The reign of the Tokugawa shogunate from 1603 was associated with the disappearance of the art of wielding a spear. The bloody wars were replaced by the era of technology and the improvement of military competition with swords. The art associated with it was called "kenjutsu", over time turned into a means of spiritual self-improvement.
The meaning of the samurai sword
Real samurai swords were considered not just weapons of a professional warrior, but also a symbol of the samurai class, an emblem of honor and valor, courage and masculinity. Since ancient times, weapons have been revered as a sacred gift from the goddess of the Sun to her grandson, who rules on earth. The sword was to be used only to eradicate evil, injustice and protect good. He was part of a Shinto cult. Temples and sacred places were decorated with weapons. In the 8th century, Japanese priests were involved in the production, cleaning, polishing of swords.
The samurai had to keep a warrior's kit with him at all times. Swords were given a place of honor in the house, a niche in the main corner - tokonoma. They were stored on a tachikake or katanakake stand. Going to bed, the samurai put his swords at his head at arm's length.
A person could be poor, but have an expensive blade in an excellent frame. The sword was an emblem emphasizing the class position. For the sake of the blade, the samurai had the right to sacrifice his own life and his family.
Japanese warrior set
Japanese warriors always carried two swords with them, which indicated that they belonged to the samurai. A set of a warrior (daise) consisted of a long and a short blade. The long samurai sword katana or daito (from 60 to 90 cm) has been the main weapon of the samurai since the 14th century. It was worn on the belt with the point up. The sword was sharpened on one side, and had a hilt. The masters of combat knew how to kill with lightning speed, in a split second, pulling out the blade and making one stroke. This technique was called "iaijutsu".
The short samurai sword wakizashi (seto or kodachi) was twice as short (from 30 to 60 cm) worn on the belt with the tip up, used less often when fighting in cramped conditions. With the help of wakizashi, the warriors cut off the heads of the killed opponents or, being captured, committed seppuku - suicide. Most often, samurai fought with a katana, although in special schools they taught combat with two swords.
Types of samurai swords
In addition to the daisy set, there were several types used by warriors.
- Tsurugi, chokuto - the oldest sword used before the 11th century, had straight edges and was sharpened on both sides.
- Ken - a straight ancient blade, sharpened on both sides, used in religious ceremonies and rarely used in battle.
- Tati - a large curved sword (point length from 61 cm), used by horsemen, was worn with the point down.
- Nodachi or odachi - an extra-large blade (from 1 m to 1.8 m), which is a type of tachi, was worn behind the rider.
- Tanto - dagger (up to 30 cm long).
- Bamboo swords (shinai) and wooden swords (bokken) were used for training. Training weapons could be used in combat with an unworthy opponent, such as a robber.
Commoners and men of the lower classes had the right to defend themselves with small knives and daggers, since there was a law on the right to carry swords.
katana sword
Katana is a combat samurai sword, which is included in the standard armament of a warrior along with a small wakizashi blade. It began to be used in the 15th century due to the improvement of tachi. The katana is distinguished by an outward-curved blade, a long straight handle that allows it to be held with one or two hands. The blade has a slight bend and a pointed end, used for cutting and stabbing. The weight of the sword is 1 - 1.5 kg. In terms of strength, flexibility and hardness, the samurai katana sword ranks first among other blades in the world, cuts bones, rifle barrels and iron, surpasses Arab damask steel and European swords.
The blacksmith who forged weapons never made fittings; for this, he had other craftsmen under him. Katana is a constructor assembled as a result of the work of a whole team. Samurai always had several sets of accessories worn for the occasion. The blade was passed down through the ages from generation to generation, and its appearance could change depending on the circumstances.
History of the katana
In 710, the legendary first Japanese swordsman Amakuni used a sword with a curved blade in battle. Forged from dissimilar plates, it had a saber shape. Its form did not change until the 19th century. Since the 12th century, katanas have been considered the swords of aristocrats. Under the rule of the Ashikaga shoguns, the tradition of carrying two swords arose, which became the privilege of the samurai class. A set of samurai swords was part of a military, civil and festive costume. Two blades were worn by all samurai, regardless of rank: from private to shogun. After the revolution, Japanese officials were required to wear European swords, then katanas lost their high status.
Secrets of making a katana
The blade was forged from two types of steel: the core was made of tough steel, and the cutting edge was made of strong steel. Steel before forging was cleaned by repeated folding and welding.
In the manufacture of katana, the choice of metal was important, a special iron ore with impurities of molybdenum and tungsten. The master buried iron bars in a swamp for 8 years. During this time, rust eats away weak spots, then the product is sent to the forge. The gunsmith turned the bars into foil with a heavy hammer. The foil was then repeatedly folded and flattened. Therefore, the finished blade consisted of 50,000 layers of high-strength metal.
Real samurai katanas have always been distinguished by the characteristic line of jamon, which appears as a result of the use of special forging and hardening methods. The handle of the tsuka sword was wrapped in stingray skin and wrapped with a strip of silk. Souvenir or ceremonial katanas could have handles made of wood or ivory.
Katana proficiency
The long hilt of the sword allows for efficient maneuvering. To hold the katana, a grip is used, the end of the handle of which must be held in the middle of the left palm, and with the right hand, squeeze the handle near the guard. The synchronous swing of both hands made it possible for the warrior to get a wide swing amplitude without spending a lot of strength. The blows were applied vertically to the sword or hands of the enemy. This allows you to remove the opponent's weapon from the trajectory of the attack in order to hit him with the next swing.
ancient japanese weapons
Several varieties of Japanese weapons are of the auxiliary or secondary type.
- Yumi or o-yumi - combat bows (from 180 to 220 cm), which are the oldest weapon Japan. Bows have been used in combat and in religious ceremonies since ancient times. In the 16th century, they were supplanted by muskets brought from Portugal.
- Yari - a spear (length 5 m), a weapon popular in the era of civil strife, was used by the infantry to throw the enemy off the horse.
- Bo - a military fighting pole, related to sports weapons today. There are many options for the pole, depending on the length (from 30 cm to 3 m), thickness and section (round, hexagonal, etc.).
- Yoroi-doshi was considered a dagger of mercy, resembled a stiletto and was used to finish off opponents wounded in battle.
- Kozuka or kotsuka - a military knife, fixed in the sheath of a combat sword, was often used for household purposes.
- Tessen or dansen utiwa is the commander's battle fan. The fan was equipped with sharpened steel spokes and could be used in attack, as a battle hatchet and as a shield.
- Jitte - fighting iron baton, a fork with two teeth. It was used in the Tokugawa era as a police weapon. Using jitte, police intercepted samurai swords in battles with violent warriors.
- Naginata is a Japanese halberd, a weapon of warrior monks, a two-meter pole with a small flat blade at the end. In ancient times, it was used by foot soldiers to attack enemy horses. In the 17th century, it began to be used in samurai families as a female
- Kaiken is a combat dagger for female aristocrats. Used for self-defense, as well as dishonored girls for suicide.
During the period of internecine civil wars made in Japan firearms, flintlock guns (teppo), which came to be considered unworthy with the rise of the Tokugawa. From the 16th century, cannons also appeared in the Japanese troops, but the bow and sword continued to occupy the main place in the armament of the samurai.
katana kaji
Swords in Japan have always been made by people of the ruling class, often by samurai relatives or courtiers. With the growing demand for swords, the feudal lords began to patronize blacksmiths (katana-kaji). Making a samurai sword required careful preparation. The forging of swords was reminiscent of a liturgical ceremony and was filled with religious activities to protect the wearer from evil forces.
Before starting work, the blacksmith kept a fast, refrained from bad thoughts and deeds, and performed the ritual of cleansing the body. The forge was carefully cleaned and decorated with sime - ritual attributes woven from rice straw. Each forge had an altar for prayers and for moral preparation for work. If necessary, the master dressed in kuge - ceremonial clothes. Honor did not allow an experienced craftsman to make low-quality weapons. Sometimes a blacksmith would destroy a sword that he could have spent several years on because of a single flaw. Work on one sword could last from 1 year to 15 years.
Japanese sword production technology
The remelted metal obtained from magnetic iron ore was used as weapon steel. Samurai swords, considered the best in the world Far East, were as strong as Damascus. In the 17th century, metal from Europe began to be used in the manufacture of Japanese swords.
A Japanese blacksmith formed a blade from a huge number of iron layers, the thinnest strips with different carbon contents. The strips were welded together during melting and forging. Forging, stretching, repeated folding and new forging of metal strips made it possible to obtain a thin beam.
Thus, the blade consisted of many fused thin layers of multi-carbon steel. The combination of low-carbon and high-carbon metals gave the sword a special hardness and toughness. At the next stage, the blacksmith polished the blade on several stones and hardened it. It was not uncommon for samurai swords from Japan to be made over several years.
Murder at the crossroads
The quality of the blade and the skill of the samurai were usually tested in battle. good sword allowed to cut three corpses laid on top of each other. It was believed that the new samurai swords must be tried on a person. Tsuji-giri (kill at the crossroads) - the name of the rite of trial of a new sword. The victims of the samurai were beggars, peasants, travelers and just passersby, whose number soon numbered in the thousands. The authorities put patrols and guards on the streets, but the guards did not perform their duties well.
Samurai, who did not want to kill the innocent, preferred another method - tameshi-giri. By paying the executioner, it was possible to give him the blade, which he tried during the execution of the condemned.
What is the secret to the sharpness of the katana?
A real katana sword can self-sharpen as a result of the ordered movement of molecules. By simply placing the blade on a special stand, the warrior, after a certain period of time, again received a sharp blade. The sword was polished in stages, through ten reducing grit. Then the master polished the blade with charcoal dust.
At the last stage, the sword was hardened in liquid clay, as a result of this procedure, a matte thinnest strip (yakiba) appeared on the blade. Famous masters left a signature on the tail of the blade. After forging and hardening, the sword was polished for half a month. When the katana had a mirror finish, the work was considered complete.
Conclusion
A real samurai sword, the price of which is fabulous, as a rule, is the handiwork of an ancient master. Such tools are difficult to find, as they are passed down in families as a relic. The most expensive katana have mei - the brand of the master and the year of manufacture on the shank. Symbolic forging was applied to many swords, drawings from warding off evil spirits. The scabbard for the sword was also decorated with ornaments.
The Japanese sword is a bladed single-edged slashing and cutting weapon made according to traditional Japanese technology from multi-layer steel with a controlled carbon content. The name is also used to refer to a single-edged sword with the characteristic shape of a slightly curved blade, which was the main weapon of the samurai warrior.
Let's try to understand a little about the variety of Japanese swords.
By tradition, 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 cleaned under the influence of high temperatures to obtain iron with higher purity. Steel is mined from iron sand.
The bending of the sword (sori), performed in different versions, is not accidental: it was formed in the course of the centuries-old evolution of weapons of this type (simultaneously with changes in the equipment of the samurai) and constantly varied until, in the end, the perfect form was found, which is continuation of a slightly curved arm. The bend is obtained partly due to the peculiarities of heat treatment: with differentiated hardening, the cutting part of the sword is stretched more than the back.
Just like the Western blacksmiths of the Middle Ages, who used zone hardening, Japanese masters harden their blades not evenly, but differentiated. The blade is often straight from the beginning and gets a characteristic curve as a result of hardening, giving the blade a hardness of 60 HRC, and the back of the sword - only 40 HRC.
Dai-sho
Daisho (jap. 大小, daisho:, lit. "big-small") - a pair of samurai swords, consisting of a seto (short sword) and daito (long sword). The length of the daito is more than 66 cm, the length of the seto is 33-66 cm The daito served as the main weapon of the samurai, the seto served as an additional weapon.
Until the early period of Muromachi, the tati was in service - a long sword that was worn on a sword belt with the blade down. However, since the end of the 14th century, it has been increasingly replaced by katana. It was worn in a scabbard attached to the belt with a ribbon of silk or other fabric (sageo). Together with tachi, they usually wore a tanto dagger, and paired with a katana, a wakizashi.
Thus, daito and shoto are both classes of swords, but not the name of a specific weapon. This circumstance has led to the misuse of these terms. For example, in European and domestic literature, only a long sword (daito) is mistakenly called a katana. The daisho was used exclusively by the samurai class. This law was sacredly observed and repeatedly confirmed by decrees of military leaders and shoguns. Daisho was the most important component of the samurai costume, his class certificate. Warriors treated their weapons accordingly - they carefully monitored its condition, kept it near them even during sleep. Other classes could only wear wakizashi or tanto. Samurai etiquette required taking off a long sword at the entrance to the house (as a rule, it was left with a servant or on a special stand), the samurai always carried a short sword with them and used it as a personal weapon.
katana
Katana (jap. 刀) is a long Japanese sword. In modern Japanese, the word katana also refers to any sword. Katana is the Japanese reading (kun'yomi) of the Chinese character 刀; Sino-Japanese reading (onyomi) - then:. The word means "a curved sword with a one-sided blade."
Katana and wakizashi are always carried in sheaths, tucked into the belt (obi) at an angle that hides the length of the blade from the opponent. This is the accepted way of carrying in society, formed after the end of the wars of the Sengoku period in the early 17th century, when carrying weapons became more a tradition than a military necessity. When the samurai entered the house, he took out the 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. Sitting down, he put the katana on the floor within reach, and the wakizashi was not removed (his samurai wore a sheath behind his belt). Mounting a sword for outdoor use is called a kosirae, which includes the lacquered scabbard of the sai. In the absence of frequent use of the sword, it was kept at home in a shirasai assembly made of untreated magnolia wood, which protected the steel from corrosion. Some modern katanas are originally produced in this version, in which the scabbard is not varnished or decorated. A similar installation, in which there was no tsuba and other decorative elements, did not attract attention and became widespread at the end of the 19th century after the imperial ban on carrying a sword. It seemed that the scabbard was not a katana, but a bokuto - a wooden sword.
Wakizashi
Wakizashi (jap. 脇差) is a short traditional Japanese sword. Mostly used by samurai and worn on the belt. It was worn in tandem with a katana, also plugged into the belt with the blade up. The length of the blade is from 30 to 61 cm. The total length with the handle is 50-80 cm. The blade is one-sided sharpening, small curvature. Wakizashi is similar in shape to a katana. Wakizashi were made with zukuri of various shapes and lengths, usually thinner than those of the katana. The degree of convexity of the section of the wakizashi blade is much less, therefore, compared to the katana, this sword cuts soft objects more sharply. The handle of the wakizashi is usually square in section.
The bushi often referred to this sword as the "guardian of one's honor". Some fencing schools taught to use both the katana and the wakizashi at the same time.
Unlike the katana, which could only be worn by samurai, the wakizashi was reserved for merchants and artisans. They used this sword as a full-fledged weapon, because by status they did not have the right to wear a katana. Also used for the seppuku ceremony.
Tati
Tachi (jap. 太刀) is a long Japanese sword. Tati, unlike the katana, was not tucked behind the obi (cloth belt) with the blade up, but hung on the belt in a sling designed for this, with the blade down. To protect against damage by armor, the scabbard often had a winding. The samurai wore the katana as part of their civilian clothing and the tachi as part of their military armor. Paired with tachi, the tantō were more common than the katana short sword wakizashi. In addition, richly decorated tachi were used as ceremonial weapons at the courts of the shoguns (princes) and the emperor.
It is usually longer and more curved than a katana (most have a blade length of over 2.5 shaku, that is, more than 75 cm; the tsuka (handle) was also often longer and somewhat curved).
Another name for this sword - daito (Japanese 大刀, lit. "big sword") - is sometimes mistakenly read in Western sources as "daikatana". The error is due to ignorance of the difference between on and kun reading of characters in Japanese; the kun reading of the hieroglyph 刀 is "katana", and the on reading is "that:".
Tanto
Tanto (jap. 短刀 tanto:, lit. "short sword") is a samurai dagger.
“Tan to” for the Japanese sounds like a phrase, because they do not perceive tanto as a knife in any way (a knife in Japanese is hamono (jap. 刃物 hamono)).
Tanto was used only as a weapon and never as a knife, for this there was a kozuka worn in pair with a tanto in the same sheath.
Tanto has a one-sided, sometimes double-edged blade from 15 to 30.3 cm long (that is, less than one shaku).
It is believed that tanto, wakizashi and katana are, in fact, "the same sword of different sizes."
Some tanto, 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, merchants as a weapon of self-defense - in fact, it is a dagger. High society women sometimes also wore small tanto called kaiken in their kimono belt (obi) for self-defense. In addition, tanto is used in the wedding ceremony of royal people to this day.
Sometimes tantō were worn as shōto instead of wakizashi in daishō.
Odachi
Odachi (Jap. 大太刀, "big sword") is one of the types of Japanese long swords. The term nodachi (野太刀, "field sword") means a different 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 precise definition of odachi length. Usually odachi are swords with blades 1.6 - 1.8 meters.
Odachi completely fell out of use as a weapon after the Osaka-Natsuno-Jin War of 1615 (the battle between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideyori - son of Toyotomi Hideyoshi).
The Bakufu government issued a law that prohibited the possession of a sword over a certain length. After the law went into effect, many odachi were cut to fit the established norms. 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. Due to the fact that their manufacture requires the highest skill, it was recognized that the reverence inspired by their appearance is consistent with 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 is much more difficult to forge than the blade of a sword of ordinary length. This sword was worn behind the back due to its large size. This was an exception because other Japanese swords such as the katana and the wakizashi were worn tucked into the belt, with the tachi hung blade down. However, nodachi was not snatched from behind. Due to its great length and weight, it was a very difficult weapon.
One of Nodachi's assignments was to fight riders. It is often used in conjunction with a spear because with its long blade it was ideal for hitting an opponent and his horse in one fell swoop. Due to its weight, it could not be applied everywhere with ease and was usually discarded when close combat began. The sword with one blow could hit several enemy soldiers at once. After using the nodachi, the samurai used a shorter and more convenient katana for close combat.
Kodachi
Kodachi (小太刀) - literally translated as "little 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 drawn very quickly and also swordd with it. It could be used where movement was constrained or when attacking shoulder to shoulder. Since this sword was shorter than 2 shaku (about 60 cm), it was allowed during the Edo period to be worn by non-samurai, usually merchants.
Kodachi is similar in length to wakizashi, and although their blades differ considerably in design, kodachi and wakizashi are so similar in technique that the terms are sometimes (erroneously) used interchangeably. The main difference between the two is that kodachi are (usually) wider than wakizashi. In addition, kodachi, unlike wakizashi, was always worn in a special sash with a downward bend (like tati), while wakizashi was worn with the blade curved up behind the obi. Unlike other types of Japanese weapons, no other sword was usually carried along with the kodachi.
Kaiken
Kaiken (jap. 懐剣, before the spelling reform kwaiken, also futokoro-gatana) is a dagger worn by men and women of the samurai class in Japan, a kind of tanto. Kaiken were used for indoor self-defense, where long katanas and medium length wakizashi were less useful and effective than short daggers. Women wore them in an obi belt for self-defense or (rarely) for suicide (jigaya). It was also possible to carry them in a brocade bag with a drawstring, which made it possible to quickly get a dagger. Kaiken was one of the wedding gifts for a woman. Currently, it is one of the accessories of the traditional Japanese marriage ceremony: the bride takes a kaiken so that she is lucky.
Kusungobu, yoroidoshi, metezashi.
Kusungobu (jap. nine sun five bu) - 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 melee weapon with a long oval handle (just 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. In the course of history, a shortened (1.2-1.5 m) and lightweight version became much more common, which was used in training and showed greater combat capability. It is an analogue of the glaive (although 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. In Japan, there were 425 schools where they studied the technique of fighting naginatajutsu. It was the favorite weapon of the sohei, warrior monks.
Bisento
Bisento (jap. 眉尖刀 bisento:) is a Japanese melee weapon with a long handle, a rare variety of naginata.
The bisento differs from the naginata in its larger size and different style of address. This weapon must be worked with a wide grip, using both ends, despite the fact that 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 a bisento blade, unlike a katana, can not only repel and deflect a blow, but also press 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 piercing and pushing properties.
It is believed that the Japanese took the idea of \u200b\u200bthis weapon from Chinese swords.
Nagamaki
Nagamaki (jap. 長巻 - “long wrap”) is a Japanese melee weapon consisting of a pole handle with a large tip. It was popular in the XII-XIV centuries. It was similar to the owl, naginata or glevia, but differed in that the lengths of the hilt and tip were approximately equal, which allows it to be classified as a sword.
Nagamaki are weapons made in 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, like a katana handle.
This weapon was used during the Kamakura (1192-1333), Namboku-cho (1334-1392) periods and during the Muromachi period (1392-1573) reached its greatest prevalence. It was also used by Oda Nobunaga.
Tsurugi
Tsurugi (Jap. 剣) is a Japanese word meaning a straight double-edged sword (sometimes with a massive pommel). Similar in shape to tsurugi-no-tachi (straight one-sided sword).
It was used as a combat weapon in the 7th-9th centuries, before the appearance of one-sided curved tati swords, and later for ceremonial and religious purposes.
One of the three sacred relics of Shinto is the sword Kusanagi-no-tsurugi.
Chokuto
Chokuto (直刀, chokuto:, "straight sword") is the common name for an ancient type of sword that originated with Japanese warriors around the 2nd or 4th century AD. It is not known for sure whether chokuto originated in Japan or was exported from China; it is believed that in Japan the blades were copied from foreign designs. At first, swords were cast from bronze, later they began to be forged from a single piece of low-quality (there was no other then) steel using a rather primitive technology. Like its Western counterparts, the chokuto was primarily intended for thrusting.
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 (a sword with a hammer-shaped head) had a hilt with an oval guard ending in an onion-shaped copper head, and a 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 sheath covered with sheet copper and decorated with perforated patterns.
Shin-gunto
Shin-gunto (1934) - 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 tati, the shin gunto was worn on the sword belt with the blade down and the cap of the kabuto-gane handle was used in its design, instead of the kashiro adopted on katanas), and in the methods 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 way.
Shingunto was very popular and went through several modifications. V last years World War II, they were mainly associated with the desire to reduce production costs. So, sword hilts for juniors army ranks they were already made without a braid, and sometimes even from stamped aluminum.
For naval ranks in 1937, their own military was introduced - kai-gunto. It represented a variation on the theme of shin-gunto, but differed in design - the braid of the hilt is brown, on the hilt there is black stingray leather, the scabbard is always wooden (for shin-gunto - metal) with black trim.
After the end of World War II, most of the shin gunto was destroyed by order of the occupying authorities.
Ninjato, Shinobigatana (fictional)
Ninjato (jap. 忍者刀 ninjato:), also known as ninjaken (jap. 忍者刀) or shinobigatana (jap. 忍刀) is a sword used by ninja. It is a short sword forged with much less care 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 the wakizashi, was used for cutting only, not stabbing. This statement may be erroneous, since the main opponent 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 (Jap. 仕込み杖 Shikomizue) is a weapon for "hidden warfare". In Japan, it was used by the ninja. In modern times, this blade often appears in movies.
Shikomizue was a wooden or bamboo cane with a hidden blade. The blade of the shikomizue could be straight or slightly curved, because the cane had to exactly follow all the curves of the blade. Shikomizue could be both a long sword and a short dagger. Therefore, the length of the cane depended on the length of the weapon.
zanbato, zambato, zhanmadao
The Japanese reading of zhanmadao characters is zambato (jap. 斬馬刀 zambato :) (also zanmato), however, it is not known whether such a weapon was actually used in Japan. However, the zambato is mentioned in some contemporary Japanese popular culture.
Zhanmadao or mazhandao (Chinese 斬馬刀, pinyin zhǎn mǎ dāo, literally “a sword to cut horses”) is a Chinese two-handed saber with a wide and long blade, used by infantrymen against cavalry during the Song dynasty (the mention of mazhandao is present, in particular, in the "Biography of Yue Fei" dynastic history "Song shi"). The tactics of using mazhandao, according to the Song Shi, are attributed to the famous military leader Yue Fei. The infantry detachments, armed with mazhandao, which acted before the formation of the main part of the troops in loose formation, tried to cut the legs of enemy horses with its help. 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 mazhandao saber was also used by the Mongol army of Genghis Khan.
We don't think we've seen anything like this here yet,” Hopkins squinted as the A6M Reisen fighter landed at the airfield.
- Like? Vasya asked.
- Good ... In his own way, - the American admitted.
An unfamiliar pilot was already approaching his friends. Short, with a polite smile on a swarthy face with narrow, slanting eyes. It was difficult to determine his age: he could be given forty or twenty.
The pilot bowed politely.
"Captain Hirata Isiro," he introduced himself.
The friends looked at each other. Vasya awkwardly asked:
- And what of this name and what is the surname?
Yeah. Vasya knows how to blurt out so that everyone is embarrassed. But the Japanese remained imperturbable and answered all the same politely:
- Last name first. Name later. The Russians seem to do the same.
“Sometimes,” Vasya muttered.
- Welcome! - Hopkins decided to correct the embarrassing situation a little.
But Vasya, with his indomitable friendliness, ruined everything again. He tried to speak to the Japanese in his native language.
- Harakiri! Kamikaze! Vasya announced with a wide welcoming gesture.
A smile froze on the face of the Japanese.
He bowed again, showing that he appreciated the desire of new acquaintances to please him, and answered:
- Not necessarily kamikaze. A6M Reisen - fighter. Very good. Best. Excellent maneuverability, high flight range. - And he explained: - “Mitsubishi A6M Reizen” is an abbreviation for “Reishiki Zentoki” - “Fighter Zero”, or “Fighter Zero”, as you say.
Captain Hirata waved his palm for takeoff, then circled and landed.
“The best in the Pacific,” continued the Japanese. - Starting from Pearl Harbor and until the last battles, when we repulsed the American B-29 raids on Japan, the Reisen participated in all air battles. The most massive aircraft - during the war in Japan, more than ten thousand of them were produced.
"Well, the Reisen deflated after all," Hopkins remarked.
"In the first battles in the Pacific, they couldn't resist him for six months," Captain Hirata retorted.
"That's right, but then things got worse," Hopkins insisted. - The war continued, and the Japanese were still flying Reizens. By the end of the forty-second year, the A6M began to lag behind the opponents, and after the forty-third it was already a no brainer, as the Russians say, it became clear that it was outdated. And yet they continued to release it. This is how airplanes become symbols, not combat vehicles ...
Hirata shrugged.
- Denying the obvious is pointless. But ... - He looked back at his plane with some kind of almost childlike love. - You just look at him. It is like a samurai sword.
... Work on the development of a naval experimental carrier-based fighter began in 1937 at Mitsubishi under the leadership of the company's chief engineer, Jiro Horikoshi. What was required? Maneuverability, speed - up to five hundred kilometers per hour at an altitude of four kilometers. Plus, the flight range is up to eight hours. Naturally, with such a range, excellent radio equipment is needed. Two guns, two machine guns.
“Look, the Japanese will salivate,” Vasya whispered in Hopkins’s ear.
The Japanese, if he heard this remark, did not show it. He continued enthusiastically:
- On April 1, 1939, the fighter was lifted into the air by test pilot Katsuzo Shima. After flight tests, it was decided to replace the two-blade variable-pitch propeller with a three-blade automatic propeller. Everything else is perfect, like Hattori Hanzo's blade!
“Maybe not so perfect,” Hopkins said suddenly. - If I'm not mistaken, Mitsubishi was instructed to install a more powerful Nakajima NK1C Sakae-12 engine on the third prototype aircraft.
Captain Hirata bowed to the American.
"I'm glad you know about it," he assured her. - We tested the plane back in China. In July 1940, it was put into service under the designation "Marine Type 0 Carrier Fighter Model II". On these aircraft, Japanese pilots scored ninety-nine victories and lost only two aircraft - from anti-aircraft fire. As you well know, - the face of the Japanese remained impenetrable, - the Reizens participated in two main operations of the fleet - a raid on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines.
The combined fleet and Zero fighters scored several victories over Wake, Darwin and Ceylon. "Reizens" from the shore-based units supported the Japanese conquest of the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies.
“Victory has its downside,” Hopkins said. - Without losses never manages. Japan not only defeated the allies, the Empire also lost aircraft and experienced pilots. And to make up for such losses is not so easy.
- Wait, - Vasya intervened, - I remember that the Japanese had a bright idea of invading Australia.
- Namely, on May 7 and 8, 1942, - Captain Hirata confirmed, - there was a great and glorious battle in the Coral Sea. The Japanese fleet against the Allied fleet. Losses were heavy on both sides, but we had to give up Australia.
... A month later - a new defeat: in the battle near Midway Atoll, Japan lost four aircraft carriers and all the aircraft on them. It was a line. He pointedly waved his hand in the air. - From that moment on, the Japanese offensive was stopped. And the Reizens increasingly had to fight defensive battles. And in a defensive battle, the low survivability of the aircraft and the lack of protection for the pilot are seriously affected. Actually, this was the main weak point of the Reizen.
- Like a samurai sword? - said Vasya.
- The sword is an offensive weapon, not a defensive one, - the Japanese noted. “And you were quite right in asking about the kamikaze,” he added.
Vasya blushed a little.
“Yes, I’m like that, keep up the conversation,” he replied. - In fact, everyone here is friends.
"Oh," said Captain Hirata very seriously. - I do not doubt that. A worthy opponent is a warrior's best friend.
"I'm willing to admit it," Hopkins said. - Especially since I, in general, really like the Reizens.
- Really? - asked the Japanese. - I am very pleased to hear that.
- By the way, this plane was well studied in the American army. In June 1942, during a Japanese diversion operation in the Aleutian Islands, one Reizen made an emergency landing on Akutan Island. The aircraft was transported to San Diego, where it was restored and tested. During the tests, American pilots learned the strengths and weaknesses of this aircraft. All the data, of course, was used in order to work out effective tactics against Japanese fighters.
"Mitsubishi didn't stand still either," Captain Hirata said. - In Japan, they understood that the fleet needed an improved aircraft. If at low altitudes he could still successfully fight with Allied fighters, then at medium and high altitudes the advantage undoubtedly passed to the Corsairs and Lightnings.
“If he once again bows to Hopkins, I think I will scream,” thought Vasya.
Captain Hirata turned to the American and bowed very politely. Vasya bit his lip.
- What is the main disadvantage of "Reisen"? Captain Hirata said.
Hopkins replied:
- You tell me.
“I cede this bitter honor to you,” said the Japanese.
- Damn, that's parted Chinese ceremony! Vasya couldn't resist. - Speak already.
“Low dive speed,” Hopkins said. - In battles against the Allied fighters, the Reizen was losing in this. Plus, the lack of armor protection and tank protection. This problem was fixed, but it was too late. In the battle near the Philippines, the Hellcats gave the Japanese fighters a real massacre. Starting with the forty-fourth, the Reizens generally no longer had either a numerical or qualitative superiority over the American fighters.
- It seems to me that it's time to talk about what interests our Russian friend the most, - Captain Hirata turned to Vasya. - To the kamikaze. You know, of course, that this word means "Divine Wind." That was the name of the typhoon that swept away Kublai's fleet when he set out to conquer Japan ...
“That was a long time ago,” Vasya said. - Then there were no carrier-based fighters.
"Definitely," the Japanese nodded. For a moment, his face clouded over, as if he was trying to imagine what would happen if carrier-based fighters appeared in medieval Japan. But the word remains. Japan is very traditional. Beginning on October 25, 1944, these aircraft were increasingly used, along with a 250-kilogram persistent bomb under the fuselage, as aircraft for kamikaze pilots. It was on that day that five Reizens with volunteer pilots sank the escort aircraft carrier St. Lo and damaged several others. In general, Japanese pilots made rams in almost all combat operations during the Pacific War.
However, they did not inflict heavy damage on the enemy - until the pilots of the Special Shock Corps systematically took up this (they were called "kamikaze"). Kamikaze acted in groups and knew in advance what they were doing. After their initial success, they sank a destroyer on 1 November 1944 and damaged five more.
In 1945, kamikazes sank two escort aircraft carriers and damaged eight aircraft carriers and two destroyers. In April and May, nine hundred kamikazes were sent to their deaths, of which two hundred hit their intended targets.
“The kamikazes spoiled the Americans a lot of blood, and the losses were significant,” Hopkins confirmed. - And yet admit, my friend, that in general, the kamikaze did not have any noticeable effect on the course of hostilities.
- And the plane is a toy, - Vasya interrupted. - I'm listening to you here, I'm listening ... Is it true that we need to hold some kind of ceremonies here? Let's go to Zinaida Nikiforovna, let's make an impression on her - and on the cars. - He hesitated and then turned directly to Captain Hirata: - May I ever take the "Reizen" to test? I suddenly wanted to.
© A. Martyanov. 06.07. 2012.
There are many legends about Japanese swords, often not justified. Probably, a lot of people will answer the question of what the Japanese sword is called - Katana. This is true in part, but only in part. The classification of Japanese swords is not an easy task. The most simple classification, in my opinion, is by length.
It is known that the samurai wore two swords - long and short.. This couple was called Daisho(lit. "greater and smaller") and consisted of Daito ("greater sword"), we will call it Katana, which was the main weapon of the samurai, and Seto ("smaller sword"), in the future Wakazashi, which served as a spare or additional weapon, used in close combat, for chopping off heads or hara-kiri, if the samurai did not have a Kusungobu or Tanto dagger specially designed for this. If the wearing of a large Katana sword was allowed only for samurai wars and aristocrats, then Wakazashi had the right to wear both artisans and merchants.
Kusungobu - melee dagger
So the long sword was called Daito (Katana)- 95-120 cm, short - Seto (Wakazashi)- 50-70 cm. The Katana handle is usually designed for 3.5 fists, Wakazashi - for 1.5. The width of the blade of both swords is about 3 cm, the thickness of the back is 5 mm, while the blade has a razor sharpness. The hilt is usually covered with sharkskin or wrapped in such a way that the hilt does not slip in the hands. Katana weight about 4 kg. The guard of both swords was small, only slightly covering the hand, had a round, petal or multifaceted shape. It was called "tsuba".
Katana and other Japanese swords were kept on a special stand - Katanakake.
Katana, has several varieties, one of them is Ko-katana (kokatana) - a variant of a short katana, which, along with a katana, is included 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, a blade length of 520 mm.
Kokatana 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 an opponent. To carry a katana behind the back, special scabbards were used (Watarimaki is part of the scabbard of the Japanese bladed weapons touching the back when worn). There is a Coupling on the scabbard - a ring that surrounds the scabbard, with the help of which it is attached to the harness or belt.
Katana is the most modern and perfect view Japanese edged weapons, its production has been perfected for 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 blade curvature, overall it is less than that of the Tachi. Their exterior finish is also different. It is much simpler and stricter than Tati's. Has a round tsuba. The tachi was usually worn with the blade down, paired with the koshigatana.
Tanto - small samurai sword
Kozuka - Japanese combat knife used as a melee or throwing weapon. V Everyday life served as a household knife.
Ta-chi - a single-edged sword of small curvature, worn on the back. Total length 710 mm.
In addition to Daise, a samurai could also wear Nodachi - "field sword" with a blade longer than a meter 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 the defeat of cavalry troops.
Nodachi
Katana - the strongest sword in the world
Katana production technology is very complex - special steel processing, multi-layer (repeated) forging, hardening, etc. Katanas are the strongest swords in the world, they are able to cut materials of almost any hardness, be it meat, bones, iron. Masters who know the art of katana fighting in a battle with a warrior armed with an ordinary European sword could cut this sword into two parts, the samurai's strike force and katana steel made it possible to do this (Monuchi is the part of the blade of the blade in Japanese bladed weapons, which accounts for the main force hit).
A katana could be equally easily stabbed and cut. 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 the sword to describe a wide amplitude without much effort. Both the Katana and the straight European sword of a knight weigh a lot, but the principles for performing chopping blows are completely different. Most of strikes are applied in a vertical plane. There is almost no division into “block strike” accepted in Europe. There are knockback blows to the hands or weapons of the enemy, throwing his weapon out of the line of attack and making it possible to deliver a striking blow to the enemy in the next step.
Weaknesses of the katana
Speaking about the features of the manufacturing technology of the samurai sword, it is worth noting the weaknesses of this process, namely, gaining greater hardness and power along the axis of the blade, given type the sword is more vulnerable if hit on its flat side. With such a blow, you can even knock out a Katana with a short mace (or Okinawan nunchucks, which were specially used to break samurai swords). And if the European sword usually breaks at a distance of the palm or two fingers from the guard, then the Japanese one 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 strikes with such a blade, the speed of the tip of the sword (Kisaki) exceeded the speed of sound. And if we take into account the fact that Katana swords are among the most durable in the world, then the conclusion suggests itself.
Tachi - a sword as long as a katana
Japanese long sword tachi. The wavy hamon pattern on the blade is clearly visible.
The most ancient handmade katana (sheaths for katana were also 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 brand 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 such famous swords were obtained as: Three - a Tibetan sword that copies the samurai; Taijinjian (Chinese sword of the great limit) a type of jian; Korean sword, the Japanese name for 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 (clutch) - Fuchi,
- Cord - Ito (Ito),
- Blade - Kami,
- The upper ring (head) of the handle is Kashira,
- Entrance to the scabbard - Koiguchi,
- The tip of the scabbard - Kojiri (Kojiri),
- Tie loop - Kurikata,
- Bamboo wedge for fixing the blade in the handle - Mekugi (Mekugi),
- Decoration on the handle under (or above) braid - Menuki (Menuki),
- Shank - Nakago,
- Ties - Sageo (Sageo),
- Stingray leather on the handle - Same (Same),
- Scabbard - Saya,
- Laying between the guard and the ring (washer) - Seppa,
- Hammer for dismantling the sword - Tetsu,
- Blade - Tosin,
- Garda - Tsuba (Tsuba),
- Handle - Tsuka (Tsuka),
- Braid - Tsukamaki,
- Clutch for fixing the sword in the scabbard - Habaki.
Japanese short sword wakizashi. Blade and sword in scabbard.
Wakizashi is a short traditional Japanese sword.
Mostly used by samurai and worn on the belt. The length of the blade is from 30 cm to 61 cm. The total length is 50-80 cm. Wakizashi is similar in shape to a katana. It was worn in tandem with a katana, also plugged into the belt with the blade up.
In a pair of daisho (the two main swords of the samurai: long and short), the wakizashi was used as a short sword (shoto).
The samurai used the wakizashi as a weapon when the katana was unavailable or unusable. In the early periods of Japanese history, a small tanto sword was worn in place of the wakizashi. And also when a samurai put on armor, instead of katana and wakizashi, tachi and tanto were usually used. Entering the room, the warrior left the katana with the servant or on the katanakake. The wakizashi was always worn with him and was only removed if the samurai stayed for a long period of time. The bushi often referred to this sword as the "guardian of one's honor". Some schools of swordsmanship taught to use both the katana and the wakizashi at the same time.
Unlike the katana, which could only be worn by samurai, the wakizashi was reserved for merchants and artisans. They used this sword as a full-fledged weapon, because by status they did not have the right to wear a katana.
A more correct classification: Somewhat conventionally, it is possible to classify weapons according to the length of the blade. "Tanto" should 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.
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