases when sausage was chopped with a katana for dinner or lunch. To some this will seem outright stupidity, and the samurai treated their sword as their soul, so using the katana as kitchen knife it was acceptable if the warrior was really hungry.

How was the katana created?

During the time he was in the workshop, the samurai welder could not eat meat, drink alcohol, or have sexual relations. Sometimes making a katana took several months (note that the technique of creating a Japanese sword has not changed for a thousand years). First, sheets of steel were folded together, filled with a solution of clay and water, then ash was sprinkled on top so that all the slag came out of the metal. The steel is then heated so that the pieces stick to each other.

Next comes the work of a blacksmith, which is already familiar to everyone - a piece of steel is flattened with a hammer, then folded - this procedure is repeated several times. Then a softer steel is added to the composition so that the blade does not break under heavy load. Then the katana is shaped, then the blade is treated with a liquid clay solution to avoid oxidation. Next comes the hardening process - the steel is heated to the metal endurance limit, then cooled. At the final stages, the blade is sharpened (on one side) and polished. The katana is ready.

Do not think that the katana was the only sword of the samurai. It was worn in combination with other piercing and cutting tools. A shorter sword was called wakizashi (total length with hilt - from 50 to 80 cm).

There was also a traditional Japanese tanto dagger (total length with handle - about 50 cm). Another curved Japanese sword is the tachi, which was slightly longer than a katana. Tachis were worn suspended on cords from the belt. This type of sword was favored by warriors on horseback, where the blade's sufficient length provided the reach needed to fight a foot samurai.

It is noteworthy that the first Japanese swords were not local, so to speak - they were imported from China and Korea. They were made double-edged and straight, without various bends. The early swords created by the Japanese were simply imitations of straight swords from China and Korea. They were called jokoto, or ancient swords. The traditional Japanese sword has changed from straight to curved. The curved blade could be drawn more quickly from its sheath and was also more effective as a slashing weapon when used by a horseman.

The Japanese first began their production about 2000 years ago.

Then an incident happened - the warrior Musoshi Kilalotamen fell asleep in front of the fire, not noticing that his blade was partially on fire. He woke up to the fact that his cloak was already on fire, and began to quickly put it out. At the same time, he tried to cool the red-hot sword with a pan that came to hand.

When the pan hit the metal, the carbon strengthened the steel, and the sword became even stronger. Of course, this is a legend, but who knows, maybe there is a particle of truth in it? It is not known for certain when exactly the Japanese began to forge their swords, but without a doubt, they surpassed all the world's masters in this matter. Forging a katana was not the work of just one craftsman - one worked on the blade, another on polishing, and the third created the handle (covering it with leather).

The reader may ask a question: how did the warriors test the new sword? How easy is it to handle and how sharp is the blade? The answer is simple - the katana, before being used in military campaigns, was tested on convicts. It’s better to omit the details - after all, it’s not a horror film.

Decline of katana use

During the Edo period (1603-1867), peace reigned in Japan, and weapons (as well as samurai) gradually became a thing of the past. Progress did not stand still - soon firearms appeared in the Land of the Rising Sun, and the role of the katana noticeably decreased. There was no longer such a massive flow of new swords. From the 12th century until 1867 (with interruptions), Japan was ruled by shoguns - military officials. In 1867, the last shogun resigns, and all power is concentrated in the hands of the emperor. 10 years later, in 1877, the Haitorei Decree was issued, which limited the right to carry weapons to military and police officers. In fact, the samurai class was abolished in Japan. Along with it comes a katana.

Although the katana has gone down in history and is the subject of collections, it continues to live in cinema, literature and the hearts of those who truly value weapons of honor.