The Japanese Sword

The Japanese sword is a weapon of significant cultural importance to Japan. One of the three items that makes up the regalia of the Japanese emperor is the sword that the god Susanoo gave to Amaterasu after he defeated a dragon. The sword we are familier with today, and that we use in iaido, has its roots in the 8th century. However the history of swords in Japan goes back much further to around 2000BCE when imported swords from China and Korea appeared, and the Japanese started making their own swords.

Shinken on katana kake, omote. (Photo: Herman Kempers)

The long sword in Japan has seen three major incarnations, and for each type of sword exists a fighting style to match the blade's shape. The early blades, called chokuto or “straight swords,” tended to get longer as metallurgy techniques improved. Though not much is known about how these weapons were wielded, the extra length - without any significant increase in weight - certainly gave the fighter more reach. The handle size of these blades suggests that they were held in one hand. The two-edged blade suggests a thrusting and hacking style of fighting.

The first major change in the shape of the sword came during the time of a sword smith called Amakuni who devoted his life to creating the perfect blade. The change in style of the sword may even have been created by Amakuni himself. Warriors found that, compared to a straight blade, a curved sword can be drawn from the scabbard more quickly and can provide a more effective cutting angle. Consequently, swordsmiths developed forging techniques to make a curved blade at least as strong as the earlier straight ones. These swords, called tachi, were extremely long, some nearly four feet, and were generally used by soldiers on horseback. The long, curved blade was ideal for a sweeping draw and slash against opponents on the ground or mounted upon other horses. The tachi was worn hanging from the belt or 'obi' with the blade facing down, thus enabling the sword to be drawn with the edge facing an opponent on the ground.

Later in Japanese history, most soldiers found themselves doing battle on foot, or engaging in individual combat against one another. For such men, the tachi were too long to be drawn or wielded comfortably, so a shorter sword was developed. This sword was the katana, and the katana is the sword that most practitioners of Iaido systems use today. Katana are generally between two and four feet in length and, though curved, have a less pronounced arc than the tachi. They can be efficiently drawn from the scabbard into position for a horizontal, diagonal, or vertical cut, and the curve of the blade lends itself well to the efficient slashing cut characteristic of Iaido. Unlike the tachi, the katana is worn in the obi with the blade facing edge up. This allows the practitioner to draw the sword upwards and around towards the opponent edge first.

The manufacture of Japanese swords requires great skill and the most successful swordsmiths were well known and respected. This colour woodblock by the artist Ogata Gekko (1859-1920) is of The Swordsmith of Mt Inari , who lived during the Heian period (AD 794-1185). Japanese sword blades have a hard skin but a relatively soft core. This was achieved by combining steels of different quality and folding the mixture several times while hot. It was then hammered into shape, heated until red hot then quenched in cold water. As well as hardening the blade, this process created natural decorative features. These included a crystalline wave pattern known as the hamon , a cloudy white effect called the nioi (aspect of colour of blossoms on distant trees) and a continuous band of bright crystals called nie (boiling). Polishing was just as important as the initial manufacturing process. It was carried out using as many as twenty different types of stone and made the blade's surface completely even. By convention, blades are divided into four types according to their length: tachi (great sword) and katana (sword) are more than 60 cm in length. Wakizashi (companion sword) are 30-60 cm and tantô (short sword, or dagger) are about 30 cm. The samurai traditionally wore a pair of swords, one long and one short, known as a daishô .

In Iaido most practitioners start with a wooden training sword or bokken before moving on to use an iaito. An iaito has the same appearance as a true katana except that the blade is generally made from an aluminium and zinc alloy, and it is not sharpened (nor is it capable of being truly sharpened). The other fittings - the tsuba, tsuka etc. - are similar to those fitted on a shinken but are likely to be mass produced so as to keep costs down. Iaito cost, depending on the fittings, from around £250 for a basic model up to around £500 for a model with more stylised fittings, although higher prices can be paid for iaito with steel blades (unforged) or for longer blades. A shinken - a forged steel sword with a sharp edge - made by a Japanese swordsmith will cost from around £3500, although many will cost more than this. Factors that will affect the cost will include the length of the blade, the smith, and fittings.

Please note that many 'japanese' swords available from High street shops are unsuitable for iaido. Suitable iaito are available from a number of martial arts suppliers (see links ), bearing in mind that swords come in different lengths dependant on the practitioner's height. It is advisable to discuss the purchase of a sword for iaido with the dojo leader or an experienced practitioner before large sums of money are parted with.

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