Japanese medieval swords: history, classification and manufacturing features. Japanese sword of a samurai warrior Modern assessment of Japanese swords

Let's look at the structure of a Japanese sword using an example katanas.

Katana- long samurai sword, sword length 90-120 cm, handle length 25-30 cm or 3 arm wraps, blade width 27-35 mm, deflection equal to or slightly greater than the width of the blade. The handle is covered with stingray skin or shark skin. Garda katanas called tsuboi and is most often round in shape.

The length of the sword blade is calculated as follows: to get the maximum length, you need to subtract 90 cm from your height. To also take into account issues of ease of handling the sword, you usually subtract another 8 cm from the resulting value. For example, 175 - 90 = 85 cm, 85 - 8 = 77 cm. (my personal opinion is that this is not scientific, below is information from another source).

If your height is not in the table, then for every additional centimeter of height you need to add 3 mm to the length of the blade, i.e. you can more accurately calculate the length of the blade (but this is only a recommendation since throughout the existence of the sword its length and technique of wielding it have changed, here the fighter has the right to choose the length of the sword depending on the combat situation).

Frame buke-zukuri, or uchi-gata-na koshirae . Swords mounted in this style were worn tucked into the belt. There was a protrusion on the scabbard kurikata, through which the cord was passed sageo.

Frame details buke-zukuri

Kasira - the head of the hilt of swords mounted in the style buke-zukuri.

Kojiri - the tip of the scabbard of swords in the style buke-zukuri; may be missing, then the tip of the scabbard is simply rounded and varnished in the same way as all the scabbards.

Koiguchi - "carp mouth"; entrance to the scabbard (or kutigane, if the mouth of the sheath is covered with a metal ring).

Kurikata - a protrusion with a slot located one-sixth the length of the sword below koiguchi on the front side of the scabbard omote, through which the cord passes sageo.

Mekugi- a fastening pin passing through the handle and tang of the sword.

Manuki - ornament on the hilt of the sword.

Sageo - cord on the scabbard of the sword.

Same- stingray skin used to cover fart.

Saya - sheath.

Seppa - a pair of oval metal washers covering the shank on both sides of the guard.

Footy - clutch on the handle.

Tsuba - garda.

Tsuka - handle.

Tsuka-ito - handle winding

Most known species style swords buke-zukuri- This katana (daito) And wakizashi (shoto). Wakizashi was just a smaller copy katana. Together they formed daisho(“big and small”). If all the details of the frame daisho were designed in the same style, then this pair was called daisho-soroimono.

Scabbard (saya) swords are usually made from ho-no-ki(magnolia) and consist of two halves. In cross-section, they almost always have the shape of an elongated oval of the same shape and size as seppa(washers) located next to them and remain the same throughout their entire length. Sword scabbards were usually coated with a very durable varnish. U daisho - pairs of swords worn by samurai - this varnish is usually of calm tones, usually black, and all other decorations are designed in the same calm style. Bright, eye-catching colors were preferred by dandies, and bright red varnish, imported from China, was on the swords worn by samurai from the provinces of Satsuma and Hyuga, who were famous for their courage and great ardor.

The surface on which the varnish is applied is either simple smooth, or it may have wide or narrow grooves running diagonally or transversely. The varnished base itself can be either grainy or well sanded, plain or decorated nashiji(gold dust) guri-bori or in other styles, or even striped two-color. Quite often there is also a varnish like stingray fish ( same-nuri). These bases can then receive any form of decoration, but for daisho sophisticated maki-e(loose pattern) does not suit Japanese taste. However, with regard to daggers, the master could allow free flight of fantasy, and inlaid metal ornaments are often found here (kanamono).

The following six pieces of sword scabbard, framed in the style buke-zukuri, could have special decoration details:

Ring covering the entrance to the scabbard - koi-guchi(“carp mouth”) or kutigane, if it is metal;

Uragawara - reinforcing bar running across the base of the slot for ko-gatana;

Lining of slots for ko-gatana And kogai. Typically available in polished black lacquer, polished natural horn, or soft buff leather;

kurikata(“chestnut shape”) - a protrusion with a slot located one-sixth of the length of the sword below koi-guchi on the side omote, through which the cord passes sageo;

sori-tsuno("returning horn"), or origane, - a small hook-shaped protrusion even lower on the same side, directed towards the hilt. It serves to prevent the sheath from slipping forward from the belt. It is quite rare and usually wakizashi, but his presence often speaks of good things
blade;

Kojiri - scabbard tip. It often doesn’t happen, especially in wakizashi, and the tip of the scabbard is simply rounded and varnished in the same way as all the scabbards. In shape, material and decoration it very often corresponds cashier.

All these parts (except for the lining of the slots for ko-gatana And kogai) usually metal, more or less equally decorated. But in discreet frames they can be made of polished black horn simplest form and the smallest size necessary for their purpose.

Sageo - it is a flat silk cord passed through curicata, with which the sword was tied to the belt. Length sageo was from 60 to 150 cm depending on the size of the weapon, and it could be removed before battle and used as tasuki for tying the long sleeves of a civilian suit to give freedom of arm movement. Sageo They were also used to bind a captured enemy. Color sageo matches the color of the scabbard. If the latter are in good Japanese taste, discreet and strict, the same will be true sageo. Bright and dog have three frames sageo corresponding.

Handle (tsuka) always made from two halves of wood glued together, preferably ho-no-ki(magnolia). There was a hole between them for the shank (nakago), called tsuka-guchi. The tree was usually covered with a single piece of white same- knotty stingray skin. The seam ran down the center of the side hooray, and usually the piece was selected so that the central row of three or four larger knots was on top of the side omote.

A winding was placed on top tsuka-ito(“hilt thread”), consisting of a strip of strong flat silk (less often leather or cotton) ribbon uchi-him o up to 0.6 cm wide. Quite rarely, instead of a flat ribbon, you find a cord wrapped in rows. Usually, tsuka-ito was black, occasionally soft brown, dark blue or green. Sometimes daimyo used katanas with white winding; it was also a trait of a certain type tati. Occasionally, leather cord and whalebone are found. The center of the tape was placed close to the handle coupling footy on the side omote, and the two ends were wrapped around the handle on the right and left, respectively, and twisted twice at equal distances. As a result same turned out to be completely closed, except for a number of diamond-shaped spaces on both sides of the handle. After the tape was passed through the sides of the handle head cashier, it was secured on both sides of the handle with a flat compact unit. Slightly below the center of the handle on the side omote and a little higher on the side hooray the wrapping partially covered and secured the two decorations in place Menuki.

Handle wrap options tsuka and the winding technique resulting in the pattern shown top center

Securing the cord tsuka-ito on cashier

There were many exceptions to this usual tsuka-maki(handle wrapping method). For example, on swords worn daimyo in formal wear, called kamishimo, in the shogun's court during the Edo period, a black silk wrap was crossed over the cashier, instead of going inside; cashier in this case it was made of simple black horn. This style is known as maki-kake-no-kashira, and a sword with such a winding was called kamishimo-zashi.

Certain court swords, as well as most short swords and daggers, had stingray skin hilts left unwrapped. In such cases cashier and both Menuki had to be secured with glue, hidden pins, decorative buttons, or some other suitable method. This style is called hanashi-menuki(free Menuki). There are also many forms of unwound hilt, mostly in daggers whose handles are covered with polished or carved wood, varnish, rattan or metal. Usually, if there was no stingray skin on the handle, the side joints between the halves of the handle were covered with strips of metal called kenuki-kanamono.

The shape of the handle consists of a narrow elliptical section and usually becomes very slightly thinner at both ends towards the middle. Daggers with an unwound hilt have a side omote may have an oblique cut at a distance of 2.5 cm from cashier. In the case when the dagger is worn on the chest in clothing ( kwaiken), This feature allows a person to immediately feel which side the blade is on.

Garda (tsuba) usually has the shape of a disk. The only exceptions are the guards of ancient swords, which have the shape of a small cross and are called sieve-gi(shaped like a Shinto sacrificial rice cake, hence the name). Such guards are also found on some ceremonial types. tati. Cup-shaped guards are found, but quite rarely.

Guards come in a variety of shapes and sizes, although the most common are round or oval with a diameter of 6 to 9 cm.

Guards are almost always made of metal, although on ceremonial swords they may be patent leather, leather stretched over wood, or papier-mâché. Until the 16th century. Tsuba guards were usually made of iron. Simple in design, they served a purely utilitarian purpose - to protect the hand. Later, as metallurgy developed, the tsuba also became a work of art. Guard decorations reach their peak during the peaceful Edo period. Metals such as gold, silver, copper with various reddish patinas, as well as copper alloys began to be used to decorate them: shakudo, shibuichi, sambo gin, rogin, karakane, nigurome, sentoku and pure brass sintu. The use of various chemical compounds made it possible to give them a variety of colors. To them you need to add interesting contrasting combinations of two or more alloys of different colors.

Guard details (tsuba)

Hira(“flat body”) - part of the guard between Mimi And seppadai.

Mimi - headband

Seppadai(“position for washers”) - place for washers seppa. The oval part of the guard around the hole for the tang. Two washers are adjacent to this place ( seppa) between the guard and the blade and the guard and the handle. When the guard is on the sword, seppadai completely hidden from view. Usually completely unremarkable except for the signature, it is often a slightly convex regular oval.

Nakago-ana - hole for shank. A hole in the center of the guard through which the tang of the sword passes.

Udenuki-ana - holes for lanyard. Some guards have two holes of different sizes. A lanyard was attached to them.

Sekigane - aggregate. A metal filler used to size the tang hole to the specific strip of the sword and provide a secure fit. These holes are found on iron guards and indicate that this is an early guard. The filler is also used in ryo-hitsu.

Kogai hitsu-ana - hole for kogai. This hole is often shaped like half of a four-petaled flower.

Kozuka hitsu-ana - hole for Kozu-ki. This is the hole opposite Kogai hitsu-ana, designed for handle ko-gatana. The hole is often shaped like half a moon. Together Kogai hitsu-ana And Kozuka Hitsu-ana are called ryo-hitsu.

Handle coupling (futi) and handle head (kasira). These two frame pieces are usually considered together since they are usually designed similarly and made by the same craftsman.

Function footy(handle couplings) and cashier(handle head) consists of strengthening the handle at both ends. Term "cashira"(lit. "head") is an abbreviation of the original name "tsuka-gashira"(handle head), and footy- a general term for a boundary. Both things together are usually called futi-kasira.

Footy, as a rule, consists of a flat metal ring band up to 1.3 cm wide, which covers the handle next to the guard and is easy to remove. At the base footy there is an oval plate called tenjo-gane(“ceiling metal”), usually copper, with a hole for the tang of a sword.

Kasira is a small cup usually with a flattened bottom, although it is also common cashier with a completely round bottom. On footy the main part of the pattern is located on the side omote. On cashier the pattern is located on the end of the handle so that it is visible when wearing the sword.

From each side cashier there is an oval slot - shitodome-ana, equipped with a retractable eyelet - shitodome("oat eye") of gilded copper, just large enough to accommodate the cord of the handle. On the hilt with a wrapped handle cashier no longer attaches. However, on a handle without a wrap, it is usually secured not only with glue, but also with two leaf-headed pins large enough to hide shitodome-ana(the loop from which has been removed).

Footy signs on the side omote outer surface tenjo-gane and sometimes on the visible part. On cashier the signature, in the rare cases where it is present, is on a small metal plate soldered on the inside or outside. It is also located at Menuki.

Manuki- this is a pair of small ornaments made of decorated metal located on both sides of the handle. They serve not only as decoration, but also for a tighter grip around the handle. They probably originate from the decorated caps of fastening pins on ancient swords. Together with kogai And ko-gatana (Kozuka) they can form a single set called mitokoro-mono(“three places of a thing”). A single style can extend to a complete set of metal parts for a sword - soroimono(“uniform thing”) or pairs of swords - daisho-soroimono. Mitokoro-mono or soroimono the work of a famous metalworker - preferably one of the Gotos - was a favorite gift among daimyo and other dignitaries on special occasions.

Mekugi- This is a fastening pin that goes through the hilt and tang of the sword and prevents the sword strip from falling out of the hilt. It is usually made from bamboo, but often from dark horn (very rarely from ivory). When the handle is wrapped, it tapers slightly mekugi enters on the side hooray in the center of one of the open diamonds same so that's on the side omote its narrower end is hidden by the winding. But there are exceptions to this rule. In the unwrapped hilts of daggers mekugi can pass through a metal or ivory eyelet or through a metal band - do-gane(“body metal”), covering the handle.

Metal mekugi- This is a striking feature of most non-wrap handles. It consists of a thick copper tube with a decorative cap, often silver, into which a copper pin with the same cap is threaded or screwed on the other side. The threads on the screws are often left-handed, and extreme care must be taken when dismantling such weapons.

Washers (seppa)- this is a pair of oval metal washers covering the shank on both sides of the guard. They are almost always made of copper, plain, gold-plated, silver-plated, or covered with gold or silver foil. Visible surfaces may be polished or lightly streaked. Their edges are usually milled or decorated with holes. Some swords have two or three pairs, and some tati in addition to these usual seppa often there is a much larger pair called o-seppa(large washers). They cover most of the guard and are decorated with engraving, the basis of the design often being an elegant Maltese cross. They say that seppa began to be used in the 12th century. Their purpose is to protect footy and guard from damage and give everything a finished look.

Coupling (habaki). Despite the fact that from the artistic side habaki The least significant, it is absolutely necessary, and is found on all Japanese swords, daggers and spears. This is a thick metal sleeve, the inner side of which fits tightly to the last two to three centimeters of the blade and the first two to three centimeters of the shank ( nakago) (approximate figures for a medium-sized weapon), has several functions. Firstly, it holds the sword tightly in the sheath, eliminating friction of the blade and especially the hardened part of the blade on the inner surface of the sheath. Secondly, it to some extent protects the blade from the appearance of rust in this dangerous place, therefore part of the strip of the sword under habaki should be lightly oiled. But its most important function is that it transfers the impact of a blow through the guard to the entire handle, and not to the relatively weak restraining peg mekugi made of bamboo or horn.

Habaki usually made of copper, silver-plated or gold-plated, or covered with gold, silver or alloy foil shakudo. The surface is either polished or covered with oblique strokes, which are called neko-gaki(“cat scratches”) If a thin foil covering is present, it can be embedded into these neko-gaki or decorated with a stamped pattern. Occasionally also found habaki made of iron, precious metals, or even ivory or wood, but only on swords not mounted for serious use. If the sword strip is thinner than average and thus requires habaki extra thickness, then can be used nid-zyu-habaki- double habaki. It is simply a regular sized habaki, reinforced with a separate but neatly fitted piece that adds two “cheeks” to reinforce the lower part (adjacent to the guard). By habaki you can often evaluate the quality of the blade. Niju-haba-ki and especially habaki, decorated with the family coat of arms mon, usually belong to good swords.

Sword strip terminology

The strip of a sword, dagger or any other bladed weapon consists of a blade and a tang.

Point (kisaki)- This is the most difficult part of the sword to forge and polish. The value of a sword is largely determined by its condition. kitsaki. Hardening line on the tip ( barefoot) may not be the same on different sides of the blade.

There are a great many types of hardening lines on the tip (as well as on the blade itself).

Types of sword point ( kitsaki) and hardening lines (barefoot) are classified:

1. according to the shape of the blade:

- fukura-kareru- direct;
- fukura-tsuku- curved;

2. by size:

-ko-kisaki- small point. Characteristic of the tachi of the Heian period and the beginning of the Kamakura period;
- tyu-kisaki- average. A widespread type for all swords from about 1232;
- o-kisaki- long;
- ikari-o-kisaki- long and curved;

3. along the hardening line (bosi):

- ko-maru- weak rounding;
- o-maru- strong rounding. The width of the hardened part is narrower than in ko-maru;
- jizo- in the shape of the head of the deity Jizo;
- yaki-zume- non-returning. Typically, the hardening line extends to the point and turns back toward the shank. In this case, return ( Kaeri) absent;
- midare-komi- wavy;
- kaen- fiery;
- iti-mai- full. The entire tip is hardened;
- Kaeri-tsuyoshi- straight return line;
- kaeri-fukashi- long return;
- kaeri-asashi- short return.

Sword strip

Komi, or mi,- blade.
Nakago- shank.
Tosin- sword strip.

Sword strip terminology

Bosi - hardening line on the tip.

Yokote - the line separating the tip and the blade.

Dzi (ilihira-ji) - the plane between the blade and Shinogi(its width is called Nick).

Jihad - surface pattern hada.

Ji-tsuya - darker (compared to ha-tsuya) part of the blade (the rest of the blade, except the hardened part).

Kasane - blade thickness, measured along the spine; It happens moto-kasaie And saki-kasane.

Kisaki - tip (sometimes this term refers to the entire area from yokote to the very tip of the blade).

Ko-shinogi - the edge of the blade at the tip.

Mizukage - fuzzy line on a plane dzi, usually occurring when re-hardening the blade.

Mihab - blade width; It happens moto hub And saki-haba.

Mitsu-kado - the point where they meet yokote, Shinogi And ko-sinogi.

Monouchi - the part of the blade that delivers most of the blows is the part of the blade about 15 cm long, located about 10 cm below yokote(data for a long sword; for short swords and daggers it is proportionally reduced).

Moto-kasane - blade thickness mune-machi.

Moto hub - blade width between ha-mati And mune-machi.

Mune - butt of the blade.

Mune-machi - a small cut separating the shank from the blade on the butt side, edge mune.

Mune-saki - the name of the butt near the tip;

Mai - inscriptions (on nakago and etc.).

Mekugi-ana - holes in nakago For Menuki.

Nagasa - blade length (measured between mune-machi and tip).

Nakago-jiri - extremity nakago.

Sabigiwa - border between habaki-moto And Yasuri-me.

Saki-kasane - blade thickness yokote.

Saki-haba - blade width yokote.

Shinogi - edge of the blade.

Shinogi-ji - blade plane between Shinogi And mune.

Sorry - blade curvature.

Sugata - blade shape.

Fukura - blade shape kitsaki.

Ha(or ha-saki) - blade.

Habaki-moto - part of the sword strip that is under the muff habaki.

Hada - steel lamination; the result of the folding of steel during the forging process.

Ha-mati - small cut separating the tang from the blade on the side of the blade, edge Ha.

Jamon - line Yakiba.

Hataraki - “activity”, development on the metal surface ( nioi, nie and etc.).

Ha-tsuya - lighter part of the blade compared to ji-tsuya; almost the same as Yakiba.

Hee - dollars

Horimono - engraving on the blade.

Yakiba - hardened part of the blade.

Yakihaba - width Yakiba.

Yasuri-me - notches on the shank.

Edge of the blade (shinog) missing from blades hira-zukuri. There are two types:

protruding (Shinogi-takashi). The thickness of the blade between the stiffening ribs is much greater than that of the butt;

• smooth (shinogi-hikushi).

The plane between the edge and the butt of the blade (Shinogi-ji) can be wide or narrow.

Dol (hee) originally made to increase the strength of the blade and reduce its weight. Later it began to be seen as decoration. Sometimes a fuller was made in order to restore the balance of a shortened sword or to hide flaws in the blade (such fullers added later are called ato-bi). There are 8 types of dols, of which Koshi-hi, Tomabashi, Shobu-hi, Kuichigai-hi and Naginata-hi- on short swords.

In addition, there are 4 forms of fuller at the shank, of which kaki-toshi and kaki-nagashi usually found on strips of swords made by smiths of the Old Sword Period ( koto).

The valley may cross yokote(type hi-saki-agari) and stop a little before reaching yokote(type hisaki-sagari).

Plane shinogi-ji, not cut down, is called tiri. Dol may have tiri on both sides (type ryo-chiri) or only on one side (type kata-chiri).

Types of fullers on a sword strip

Bo-hee- wide dol.
Bo-hi-ni-tsure-hi- wide and narrow valley.
Gomabasi- two short beats.
Kaki-nagashi- extending to half of the shank.
Kaki-toshi- passing along the entire shank.
Kaku-dome- rectangular end.
Koshi-hi- short dollar
Kuitigai-hi- double irregular fuller joining at the end.
Naginata-hi- short wide fuller; typical for naginata, but is also found on swords.
Shobu-hi- double dale joining at the end.
Futasuji-hi- two narrow valleys.
Maru-dome- rounded end.

Engraving (horimono). Found on the blades of Japanese swords Various types engravings. Most common subjects: chopsticks ( Goma-Hasi), ritual sword ken, the Dragon ( kurikara) and inscriptions in Chinese or Japanese characters ( bondzi).

Hataraki
Ji-nie- spots nee V dzi.
Kinsuji, inazuma And Sunagashi- stripes below and above the line jamon.
Ko-nie- small dots nee above jamon.
Uchinoke- “activity” in the shape of a crescent.

Japanese sword (Japanese: 日本刀 nihonto:) - a bladed single-edged chopping weapon, produced using traditional Japanese technology from multilayer steel with controlled carbon content. The name is also used to refer to a single-edged sword with the characteristic shape of a weakly curved blade that was the main weapon of the samurai warrior.

According to experts, more than 2 million Japanese swords have been made throughout history, of which about 100 thousand copies are currently stored in Japan, and the largest collection is in the USA and includes more than 300 thousand blades (exported from Japan after World War II).

Japanese technology for making iron swords began to develop in the 8th century and reached its highest perfection by the 13th century. For about a thousand years, the shape of the sword remained virtually unchanged, changing slightly mainly in length and degree of bending in accordance with the development of close combat tactics. The sword, being one of the three ancient regalia of the Japanese emperor, also had ritual and magical meaning in Japanese society.

Terminology

Japanese names are often used in literature to refer to varieties of Japanese swords and their parts. Brief dictionary most frequently used concepts:

• Tati is a long sword (blade length from 61 cm) with a relatively large bend ( sorry), intended mainly for mounted combat. There is a type of tachi called odachi, meaning "big" tati with a blade length of 1 m (from 75 cm from the 16th century). In museums they are displayed in a 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, katanas 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 swords uchigatana.
• Wakizashi is a 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) - 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 are not real Japanese swords ( nihonto), as they are made using Chinese or Korean technology. IN in a broad sense the term was used in ancient times to refer to all swords. At a later time it was superseded by the term ken to denote a straight sword.
• Naginata is an intermediate weapon between a sword and a spear: a curved blade up to 60 cm long, on a handle, the size of which could be from the ground to waist-length. Close in type to glaive or palm.
• 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 start of the Industrial Revolution of the Meiji period. With rare exceptions, Shinto swords are not considered highly artistic creations of blacksmiths, although they may be distinguished by luxurious finishing. 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 are those mass-produced for the army using simplified factory technology gloomy(lit. "sword of the Showa period"), including, sin-gunto (Japanese: 新軍刀 Shin Gunto:, lit. "new army sword"), and swords forged after the resumption of production in 1954 by modern blacksmiths using traditional technologies, for which it is proposed to use the name shin-sakuto (Japanese: 新作刀 Shin Sakuto:"newly made sword") or shin-gendaito(lit. "new modern sword").
• Tsuba - a guard with a characteristic round shape, in addition to its functional purpose (to protect the hand), served as a decoration for the sword.
• Hamon is a pattern line on a blade that appears after it is hardened between the blade and the butt as a result of the formation of fine-grained crystalline structures in the metal.

Comparison table of Japanese swords

Type	Length (nagasa), cm	Width (motohub), cm	Deflection (sorry), cm	Thickness (kasane), mm	Notes
Tati	61-71	2,4-3,5	1,2-2,1	5-6,6	Appeared in the 11th century. The tachi was worn on the belt with the blade down, paired with a tanto dagger. A type of odachi could be worn on the back.
Katana	61-73	2,8-3,1	0,4-1,9	6-8	Appeared in the 14th century. The katana was worn in the belt with the blade facing up, paired with a wakizashi.
Wakizashi	32-60	2,1-3,2	0,2-1,7	4-7	Appeared in the 14th century. Wakizashi were worn with the blade up, paired with a katana or separately as a dagger.
Tanto	17-30	1.7-2.9	0-0.5	5-7	The tanto was worn in tandem with a tati sword or separately as a dagger.
All dimensions are given for the blade without taking into account the shank. The width and thickness are indicated for the base of the blade where it meets the tang. Data taken for swords from the Kamakura and Muromachi periods (1185-1573) from catalogs. The length of tachi in the early Kamakura period and modern tachi (gendaito) reaches 83 cm.

History of the Japanese sword

Ancient swords: before the 9th century.

Straight iron Japanese swords of the 6th century. Below is a Chinese type sword with a ring pommel.

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 began to have a curve. Legend connects the appearance of one of the first such swords with the name of the blacksmith Amakuni (English) from 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 Japanese curved sword.

At the beginning of the 8th century, as a result of the strengthening of the emperor's power in Japan, the Nara period (710-794) began. 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 were 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. 44 swords were made in Korea Daito(“great swords”), 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.

Old Koto swords: 9th-16th centuries

Heian period: 9th-12th centuries

The history of the Japanese sword itself begins in the Heian period (794-1185). As a result of clan feuds, Japan isolated itself from the outside world, the centralized power of the state weakened, and real power passed from the emperor to large feudal lords. In the 10th century, the class of samurai, professional warriors who at that time fought mainly on horseback, was finally formed. Swords from this period are characterized by a long blade with a small top.

Straight swords were replaced with curved ones, and if at first the bend was made in the area of ​​the handle with an almost straight blade, then by the end of the period the maximum deflection shifted to the area of ​​1/3 of the total length from the end of the tang (“lumbar bend”). In accordance with the bend, the top of the sword is shaped in a characteristic way, kissaki. Kissaki includes a tip with an adjacent area separated from the body of the blade by a transverse straight edge. Blade edge in area kissaki takes on an arched appearance (early kissaki samples had an inclined edge cut in the form of a straight line).

The classic section of a Japanese blade is Shinogi-zukuri: edge (sharp side edge - Shinogi) stretches along the entire blade to the top. Thanks to the stiffening rib, the blade optimally combines strength and relatively low weight, and so that the side edges of the blade converge to the cutting edge of the blade at the sharpest possible angle, the rib Shinogi shifted from the center of the blade to the butt. The cross section in the butt area looks like an obtuse angle. The greatest thickness ( kasane) blade reaches near the tang: 5.5-8.5 mm, typical kasane about 7 mm.

By the end of the Heian period, both Japanese sword manufacturing technology and its appearance had developed. Description of the tati sword according to the certificate:

Blade with an edge, strongly tapering in length from the base to a small tip kissaki; pronounced “lumbar curve”; blade length 80 cm; the surface texture of the steel is similar to sawing wood; wavy line of hamon along the blade; shank with the master's signature.

In the 11th century, Japanese swords began to be highly valued and exported to China.

Kamakura period: XII-XIV centuries

Sword making technology

Blacksmiths-gunsmiths

Blacksmiths had a high social status in Japanese society, and many of them are known by name thanks to lists. Lists of ancient blacksmiths begin with the name Amakuni from the Yamato province, who, according to legend, lived at the beginning of the 8th century during the reign of Emperor Taiho (701-704).

In the old days (the Koto sword period, circa 900-1596), there were approximately 120 schools of blacksmithing, which over the centuries produced swords with characteristic, consistent features developed by the founding master of the school. In modern times (the period of Shinto swords, 1596-1868) 80 schools are known. There are about 1000 outstanding masters of the blacksmith's craft, and in total, over a thousand years of the history of the Japanese sword, more than 23 thousand swordsmiths have been recorded, of which most (4 thousand) during the koto (old swords) period lived in the province of Bizen (modern Okayama Prefecture ) .

Since the 10th century, craftsmen have embossed their name on the shank of the blade - mei, often supplementing the inscription with the date of manufacture and the name of their province. The earliest known dated sword was made by a master named Yukimasa in 1159. The respect for the masters is evidenced by the following fact: when outdated long tachi swords were shortened (to the length of a katana) by cutting the tang, the inscription with the name of the master was often transferred to the new tang.

Steelmaking

In Japan, a product of erosion of natural deposits iron ore often found near river beds, mixed with silt and other sediments. The iron in this sand mixture is only about 1%. Iron sand was mined due to its greater density, washing away light impurities with a copious flow of water.

Early smelting technology was not perfect: ore sand was loaded into a small pit and smelted on charcoal, prepared from special types of wood to burn out harmful sulfur- and phosphorus-containing impurities in the iron and saturate it with carbon. Due to the low temperature, it was not possible to completely separate the molten iron from the impurities in the slag; the result was obtained in the form of sponge iron ingots ( tamahagane) at the bottom of the pit. More powerful and productive Tatara stoves ( Tatara-buki), while generally preserving the smelting method itself, appeared in the 15th century.

The iron ingots were flattened into thin sheets, rapidly cooled in water, and then broken into coin-sized pieces. After this, a selection of pieces took place, pieces with large inclusions of slag were discarded, and the rest were sorted by color and granular structure of the fault. This method allowed the smith to select steel with a predictable carbon content ranging from 0.6 to 1.5%.

Further release of slag residues in the steel and a decrease in carbon content occurred during the forging process - joining individual small pieces into a blank for a sword.

Blade forging

Cross section of a Japanese sword. Shown are two common structures with excellent combinations in the direction of the steel layers. Left: The metal of the blade will show texture. itame, on right - masame.

Pieces of steel with approximately the same carbon content were poured onto a plate of the same metal, heated to 1300 °C and welded together with hammer blows. After this, the workpiece was forged: after flattening the workpiece, it was folded in half, then flattened again and rolled in a different direction. As a result of repeated forging, multilayer steel is obtained, finally cleared of slag. When the workpiece is folded 15 times, almost 33 thousand layers of steel are formed - the typical density of Damascus for Japanese swords.

The slag still remains a microscopic layer on the surface of the steel layer, forming a peculiar texture ( hada), resembling a pattern on the surface of wood.

To make a sword blank, the blacksmith forges at least two bars: from hard high-carbon steel ( kawagane) and softer low-carbon ( shingane). From the first, a U-shaped profile approximately 30 cm long is formed, into which a block is placed shingane, without reaching the part that will become the top and which is made of the best and hardest steel kawagane. Then the blacksmith heats the block in a forge at 700-1100 °C and welds the component parts together by forging, after which he increases the length of the workpiece by forging to the size of a sword.

With more complex technology, up to 4 bars are welded: from the hardest steel ( hagane) form the cutting edge and apex, 2 bars of less hard steel go to the sides, and a bar of relatively soft steel forms the core. The multilayer structure of the blade can be even more complex with separate welding of the butt.

Forging is used to shape the blade of the blade to a thickness of about 2.5 mm (in the area of ​​the cutting edge) and its edge. The upper tip is also straightened by forging, for which the end of the workpiece is cut diagonally. Then the long end (on the blade side) of the diagonal cut is forged to the short one (butt), as a result of which the structure of the metal at the top provides increased strength in the striking zone of the sword, while maintaining hardness and thereby the possibility of very sharp sharpening.

Blade hardening and polishing

The next important stage in sword manufacturing is heat treatment of the blade to harden the cutting edge, as a result of which a hamon pattern appears on the surface of the sword, specific to Japanese swords. Up to half of the blanks in the hands of the average blacksmith never become real swords as a result of failed hardening.

For heat treatment, the blade is covered with an uneven layer of heat-resistant paste - a mixture of clay, ash and stone powder. The master kept the exact composition of the paste a secret. The blade was covered with a thin layer, the thickest layer of paste was applied to the middle part of the blade, where hardening was undesirable. The liquid mixture was leveled and, after drying, scratched in a certain order in the area closer to the blade, thanks to which a pattern was prepared jamon. The blade with the dried paste is heated evenly along its length until approx. 770 °C (controlled by the color of the hot metal), then immersed in a container of water with the blade down. Sudden cooling changes the structure of the metal near the blade, where the thickness of the metal and heat-protective paste is thinnest. The blade is then reheated to 160°C and cooled again. This procedure helps to reduce the stresses in the metal that arise during hardening.

The hardened area of ​​the blade has an almost white tint compared to the rest of the blade's darker gray-bluish surface. The border between them is clearly visible in the form of a patterned line jamon, which is interspersed with shiny martensite crystals in iron. In ancient times, the hamon looked like a straight line along the blade; during the Kamakura period, the line became wavy, with fancy curls and transverse lines. It is believed that in addition to its aesthetic appearance, the wavy, heterogeneous line of the hamon allows the blade to better withstand impact loads, damping sudden stresses in the metal.

If the procedure is followed, as an indicator of the quality of hardening, the butt of the blade acquires a whitish tint, utsuri(lit. reflection). Utsuri reminds jamon, but its appearance is not a consequence of the formation of martensite, but an optical effect resulting from a slight change in the structure of the metal in this zone compared to the nearby body of the blade. Utsuri is not a mandatory attribute of a quality sword, but indicates successful heat treatment for certain technologies.

When the blade is heated during the hardening process to a temperature of more than 770°, its surface acquires a richness of shades and a richness of pattern details. However, this may damage the strength of the sword. Only the blacksmiths of the Sagami province during the Kamakura period managed to combine the fighting qualities of a sword with a luxurious design of the metal surface; high-quality swords of other schools are distinguished by a rather strict manner of design of the blade.

The final finishing of the sword is no longer carried out by a blacksmith, but by an artisan polisher, whose skill was also highly valued. Using a series of polishing stones of varying grits and water, the polisher would polish the blade to perfection, after which the smith would stamp his name and other information onto the unpolished tang. The sword was considered ready, the remaining operations were to attach the handle ( tsuki), guards ( tsuba), applying jewelry was classified as an auxiliary procedure that did not require magical skill.

The blade after forging and hardening before polishing.

16th century blade. The slightly wavy pattern is clearly visible jamon and less pronounced utsuri near the butt.

Fighting qualities

The fighting qualities of the best Japanese swords cannot be assessed. Due to their uniqueness and high price, testers are not able to 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.

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 with significant artistic value, the order was changed. The Society for the Preservation of Artistic Japanese Swords was created (Japanese) 日本美術刀剣保存協会 Nippon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, NBTHK, Nippon bujutsu to:ken hozon kyo:kai), one of his tasks was expert review historical value of the 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 two 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 [ When?] in Japan it is customary to evaluate a Japanese sword not so much by its combat parameters (strength, cutting ability), but by the 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.

Notes

1. There are discussions in the literature about whether samurai-shaped swords produced using non-traditional Japanese technologies should be called Japanese. The article uses the established term “sword”, but some believe the term “saber” is more correct to designate a curved single-edged weapon (according to the current Russian GOST R 51215-98 (Melee weapons, terminology) “Japanese sword” refers to sabers - “contact blade chopping - cutting and piercing-cutting weapons with a long curved single-edged blade")
2. Valery Khorev. Japanese sword. Ten centuries of perfection. Chapter 1. Pages of history. - Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix, 2003. - P. 27. - ISBN 5-222-02406-7.

There are many legends about Japanese swords, often unjustified. Probably a lot of people, when asked what the name of a Japanese sword is, will answer - Katana. This is partly correct, but only partly. Classifying Japanese swords is not an easy task. The simplest classification, in my opinion, is by length.

It is known that the samurai carried two swords - long and short. This pair was called Daisho(lit. “greater and lesser”) and consisted of Daito (“greater sword”), we will call it Katana, which was the main weapon of the samurai, and Seto (“lesser sword”), in the future Wakazashi, which served as a spare or additional weapon, used in close combat, for cutting off heads or hara-kiri, if the samurai did not have a Kusungobu or Tanto dagger specially designed for this. If only samurai and aristocrats were allowed to wear the large Katana sword, then artisans and merchants had the right to wear Wakazashi.

Kusungobu - melee dagger

So the long sword was called Daito (Katana)— 95-120 cm, short — Seto (Wakazashi)- 50-70 cm. The handle of a Katana is usually designed for 3.5 fists, Wakazashi - for 1.5. The blade width of both swords is about 3 cm, the thickness of the back is 5 mm, while the blade has a razor sharpness. The handle is usually covered with shark skin or wrapped in such a way that the handle does not slip in the hands. Katana weight is about 4 kg. The guard of both swords was small, only slightly covering the hand, and had a round, petal or multifaceted shape. It was called "tsuba".

Katana and other Japanese swords were stored on a special stand - Katanakake.

Katana has several varieties, one of them is Ko-katana (kokatana) - a variant of a short katana, included together with a katana in a regular samurai set of edged weapons. The handle of the kokatana is straight without a bow, the blade is slightly curved. The specimen described in the domestic literature has a length of 690 mm and a blade length of 520 mm.

Kokatana is a type of katana

The katana was attached to the belt or behind the back. Tied with a special Sageo cord, this cord could also be used to bind the enemy. To carry a katana behind the back, a special sheath was used (Watarimaki is the part of the sheath of a Japanese bladed weapon that touches the back when worn). The sheath has a coupling - a ring that covers the sheath, with the help of which it is attached to a sword belt or belt.

Katana is the most modern and advanced type of Japanese edged weapon; its production has been improved over the centuries; the predecessors of the katana were:

• Tati - a sword common in Japan from the 10th to the 17th centuries, equal in length to the Katana. Although Katana swords also have a decent amount of blade curvature, it is generally less curvature than Tati's. Their external decoration also differs. It is much simpler and stricter than Tati’s. Has a round tsuba. The tachi was usually carried with the blade facing down in tandem with a koshigatana.
• Tanto - small samurai sword.
• Kozuka - Japanese combat knife used as a bladed or throwing weapon. IN Everyday life served as a household knife.
• Ta-chi - a single-edged sword of slight curvature, worn behind the back. Total length 710 mm.

In addition to Daise, a samurai could also wear Nodachi - "field sword" with a blade more than a meter long and a total length of about 1.5 m, sometimes its length reached three meters! Several samurai wielded such a sword at once, and its only use was to defeat mounted troops.

Nodachi

Katana is the strongest sword in the world

The technology for producing a katana is very complex - special processing of steel, multi-layer (multiple) forging, hardening, etc. Katanas are the strongest swords in the world, they are capable of cutting materials of almost any hardness, be it meat, bones, iron. Masters skilled in the art of fighting with a katana in a battle with a warrior armed with an ordinary European sword could cut this sword into two parts, the force of a samurai’s blow and the steel of a katana allowed this to be done (Monuchi is the part of the blade blade of a Japanese bladed weapon, which accounts for the main force blow).

The katana could be used to stab and chop equally easily. The long handle allows you to actively maneuver the sword. In this case, the main grip is the position when the end of the handle rests in the middle of the palm, and the right hand holds it near the guard. The simultaneous movement of both hands allows you to describe a wide amplitude with the sword without much effort. Both Katana and straight european sword knights weigh a lot, but the principles for performing chopping blows are completely different. Most of the blows are delivered in the vertical plane. There is almost no division into “block-strike” accepted in Europe. There are knocking blows to the enemy's hands or weapons, throwing his weapon away from the line of attack and making it possible to deal a damaging blow to the enemy at the next step.

Weaknesses of the katana

Speaking about the features of the manufacturing technology of a samurai sword, it is worth noting weak sides This process, namely, gaining greater hardness and power along the axis of the blade, makes this type of sword more vulnerable if hit on its flat side. With such a blow you can break the Katana even with a short mace (or Okinawan nunchucks, which were specially used to break samurai swords). And if a European sword usually breaks at a distance of a palm or two fingers from the guard, then a Japanese sword breaks at a distance of 1/3 or 1/2 of the length of the blade from the guard.

Yes, those stories are also true when metal was cut with a Katana. It's possible! It is documented that when a master is hit with such a blade, the speed of the tip of the sword (Kisaki) exceeded the speed of sound. And if you take into account the fact that Katana swords are among the most durable in the world, then the conclusion suggests itself.

Tati - a sword equal in length to a Katana

Japanese long sword tachi 41 inches. The wavy hamon pattern on the blade is clearly visible.

The most ancient katana self made(the sheath for the katana was also handmade and decorated with ornaments) are most valued and passed down from generation to generation as a family heirloom. Such katana are very expensive, especially if you can see Mei on it - a mark with the name of the master and the year of manufacture on the shank of a Japanese bladed weapon - of any famous master.

Many master gunsmiths from different countries they tried to copy the katana, as a result of which they got such famous swords as: Three - a Tibetan sword copying a samurai; Taijinjian (Chinese sword of the great limit) is a type of jian; Korean sword, Japanese name katana in the 7th-13th centuries; etc. But real katana can only be found in Japan, and if a katana is not made in Japan, it is no longer a katana!

Components of a katana:

• Decoration adjacent to the tsuba, a ring that strengthens the handle (coupling) - Fuchi,
• Cord - Ito,
• Blade - Kami,
• The upper ring (head) of the handle is Kashira,
• Entrance to the scabbard - Koiguchi,
• The tip of the scabbard is Kojiri,
• Tie loop - Kurikata,
• Bamboo wedge for fixing the blade in the handle - Mekugi,
• Decoration on the handle under (or above) the braid - Menuki,
• Shank - Nakago,
• Ties - Sageo,
• Stingray leather on the handle - Same,
• Scabbard - Saya,
• Gasket between guard and ring (washer) - Seppa,
• Hammer for disassembling a sword - Tetsu,
• Blade - Tosin,
• Garda - Tsuba,
• Handle - Tsuka,
• Braid - Tsukamaki,
• Clutch for fixing the sword in the sheath - Habaki.

Japanese short sword wakizashi. Blade and sword in sheath.

Wakizashi is a short traditional Japanese sword.

Mainly used by samurai and worn on the belt. Blade length - from 30 cm to 61 cm. Total length 50-80 cm. Wakizashi is similar in shape to a katana. It was worn in tandem with a katana, also tucked into the belt with the blade facing up.

In a pair of daisho (the two main samurai swords: long and short), the wakizashi was used as a short sword (shoto).

Samurai used the wakizashi as a weapon when the katana was unavailable or unusable. In the early periods of Japanese history, the small tanto sword was worn instead of the wakizashi. And also when a samurai put on armor, instead of a katana and wakizashi, tachi and tanto were usually used. Upon entering the room, the warrior left the katana with the servant or on the katanakake. The wakizashi was always carried with him and was removed only if the samurai remained for a long period of time. The Bushi often called this sword "the guardian of their honor." Some fencing schools taught the use of both katana and wakizashi at the same time.

Unlike the katana, which could only be worn by samurai, wakizashi was allowed to merchants and artisans. They used this sword as a full-fledged weapon, because according to their status they did not have the right to carry a katana.

A more correct classification: It is somewhat conditionally possible to classify weapons according to the length of the blade. "Tanto" must have a blade no shorter than 30 cm and no longer than 40 cm, "wakizashi" - from 41 to 60 cm, "katana" - from 61 to 75 cm, "tachi" - from 75 to 90 cm. "Odachi" from 3 shaku 90.9 cm. The largest odachi that has survived to this day has a length of 3 m 77 cm.

The Japanese sword is a bladed single-edged chopping weapon, produced using traditional Japanese technology from multilayer steel with controlled carbon content. The name is also used to designate a single-edged sword with the characteristic shape of a slightly curved blade that was the main weapon of the samurai warrior.
Let's try to understand a little about the variety of Japanese swords.
Traditionally, Japanese blades are made of refined steel. The process of their manufacture is unique and is due to the use of iron sand, which is purified under high temperatures to obtain iron with a higher high performance cleanliness. Steel is extracted from iron sand.
The bend of the sword (sori), performed in different variants, is not accidental: it was formed in the process of centuries-old evolution of weapons of this type (simultaneously with changes in samurai equipment) and was constantly varied until the perfect form was eventually found, representing continuation of a slightly curved arm. The bending is partly due to the peculiarities of heat treatment: with differential hardening, the cutting part of the sword stretches more than the back.
Just like the Western blacksmiths of the Middle Ages, who used zone hardening, Japanese craftsmen do not harden blades evenly, but in a differentiated manner. Often the blade starts out straight and receives its characteristic curve as a result of hardening, giving the blade a hardness of 60 Rockwell, but the back of the sword only 40.

Give-sho

Daisho (Japanese 大小, daisho:, lit. “big-small”) - a pair of samurai swords, consisting of a shoto (short sword) and a daito (long sword). The length of the daito is more than 66 cm, the length of the shoto is 33-66 cm. The daito served as the main weapon of the samurai, the shoto as an additional weapon.
Until the early Muromachi period, the weapon was a tachi - a long sword 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 dagger paired with a katana.
Thus, daito and shoto are classes of swords, but not the name of a specific weapon. This circumstance caused the incorrect use of these terms. For example, in European and domestic literature, only a long sword (daito) is mistakenly called a katana. Daisho was used exclusively by the samurai class. This law was religiously observed and repeatedly confirmed by decrees of military leaders and shoguns. Daisho was the most important component of a samurai’s costume, his class identification. The warriors treated their weapons accordingly - they carefully monitored their condition and kept them near them even during sleep. Other classes could only wear wakizashi or tanto. Samurai etiquette required taking off a long sword when entering a house (as a rule, it was left with a servant or on a special stand); samurai always carried a short sword with them and used it as a personal weapon.

Katana

Katana (Japanese 刀) is a long Japanese sword. 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."
Katana and wakizashi are always worn in a sheath, tucked into the belt (obi) at an angle that hides the length of the blade from the enemy. This is the accepted way of carrying in society, formed after the end of the wars of the Sengoku period at the beginning of the 17th century, when carrying weapons began 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. This type of installation, which lacked tsuba and other decorative elements, did not attract attention and became widespread at the end of the 19th century after the imperial ban on wearing a sword. It seemed that the sheath was not a katana, but a bokuto - a wooden sword.

Wakizashi

Wakizashi (Japanese: 脇差) is a short traditional Japanese sword. Mainly used by samurai and worn on the belt. It was worn in tandem with a katana, also tucked into the belt with the blade facing up. Blade length - from 30 to 61 cm. Total length with handle 50-80 cm. Single-sided blade, slight curvature. The wakizashi is similar in shape to a katana. The wakizashi was made with zukuri of various shapes and lengths, usually thinner than that of the katana. The degree of convexity of the wakizashi blade's cross-section is much less, so compared to the katana, this sword cuts soft objects more sharply. The handle of a wakizashi is usually square.
The Bushi often called this sword "the guardian of their honor." Some fencing schools taught the use of both katana and wakizashi at the same time.
Unlike the katana, which could only be worn by samurai, wakizashi was allowed to merchants and artisans. They used this sword as a full-fledged weapon, because according to their status they did not have the right to carry a katana. Also used for the ritual of seppuku.

Tati

Tachi (Japanese: 太刀) is a long Japanese sword. The tachi, unlike the katana, was not tucked into the obi (fabric belt) with the blade up, but hung on the belt in a sling intended for this purpose, with the blade down. To protect against damage from armor, the scabbard was often wrapped. Samurai wore katana as part of civilian clothing, and tachi as part of military armor. Paired with tachi, tantos were more common than the wakizashi short sword related to katana. In addition, richly decorated tati were used as ceremonial weapons in the courts of shoguns (princes) and the emperor.
It is usually longer and more curved than the katana (most had a blade length of over 2.5 shaku, that is, more than 75 cm; the tsuka (hilt) was also often longer and somewhat curved).
Another name for this sword is daito (Japanese 大刀, lit. “big sword”) - in Western sources it is sometimes mistakenly read as “daikatana”. The error occurs due to ignorance of the difference between on and kun reading of characters in Japanese; The kun reading of the character 刀 is “katana”, and the on reading is “to:”.

Tanto

Tanto (Japanese 短刀 tanto:, lit. “short sword”) is a samurai dagger.
“Tan to” for the Japanese sounds like a phrase, so they do not perceive tanto as a knife (knife in Japanese is hamono (Japanese 刃物 hamono)).
The tanto was used only as a weapon and never as a knife; for this purpose there was a kozuka, worn in tandem with the tanto in the same sheath.
Tanto has a single-edged, sometimes double-edged blade ranging from 15 to 30.3 cm in length (that is, less than one shaku).
It is believed that tanto, wakizashi and katana are, in fact, “the same sword of different sizes.”
Some tantos, which had a thick triangular blade, were called yoroidoshi and were designed to pierce armor in close combat. Tanto was used mostly by samurai, but it was also worn by doctors and merchants as a weapon of self-defense - in fact, it is a dagger. Women of high society sometimes also wore small tantos, called kaiken, in the sash of their kimono (obi) for self-defense. In addition, tanto is used in the wedding ceremony of royal persons to this day.
Sometimes the tanto was worn as a shoto instead of a wakizashi in a daisho.

Odachi

Odachi (Japanese 大太刀, “big sword”) is one of the types of long Japanese swords. The term nodachi (野太刀, "field sword") refers to another type of sword, but is often mistakenly used instead of odachi.
To be called an odachi, a sword must have a blade length of at least 3 shaku (90.9 cm), however, as with many other Japanese sword terms, there is no exact definition of the length of an odachi. Usually odachi are swords with blades 1.6 - 1.8 meters.
Odachi fell completely out of use as a weapon after the Osaka-Natsuno-Jin War of 1615 (a battle between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideyori - the son of Toyotomi Hideyoshi).
The Bakufu government issued a law according to which it was forbidden to have a sword of more than a certain length. After the law went into effect, many odachi were trimmed to conform to the regulations. This is one of the reasons why odachi are so rare.
Odachi were no longer used for their intended purpose, but were still a valuable gift during the Shinto (“new swords”) period. This became their main purpose. Because their manufacture required the utmost skill, it was recognized that the reverence inspired by their appearance corresponded to prayer to the gods.

Nodachi

Sephiroth with the nodachi sword "Masamune"

Nodachi (野太刀 "field sword") is a Japanese term referring to a large Japanese sword. The main reason that the use of such swords was not widespread was that the blade was much more difficult to forge than a regular length sword blade. This sword was worn on the back due to its large size. This was an exception because other Japanese swords such as the katana and wakizashi were worn tucked into the belt, while the tachi was hung with the blade down. However, the nodachi was not snatched from behind the back. Due to its great length and weight, it was a very complex weapon.
One of Nodati's assignments was to fight horsemen. It was often used in conjunction with a spear because with its long blade it was ideal for striking an opponent and his horse in one fell swoop. Due to its weight, it could not be used everywhere with ease and was usually discarded when close combat began. The sword could hit several enemy soldiers with one blow. After using nodachi, samurai used a shorter and more convenient katana for close combat.

Kodati

Kodachi (小太刀) - literally translated as "small tachi", is a Japanese sword that was too short to be considered a daito (long sword) and too long to be a dagger. Due to its size, it could be grabbed very quickly and also used for fencing. It could be used where movement was restricted or when attacking shoulder to shoulder. Since this sword was shorter than 2 shaku (about 60 cm), it was allowed to be worn by non-samurai, usually merchants, during the Edo period.
The kodachi is similar in length to the wakizashi, and although their blades differ significantly in design, the kodachi and wakizashi are so similar in technique that the terms are sometimes (incorrectly) used one instead of the other. The main difference between both is that the kodachi is (usually) wider than the wakizashi. In addition, the kodachi, unlike the wakizashi, was always worn in a special sling with the curve down (like a tachi), while the wakizashi was worn tucked behind the obi with the curve of the blade upward. Unlike other types of Japanese weapons, no other sword was usually carried along with the kodachi.

Kaiken

Kaiken (Japanese 懐剣, before the spelling reform kwaiken, also futokoro-gatana) is a dagger carried by men and women of the samurai class in Japan, a type of tanto. Kaikens were used for indoor self-defense, where long katanas and medium-length wakizashi were less convenient and effective than short daggers. Women wore them in an obi for self-defense or (rarely) for suicide (jigaya). They could also be carried in a brocade bag with a drawstring that allowed the dagger to be quickly retrieved. Kaiken was one of the wedding gifts for women. Currently, it is one of the accessories of the traditional Japanese marriage ceremony: the bride takes the kaiken to ensure good luck.

Kusungobu, yoroidoshi, metezashi.

Kusungobu (Japanese nine sun five bu) is a straight thin dagger with a blade 29.7 cm long. In practice, yoroidoshi, metezashi and kusungobu are one and the same.

Naginata

Naginata (なぎなた, 長刀 or 薙刀, literal translation - “long sword”) is a Japanese edged weapon with a long oval-shaped handle (namely a handle, not a shaft, as it might seem at first glance) and a curved one-sided blade. The handle is about 2 meters long and the blade is about 30 cm. Over the course of history, a shortened (1.2-1.5 m) and lighter version has become much more common, used in training and showing greater combat effectiveness. It is an analogue of a glaive (although it is often mistakenly called a halberd), but much lighter. The first information about the use of naginata dates back to the end of the 7th century. There were 425 schools in Japan where they studied naginatajutsu fighting techniques. It was the favorite weapon of the Sohei, warrior monks.

Bisento

Bisento (Japanese: 眉尖刀 bisento) is a Japanese bladed weapon with a long handle, a rare type of naginata.
Bisento differs from naginata in its larger size and different style of handling. These weapons must be used with a wide grip, using both ends, while the leading hand should be near the guard.
There are also advantages to the bisento fighting style over the naginata fighting style. In combat, the back of the bisento blade, unlike a katana, can not only repel and deflect a blow, but also apply pressure and control. The Bisento is heavier than the katana, so its slashes are more forward than fixed. They are applied on a much larger scale. Despite this, the bisento can easily cut off the head of both a person and a horse, which is not so easy to do with a naginata. The weight of the sword plays a role in both the piercing and pushing properties.
It is believed that the Japanese took the idea of ​​this weapon from Chinese swords.

Nagamaki

Nagamaki (Japanese 長巻 - “long wrapper”) is a Japanese edged weapon consisting of a polearm with a large tip. It was popular in the XII-XIV centuries. It was similar to an owl, naginata or gleyvia, but differed in that the lengths of the handle and tip were approximately equal, which allows it to be classified as a sword.
Nagamaki are weapons manufactured on various scales. Usually the total length was 180-210 cm, the tip - up to 90-120 cm. The blade was only on one side. The handle of the nagamaki was wrapped with cords in a crossed manner, similar to the handle of a katana.
This weapon was used during the Kamakura period (1192-1333), Namboku-cho (1334-1392) and during the Muromachi period (1392-1573) and reached its greatest prevalence. It was also used by Oda Nobunaga.

Tsurugi

Tsurugi (Japanese 剣) is a Japanese word meaning a straight, double-edged sword (sometimes with a massive pommel). Its shape is similar to a tsurugi-no-tachi (straight one-sided sword).
It was used as a combat sword in the 7th-9th centuries, before the advent of one-sided curved tati swords, and subsequently for ceremonial and religious purposes.
One of the three sacred relics of Shintoism is the sword Kusanagi-no-tsurugi.

Chokuto

Chokuto (Japanese: 直刀 chokuto, "straight sword") is the general name for an ancient type of sword that appeared among Japanese warriors approximately in the 2nd-4th centuries AD. It is not known for sure whether chokuto originated in Japan or was exported from China; It is believed that in Japan blades were copied from foreign samples. At first, swords were cast from bronze, but later they began to be forged from a single piece of low-quality (there was no other kind at that time) steel using rather primitive technology. Like its Western counterparts, chokuto was intended primarily for stabbing attacks.
The characteristic features of the chokuto were a straight blade and one-sided sharpening. The most common were two types of chokuto: kazuchi-no-tsurugi (sword with a hammer-shaped head) had a hilt with an oval guard ending in an onion-shaped copper head, and koma-no-tsurugi ("Korean sword") had a hilt with a head in ring shape. The length of the swords was 0.6-1.2 m, but most often it was 0.9 m. The sword was worn in a scabbard covered with sheet copper and decorated with perforated patterns.

Shin-gunto

Shin-gunto (1934) is a Japanese army sword created to revive samurai traditions and raise the morale of the army. This weapon repeated the shape of the Tati combat sword, both in design (similar to the Tachi, the shin gunto was worn on a sword belt with the blade down and its design used a kabuto-gane handle cap, instead of the kashiro adopted on katanas), and in the techniques of handling it. Unlike tachi and katana swords, which were made individually by blacksmiths using traditional technology, shin-gunto was mass-produced in a factory manner.
Shin-gunto was very popular and went through several modifications. IN last years During the Second World War, they were mainly associated with the desire to reduce production costs. Thus, the hilts of swords for junior army ranks were made without braiding, and sometimes even from stamped aluminum.
For naval ranks, in 1937, their own military service was introduced - kai-gunto. It was a variation on the sin-gunto theme, but differed in design - the braid of the handle was brown, the handle had black stingray leather, the scabbard was always wooden (for the sin-gunto it was metal) with black trim.
After the end of World War II, most of the Shin Gunto were destroyed by order of the occupation authorities.
Ninjato, Shinobigatana (fictional)
Ninjato (Japanese: 忍者刀 ninjato:), also known as ninjaken (Japanese: 忍者刀) or shinobigatana (Japanese: 忍刀), is a sword used by ninjas. It is a short sword forged with much less effort than a katana or tachi. Modern ninjato often have a straight blade and a square tsuba (guard). Some sources claim that the ninjato, unlike the katana or wakizashi, was used to deliver only cutting blows, not piercing ones. This statement may be erroneous, since the main enemy of the ninja was the samurai, and his armor required an accurate piercing blow. However, the main function of the katana was also a powerful cutting blow.

Shikomizue

Shikomizue (Japanese: 仕込み杖 Shikomizue) - a weapon for “hidden war”. In Japan it was used by ninjas. Nowadays, this blade often appears in films.
The Shikomizue was a wooden or bamboo cane with a hidden blade. The shikomizue blade could be straight or slightly curved, because the cane had to exactly follow all the curves of the blade. The Shikomizue could be either a long sword or a short dagger. Therefore, the length of the cane depended on the length of the weapon.

Zanbato, zambato, zhanmadao

The Japanese reading of the zhanmadao characters is zambato (Japanese: 斬馬刀 zambato:) (also zammato), but it is unknown whether such weapons were actually used in Japan. However, zambato is mentioned in some contemporary Japanese works of popular culture.
Zhanmadao or mazhandao (Chinese: 斬馬刀, pinyin zhǎn mǎ dāo, literally “sword for cutting horses”) is a Chinese two-handed saber with a wide and long blade, used by foot soldiers against cavalry during the Song Dynasty (mention of mazhandao is present, in particular, in the "Biography of Yue Fei" dynastic history "Song Shi"). The tactics of using mazhangao, according to the Song Shi, are attributed to the famous military leader Yue Fei. Infantry detachments armed with mazhangao, operating before the formation of the main part of the troops in a scattered formation, tried to use it to cut off the legs of enemy horses. Similar tactics were used in the 1650s by the troops of Zheng Chenggong in battles with the Qing cavalry. Some foreign researchers claim that the mazhangao saber was also used by the Mongol army of Genghis Khan.

MUSO JIKIDEN EISIN RYU IAI HEIHO

Without a doubt, the most noticeable and beautiful detail of a Japanese sword is its tsuba, that is, the guard. It is difficult to say where this persistent custom came from, but for a whole millennium, the blades of all traditional swords (including many spears and naginata) have been separated from the hilt by a flat disk. On the one hand, the classic Chinese saber “Dao” has a round guard, although surrounded by a rather wide belt; on the other hand, the famous straight sword “Jian” is equipped with an ordinary cross-guard like waves or horns. Most likely, the cross plate came from Korea, since it is Korean swords that most closely resemble Japanese ones, including the mount.
The idea may seem dubious, since tsuba gives the hands very illusory protection, but here one should take into account the basic principles of Japanese fencing, which deny direct stands for an enemy blow, especially the European habit of taking it “on the guard.” The design of the tsuba is both simple and intricate, and all its fragments are subject to strict norms of tradition. All the more amazing is the skill with which the manufacturers (tsubako) managed to give the small disk such a variety of shapes. If you imagine some kind of average tsuba, it is not difficult to notice a number of common elements present in the vast majority of products.

The most noticeable details in the outline of any tsuba are: the oval “Seppa Dai” platform in the center, as well as the “kogai-ana” and “kozuka-ana” windows, designed for the exit of the handles of a kogatana knife and a kogai hairpin, so that the owner had the opportunity to remove them without extending the blade. “Ana” is a hole, sometimes also called “hitsu”, that is, “slit”. Accordingly, you may come across the terms “kogai-hitsu” and “kozuka-hitsu”, as well as the general concept of “r-hitsu” (Rio Hitsu), which implies both windows at once:

It is not difficult to notice the obvious differences in their lumen: kozuka-ana is always oval, while ko-gai-ana has the shape of a trefoil. But it's a classic and a large number of tsub are perforated by two identical windows of one or another configuration. Occasionally there are arbitrary contours of a triangular, square or generally frivolous outline:

Also, approximately half of the products have only one window, and some are completely solid:

Quite often, one or both of the windows are sealed with a copper (“suaka”) or tin-lead (“sawari”) seal called “Hitsu Ume”. It’s not entirely clear why, but this was done in cases where the old tsuba was mounted on a katana. At the same time, the kogai-ana became unnecessary, because the katana sheath was only occasionally equipped with a kogatana knife, and never with a kogai:

By the way, this is an indirect confirmation of the true purpose of the Kogai hairpin as a tool for untying tight knots in armor lacing. Therefore, tsubas left over from ancient tati always have a kogai-ana, but the katana was worn with civilian dress, without armor - and the pin became unnecessary. Also, by the location of the windows relative to the center, we can judge what type of sword the tsuba was intended for. The fact is that the kogatana is always(!) located on the inside, closer to the body. But different way Wearing a tachi and a katana (blade down or up) involves changing the positions of the windows. Some prudent tsubako cut out two kogai-ana, making the tsuba universal, since the flat “kozuka” (kogatana handle) fits freely in a hole of equal width.

It should also be remembered that front side The tsuba is the one that faces the handle, so that people oncoming have the opportunity to admire the fine work. Accordingly, most images (if done correctly) show us exactly the “face”. However, there are other opinions on this matter, so you should not take what has been said as a standard or truth that is applicable always and everywhere.
It is quite rare to find a tsuba that does not demonstrate a clearly defined seppa-dai platform. This oval elevation follows the contour of the “sep-pa” washers that were put on the shank both behind and in front of the tsuba. The idea is simple - by selecting washers of different thicknesses, the assembler achieved a tight fit of all parts so that they were pressed by the end of the handle. But once there is something available for decoration, it must be realized immediately - the end of the seppa was usually minted or cut into thin lace. The surface of the platform itself was not decorated in any way, but it was here that the manufacturer placed a narrow column of hieroglyphs explaining the name of the master, the name of the city or region, the coordinates of the customer, date, year, month, and so on. At the same time, a huge number of beautiful specimens are outrageously anonymous, acquiring the status of “mu-mei” (“without a signature”). The windows of the r-hitsu, as a rule, only lightly touch the seppa-dai, but sometimes they cut deeply into the depths:

Exactly in the middle of the tsuba we see a wedge-shaped window “nakago-ana”, through which the nakago, the shank of the sword, passed. To prevent the tsuba from wobbling on the blade, pieces of soft non-ferrous metal (brass, copper) are almost always driven into the lower and upper corners of the nakago-ana. By slightly filing or flattening the pliable fragments, the master ensured an individual fit of a given tsuba to a given sword. Such inlays were called “seki-gane” (Sekigane) or “kuchi-beni” (Kuchibeni).
If the tsuba did not have this, then the adjustment was carried out by chasing the edge of the nakago-ana directly. There are examples that are literally disfigured by a series of alterations.

There is an extremely persistent misconception regarding the size and thickness of the tsuba, and this misconception is characteristic precisely of those who, by occupation, are obliged to know about the subject almost completely. We are talking about the manufacturers of modern replicas of “Japanese” swords, which produce hundreds and thousands of implausible fantasies, only from the outside reminiscent of nihon. And it was the tsuba that suffered the most at their hands.

So, the average size tsuba for large swords is 75-85 mm with a thickness of 3-4 mm. Of course, there have always been exceptions to the rules, but these numbers are correct in 99% of cases. Accordingly, wakizashi were equipped with tsubami of 60-70 mm with the same thickness, and tanto protection was almost symbolic, literally 40-50 mm. But there are plenty of different disk shapes known, although they fit into several basic types.

Round (Maru-gata)

Oval (Nagamaru-gata)

Oval tsuba serve as a kind of transitional shape from round to quadrangular. Sometimes it is a pure circle, slightly compressed vertically (there were and are no horizontal ovals), sometimes it is a rounded square or rectangle (Nagegaku-gata). Depending on the amount of rounding, the specimen is closer to either one or the other group:

Quadrangular (Kaku-gata)

Modern filmmakers have equipped dexterous ninjas with straight swords with a huge square tsuba with concave sides, like an ace of diamonds. In fact, rectangular or square tsuba have been popular among samurai at all times, but the vast majority of them are rounded. Probably, it was these products that were loved by real ninjas, since they could really serve as a step if you lean the sword against the wall. Even if their size and thickness differed to a large extent (slightly), they did not arouse suspicion among vigilant “spy hunters”. This category also includes trapezoidal tsubas:

Mocha (Mokko-gata)

The lobed silhouette of such a disk could serve business card all tsuba in general, since it is he who is strongly associated with the small Japanese miracle. It's hard to even say which forms hold the palm. In fact, mocha is a round and oval tsuba with four “slices”, just like a melon, after which they were named. The cutting depth of the “petals” varies from almost imperceptible to very respectable. Then the shape becomes “iri-mocha” (“deep mocha”):

The last two specimens show us a rather rare decorative element - small paired “udenuki-ana” holes in the lower part of the disk. There is an opinion that they symbolize the sun and the moon, and for greater persuasiveness their edges were sometimes outlined with gold and silver edging.

Polygonal

This is not a very common shape, and we only occasionally encounter oak trees that have a hexagonal or octagonal shape. Really, they harmonize rather poorly with the classic design of the Japanese sword, and the samurai, sensitive to such things, intuitively preferred something more natural. Diamond-shaped and cruciform silhouettes are completely rare:

Aou (Aoi-gata)

It is a variety of “mocha”, formed by four characteristic “petals”, or has symmetrical intervals in the shape of a “heart”. This element is known in Japan as “inome” (“boar’s eye”). In general, the outline is similar to the leaf of the “aoi” plant, which is where the name comes from:

Shitogi (Shitogi-gata)

This is the rarest and most unusual type of guard, which is not even a “tsuba” in the usual sense for us. A similar style was used exclusively in mounting precious ceremonial and ceremonial swords, a kind of executive exclusive. The name comes from an analogy with the shape of the sacrificial rice cake used in Shinto rites:

free

This category contains products whose external design is formed by elements that the master arranged only in accordance with his own imagination, without trying to rigidly fit them into one of the traditional forms. But, by and large, each such tsuba is either round, or oval, or something else, and minor protruding and depressed areas do not at all destroy the overall impression:

It should be emphasized that all the samples shown above are intended for mounting tachi, katana and wakizashi swords. But - depending on the size of the blade, the tsubas of the latter either hardly differ from the standard, or are noticeably smaller, and are quite suitable for heavy tantos, although in reality the category of “knife” tsubas includes completely independent products:

It is impossible otherwise - the vanishingly small dimensions forced artists to find extremely laconic and expressive solutions. However, any of the given tsuba can be used when installing a small wakizashi. This category was simply called “sho”, that is, “small”.

A very important detail that is always taken into account when classifying tsuba is the outer rim “mimi”. Depending on the style, there are rims made flush with the plane of the disc, raised (“dote-mimi”) or narrowed (“goishi”). The thick rim, forged directly from the plate, is called “uchikaeshi mimi”. According to the type of section, there are round (“maru”), square (“kaku”) or rounded (“ko-niku”) rims. Occasionally, tsubas are found with an applied (“fuku-rin”) rim, usually made of soft metal - gold, silver, copper, brass.

Although today the main stock of surviving iron tsubas has an almost bare surface, at one time they were all covered with a layer of durable varnish, traces of which are present on the vast majority of specimens. Usually it is black or clear varnish, but there are also colored varieties: red, gold, and so on. This is natural - in the rainy climate of Japan, defenseless iron would not last even a year.

Up until the 16th century, most tsubas were heavy, thick forged items made of iron or non-ferrous metals, and, to boot, they were anonymous. The gunsmiths did not make them “to take away”, but simply equipped the new sword with the corresponding tsuba. But quite quickly (by historical standards) the production of protective disks became a special kind of art, and each samurai could order a unique copy, depending on his personal financial capabilities. In addition to such rarities, experienced tsubako accumulated a considerable assortment of original works, and the discerning warrior was faced with the problem of choice. As already mentioned, the “dai-sho” kits were equipped with paired tsubas and other mount parts, the creation of which was done by the same hands.

From the point of view of the material, solid iron tsuba look more durable, but the openwork slotted work of “Sukashi” did not weaken the structure, since it was not a homogeneous metal that was used, but a multi-layer forged package with high-carbon fragments. After final processing, these inclusions, the so-called “Tekkotsu,” clearly appeared on the edge of the plate in the form of light grains of various shapes. They are rightfully considered one of the fundamental classification features, like watermarks on securities. Unfortunately, the drawing (the thickness of the disk is slightly increased for clarity) gives us only a vague idea, and besides, there are quite a few forms of tekkotsu:

The use of pure red copper in early tsubas is not as absurd as it might seem at first glance. Being soft and pliable, this metal has its own characteristics. Firstly, after cold forging, the strength of the product increases many times, so much so that it even acquires some elasticity. And secondly, the unique viscosity of copper protects against a sharp blade almost better than average iron. Such a tsuba will be crushed, but not cut, and the hands will remain intact.

Subsequently, a rare type of bronze - the famous “Shakudo” alloy, which includes up to 70% gold - became increasingly popular as a material for tsubas, as well as other components. After special treatment (presumably in vinegar), as well as over time, the surface took on a persistent, uniquely deep color, blue-black and warm at the same time, which cannot be obtained in any other way. Thanks to this, shakudo is perfectly combined with other traditional alloys: the no less famous copper-silver “Shibuichi” and copper-zinc-lead “Sentoku”. The combination of sparkling-cold and velvety-warm tones gave rise to an amazing “yin-yang” harmony, generally characteristic of most Japanese, Chinese and Korean products.

Of course, the art of tsuba reached its peak during the Edo period. The formidable utilitarianism of military swords gave way to sophisticated decoration, and the most notable representative of this trend is the Goto family, a concentrate of hereditary jewelers and metal artists. Sophisticated, tastefully executed works fully met the needs of the new formation of samurai (of course, representatives of the upper strata, since Goto were the official masters of the shogunate). A characteristic stylistic feature of their products is high relief on a calm background and an abundance of gold. This winning manner appealed to his contemporaries. Many secondary schools immediately arose (for example, Ishiguro, Iwamoto), filling the market with excellent tsubami, least of all reminiscent of the simple and practical discs of the “era of the warring provinces.”

Government policy in the late 16th and early 17th centuries limited the import of foreign goods into Japan. The Chinese and “southern barbarians” (Namban), merchants from Holland and Portugal were only allowed into the port of Nagasaki. As a result, a number of craftsmen developed a fascination with European customs, weapons and quirks. For example, Yoshitsugi was one of many who began to develop the synthetic movement, combining European elements with Chinese dragon and floral lines and curls, which ultimately led to the emergence of the Namban style. The work used brittle fibrous iron with a through (sushi) and continuous (nunome) pattern, mainly from intertwined dragons, plant and animal ornaments, embossed rims and decorative rectangles. Throughout the 17th century, the predominance of the artistic principle was expressed in even greater decorativeness, and at the turn of the 18th century, development finally moved along the path of sophistication in technology, color and the use of precious metals. Unjustified priority is given to easy-to-work gold (Kin), silver (Gin), the aforementioned shakudo and shibu-iti. Decoration technology is also undergoing noticeable changes. If the surface of the old iron tsubas fully reflected the purely Japanese understanding of beauty hidden in deliberately rough marks of forging or in cutting “to look like stone,” then the appearance of the successors is too chic. The virtuosity of the engraving, the depth and precision of the relief, the impeccability of multi-colored backgrounds and plans drown out living nature. This is not Shibuya, not Zen, or the simplicity of the tea ceremony, but dead and cold perfection.

To summarize, it can be argued that in reality the “golden age” of tsuba was the troubled and bloody times of Muromachi and Momoyama. It was then that the largest number of iron disks were made, later recognized as classics of samurai aesthetics (Owari, Onin styles, etc.). Not luxury and brilliance, but stern simplicity and functionality - these are the qualities worthy of a real tsuba, at one glance at which in the silence of the museum corridors one can hear the frantic neighing of horses and the dry clang of fatal blades!

A huge number of surviving examples of tsuba (both mounted on swords and “free”) have long been divided by specialists into a number of style groups. Each region, each dynasty of craftsmen or school introduced unique features into the products, in accordance with which we can now quite reliably attribute objects. The presence of a signature simplifies the classification, but even without it, the totality of many obvious or almost imperceptible details can tell the biography of the plate almost without distortion. Presented on colored inserts short review the most significant and widespread styles, a kind of “tsuba anthology”, by studying which you can easily navigate the seemingly chaotic world of these amazing things.