Japanese medieval swords: history, classification and manufacturing features. Japanese medieval swords: history, classification and manufacturing features One-handed katana and two-handed swords

Although the skill of a warrior depends on many factors and characteristics, I will give a general comparison of the weapons of a knight and a samurai from the late 14th to early 15th centuries.

Knight and crossbowman of the late XIV - early XV centuries. The knight has a tophelm harness on his head, his torso is protected by brigant armor, and chain mail is on his limbs. In his hands is a battle ax and a small shield, and in his sheath is a one-handed, double-edged straight sword. The crossbowman has a chapel on his head, his torso is also covered with brigand armor, and he has chain mail protection on his limbs and metal knee pads on his legs.
1. Swords, sabers, checkers:
The knights used one-handed double-edged straight swords about 1 meter long and half-tara swords 1.2 and 1.5 meters long. Knights did not carry very bulky swords.
Japanese samurai did not use katanas, but tachi and nodachi sabers. Tachi were 90~120cm long and nodachi were 130~200cm long.
European swords were better controlled and controlled, they were easier to fencing, and japanese sabers had a large affected area and during an impact formed a triangular lever due to their shape, which increased the force of the blows. And samurai sabers were often sharpened on the reverse side in order to reduce the time for rearranging the sword, turning the saber into something like a sickle on the reverse side. There can be no talk of fencing here: the Japanese were hacking away while the Europeans were replaying fencing training in their heads. +1 in favor of samurai.

2. Polearms:
Knights used horse pikes, halberds and glaives. The horse pike had enormous energy when ramming, and the halberd and glaive combined several weapons.
Samurai used yari spears, which were inferior in length to European pikes, as well as naginatas, which did not combine several weapons, thus losing to glaives and halberds. +1 in favor of the knights.

3. Ranged weapons:
The knights used large simple bows, as well as crossbows, and were forced to dismount when shooting.
Samurai used asymmetrical composite bows, as well as crossbows, and were able to shoot from the saddle, which is why the samurai was more mobile than a knight. +1 in favor of samurai.

4. Shields:
European knights wore oak large rectangular or teardrop-shaped shields with an iron edge and umbon.
And the samurai used tate shields, which were boards fastened with nails and did not have an iron edge, and were often even devoid of umbon, being used mainly for protection from arrows, but in the absence of a better shield they were also used in close combat. +1 in favor of the knights.

5. Armor:
European knights wore brigand and splint armor, as well as plate armor (there was no plate armor yet!). Brigantine armor consisted of three layers - on the outside there was reinforced leather (sometimes covered with fabric on the outside), on the inside there were metal plates sewn or riveted onto a gambeson. Splint armor most often consisted of splint protection for limbs, when metal strips (most often in the form of rings) were attached to leggings and bracers. On the palms are mittens made of chain mail or gloves made of durable cowhide. On his head is a chain mail hauberk (something like a balaclava, but made of chain mail). At this time, classic Gothic armor appeared. The legs were protected by chain mail pants or shoss (men's tights).
Japanese samurai wore plate laminar-lemellar armor, inside of which there was light brigand armor worn on a cotton underarmor. The arms also had limb splints or plates. In addition, in equestrian combat, laminar or lemellar, as well as scaly shields were worn to protect against arrows.
European armor provided poor protection from arrows, but provided better protection in close combat thanks to high-quality chain mail. Japanese armor protected well from arrows, but provided worse protection in close combat. The fastenings of Japanese plates were not inferior in strength to European ones - there were no decorative elements or numerous decorated lacing on the combat armor; basically, the armor was fastened with iron rivets, nails, rings, or inconspicuous silk threads. On ceremonial and decorative armor there is a lot of lacing, paint, varnish, horns and much more that is not found in battle armor at all. Since no armor is superior to another in protective properties or lightness and convenience, it turns out to be a draw.

6. Physiological data:
A European knight could be 140 cm tall and a giant 180 cm tall. Basically, the average height of knights was somewhere between 148 and 172 cm.
A Japanese samurai could also be 140 cm tall and a giant 180 cm tall. In general, the average height of a samurai was somewhere between 147 and 173 cm. Genetics and nutrition played an important role. Samurai consumed no less protein than European knights, the only question was that their protein sources differed, but were comparable in nutritional value. Another factor is that height does not factor into physical strength. And since both knights and samurai were mostly sinewy people, and their strength was not so much in the volume of muscles, but rather in tendons and nerves. Tendons turned joints into powerful levers, and high power current in the nerves made it possible to increase the physical strength of the warrior. Draw.

7. Equipment weight:
European one-handed sword weighed 1 kg.
The European half-handed sword weighed 2-2.5 kg.
The Japanese Tachi saber weighed 2-3 kg.
Nodachi weighed 4-5 kg.
Glaives and halberds weighed 8-9 kg.
Horse lances weighed 9-10 kg.
The Japanese naginata weighed 7-8 kg.
The Yari spear weighed 8-9 kg.
The European crossbow weighed 6-10 kg.
The European bow weighed 3-5 kg.
The Japanese crossbow weighed 5-8 kg.
The Japanese bow weighed 3-4 kg.
The European teardrop shield weighed 6-8 kg.
The European rectangular large shield weighed 8-9 kg.
The Japanese tate shield weighed 7-8 kg.
European armor weighed 15-20 kg.
Japanese armor weighed 14-22 kg.

The knights scored 2 points.
Samurai scored 2 points.
So it turns out to be a draw. Each warrior had strengths and weaknesses that compensate and balance each other. No matter how much you would like one warrior to be stronger than another, history clearly shows that this is not the case. For example, German warriors led by the leader Arminius defeated the Roman legions of Quintilius Varus in the Teutoburg Forest. And it would seem - how were the “primitively armed” Germans able to defeat entire legions? No, the German soldiers were not worse equipped, they were simply equipped differently. As history teaches, there is no single “indicator of strength” like in computer games...

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. "bigger and smaller") and consisted of Daito (" bigger sword"), we will call it Katana, which was the main weapon of the samurai, and Seto ("lesser sword"), in the future Wakazashi, who served as a spare or additional weapons, 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. Got attached special cord Sageo, this cord could also be used to tie up an opponent. 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 worn with the blade facing down in tandem with a koshigatana.

Tanto - small samurai sword.

Kozuka - Japanese combat knife used as a bladed weapon throwing weapon. In everyday life it 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 right hand holds her near the guard. The simultaneous movement of both hands allows you to describe a wide amplitude with the sword without much effort. Both the Katana and the straight European sword of a knight weigh a lot, but the principles for performing cutting 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 the weaknesses of this process, namely, while gaining greater hardness and power along the axis of the blade, this type of sword is 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. 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 early periods In 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.

Any story about historical edged weapons would be incomplete without a story about medieval Japanese swords. This unique weapon for many centuries it faithfully served its masters - the fierce samurai warriors. In recent decades, the katana sword seems to be experiencing a rebirth; interest in it is enormous. The Japanese sword has already become an element popular culture, the katana is “loved” by Hollywood directors, creators of anime and computer games.

It was believed that the spirits of all its previous owners lived in the sword, and the samurai was just the guardian of the blade, and he was obliged to pass it on to future generations. The samurai's will always included a clause in which his swords were distributed among his sons. If good sword If there was an unworthy or incompetent owner, then in this case they said: “The sword is crying.”

The history of these weapons, the secrets of their manufacture and the fencing techniques used by medieval Japanese warriors are of no less interest today. However, before moving on to our story, a few words should be said about the very definition of a samurai sword and its classification.

Katana is a long Japanese sword, with a blade length from 61 to 73 cm, with a slight bend in the blade and one-sided sharpening. There are other types of Japanese swords, mainly they differ in their dimensions and purpose. Moreover, the word “katana” in modern Japanese means any sword. If we talk about the European classification of edged weapons, then the katana is not a sword at all, it is a typical saber with a one-sided sharpening and a curved blade. The shape of the Japanese sword is very similar to a checker. However, in the tradition of the Land of the Rising Sun, a sword is any type (well, almost any) of a bladed weapon that has a blade. Even a naginata, similar to a European medieval glaive, with a two-meter handle and a blade at the end, is still called a sword in Japan.

It is much easier for historians to study the Japanese sword than European or Middle Eastern historical edged weapons. And there are several reasons:

• The Japanese sword has been used in the relatively recent past. The katana (this weapon had a special name gun-to) was widely used during the Second World War;
• Unlike Europe, a large number of ancient Japanese swords have survived to this day. Weapons that are several centuries old are often in excellent condition;
• The production of swords using traditional medieval technologies continues in Japan today. Today, about 300 blacksmiths are engaged in the manufacture of these weapons, all of them have special state licenses;
• The Japanese have carefully preserved the basic techniques of sword fighting.

Story

The Iron Age began relatively late in Japan; only by the 7th century did Japanese blacksmiths master the technology of making weapons from multilayer steel. Until this point, iron swords were imported into the country from China and Korea. The most ancient Japanese swords were most often straight and had a double-edged sharpening.

Heian period (IX-XII centuries). During this period, the Japanese sword received its traditional curve. At this time, central state power weakened, and the country plunged into a series of endless internecine wars and entered a long period of self-isolation. A caste of samurai - professional warriors - began to form. At the same time, the skill of Japanese gunsmiths increased significantly.

Most of the fights took place on horseback, so the place straight sword the long saber gradually took over. Initially it had a bend near the handle, later it shifted to an area 1/3 from the end of the tang. It was during the Heian period that the appearance of the Japanese sword was finally formed, and the technology for its manufacture was developed.

Kamakura period (XII-XIV centuries). The significant improvement in armor that occurred during this period led to changes in the shape of the sword. They were aimed at increasing the striking power of weapons. Its top became more massive, the mass of blades increased. It became much more difficult to fencing with such a sword with one hand, so they were mainly used in foot fights. This historical period is considered the “golden age” for the traditional Japanese sword; later, many blade manufacturing technologies were lost. Today blacksmiths are trying to restore them.

Muromachi period (XIV-XVI centuries). During this historical period, very long swords began to appear, the dimensions of some of them exceeding two meters. Such giants are the exception rather than the rule, but the general trend was obvious. A long period of constant wars required a large number of edged weapons, often at the expense of a decrease in their quality. In addition, the general impoverishment of the population led to the fact that few people could afford a truly high-quality and expensive sword. At this time, Tatar furnaces became widespread, which made it possible to increase the total amount of steel produced. The tactics of fights are changing; now it is important for a fighter to get ahead of his opponent in delivering the first blow, which is why katana swords are becoming more and more popular. Towards the end of this period, the first firearms, which changes battle tactics.

Momoyama period (XVI century). During this period, the Japanese sword became shorter, and a pair of daishos came into use, which later became classic: the long katana sword and the short wakizashi sword.

All the periods described above belong to the so-called Age of Old Swords. At the beginning of the 17th century, the Age of New Swords (Shinto) began. At this time, many years of civil strife ceased in Japan, and peace reigned. Therefore, the sword somewhat loses its combat significance. The Japanese sword becomes an element of costume, a symbol of status. Weapons begin to be richly decorated, much more attention is paid to them appearance. However, this reduces his fighting qualities.

After 1868, the Age of Modern Swords begins. Weapons forged after this year are called gendai-to. In 1876, the wearing of swords was prohibited. This decision dealt a serious blow to the samurai warrior caste. A large number of blacksmiths who made blades lost their jobs or were forced to retrain. Only at the beginning of the last century a campaign for a return to traditional values ​​began.

The highest part for a samurai was to die in battle with a sword in his hands. In 1943, the plane carrying Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (the same one who led the attack on Pearl Harbor) was shot down. When the charred body of the admiral was taken out from under the wreckage of the plane, they found a katana in the hands of the dead man, with which he met his death.

At the same time, swords began to be manufactured industrially for the armed forces. And although they outwardly resembled a samurai combat sword, these weapons no longer had any relation to the traditional blades made in earlier periods.

After the final defeat of the Japanese in World War II, the victors issued an order to destroy all traditional Japanese swords, but thanks to the intervention of historians, this was soon canceled. The production of swords using traditional technologies was resumed in 1954. A special organization “Society for the Preservation of Artistic Japanese Swords” was created, its main task was to preserve the traditions of making katanas as part of the cultural heritage of the Japanese nation. Currently, there is a multi-stage system for assessing the historical and cultural value of Japanese swords.

Japanese classification of swords

What other swords, besides the famous katana, exist (or existed in the past) in Japan. The classification of swords is quite complex; in the Land of the Rising Sun it refers to scientific disciplines. What will be described below is just short review, which gives only a general idea of ​​the issue. Currently, the following types of Japanese swords are distinguished:

• Katana. The most famous type of Japanese sword. It has a blade length of 61 to 73 cm, with a rather wide and thick curved blade. Outwardly, it is very similar to another Japanese sword - tachi, but differs from it in the smaller bend of the blade, the way it is worn, and also (but not always) in length. The katana was not just a weapon, but also an invariable attribute of the samurai, part of his costume. The warrior simply did not leave home without this sword. The katana could be worn in a belt or on special ties. It was stored on a special horizontal stand, which was placed at the warrior’s head at night;
• Tati. This is a Japanese long sword. It has more bend than a katana. The length of the tati blade starts from 70 cm. In the past, this sword was usually used for mounted combat and during parades. Stored on a vertical stand with the handle down in peacetime and with the handle up during war. Sometimes one more of this type of Japanese sword stands out - O-dachi. These blades were significant in size (up to 2.25 m);
• Wakizashi. A short sword (blade 30-60 cm), which together with the katana forms the standard weapon of a samurai. Wakizashi could be used for fighting in tight spaces, and it was also used in conjunction with long sword in some fencing techniques. These weapons could be carried not only by samurai, but also by representatives of other classes;
• Tanto. A dagger or knife with a blade up to 30 cm long. Used for cutting off heads, as well as for committing hara-kiri, and for other, more peaceful purposes;
• Tsurugi. A double-edged straight sword that was used in Japan until the 10th century. This name is often given to any ancient swords;
• Ninja or shinobi-gatana. This is the sword that was used by the famous Japanese medieval spies - ninjas. In appearance, it was practically no different from a katana, but it was shorter. The sheath of this sword was thicker; the elusive shinobi hid a whole arsenal of spies in them. By the way, ninjas were not worn on the back, because it was extremely inconvenient. The exception was when a warrior needed his hands free, for example, if he decided to climb a wall;
• Naginata. This is a type of bladed weapon, which was a slightly curved blade mounted on a long wooden shaft. It resembled a medieval glaive, but the Japanese also classify naginata as a sword. Naginata fighting continues to this day;
• Gong something. Army sword of the last century. These weapons were manufactured industrially and sent in huge quantities to the army and navy;
• Bokken. Wooden training sword. The Japanese treat it with no less respect than a real military weapon.

Making a Japanese sword

There are legends about the hardness and sharpness of Japanese swords, as well as about the blacksmithing art of the Land of the Rising Sun itself.

Gunsmiths occupied a high place in social hierarchy medieval Japan. Making a sword was considered a spiritual, almost mystical act, so they prepared for it accordingly.

Before starting the process, the master spent a lot of time in meditation, he prayed and fasted. Often, blacksmiths wore the robes of a Shinto priest or a court ceremonial costume while working. Before the forging process began, the forge was thoroughly cleaned, and amulets were hung at its entrance, designed to scare away evil spirits and attract good ones. During the work, the forge became a sacred place; only the blacksmith himself and his assistant could enter it. During this period, family members (except women) were prohibited from entering the workshop, while women were not allowed to enter the forge at all, for fear of their evil eye.

When making a sword, the blacksmith ate food cooked on a sacred fire, and there was a strict taboo on animal food, strong drinks, and sexual contacts.

The Japanese obtained metal for the manufacture of edged weapons in Tatar furnaces, which can be called a local version of an ordinary domnitsa.

Blades are usually made of two main parts: a shell and a core. To make the sword's shell, a package of iron and high-carbon steel is welded together. It is folded and forged many times. The main task of the blacksmith at this stage is to achieve homogenization of the steel and clean it of impurities.

For the core of a Japanese sword, mild steel is used, and it is also forged many times.

As a result, to make a sword blank, the master receives two bars, made of durable high-carbon and soft steel. When making a katana from solid steel, a profile is formed in the shape Latin letter V, into which a block of mild steel is inserted. It is somewhat shorter than the overall length of the sword and does not reach the tip a little. There is also a more complex technology for making a katana, it consists in forming a blade from four bars of steel: the tip and cutting edges of the weapon are made from the hardest steel, a slightly less hard metal is used on the sides, and the core is made of soft iron. Sometimes the butt of a Japanese sword is made from a separate piece of metal. After welding the parts of the blade, the master shapes its cutting edges, as well as the tip.

However, the “main feature” of Japanese swordsmiths is considered to be sword hardening. It is the special heat treatment technique that gives the katana its incomparable properties. It differs significantly from similar technologies that were used by blacksmiths in Europe. It should be admitted that in this matter, Japanese masters have advanced much further than their European colleagues.

Before hardening, a Japanese blade is coated with a special paste made from clay, ash, sand, and stone dust. The exact composition of the paste was kept strictly secret and passed down from father to son. An important nuance is that the paste is applied to the blade unevenly: a thin layer of the substance was applied to the blade and tip, and a much thicker one was applied to the side edges and butt. After this, the blade was heated to a certain temperature and hardened in water. Areas of the blade covered with a thicker layer of paste cooled more slowly and became softer, and the cutting surfaces obtained the greatest hardness with such hardening.

If everything is done correctly, then a clear boundary appears on the blade between the hardened area of ​​the blade and the rest. It's called jamon. Another indicator of the quality of the blacksmith’s work was the whitish tint of the blade’s butt, it is called utsubi.

Further refinement of the blade (polishing and grinding) is usually carried out by a special master, whose work is also highly valued. In general, more than ten people can make and decorate a blade; the process is very specialized.

After this, the sword must pass tests; in ancient times, specially trained people did this. Tests were carried out on rolled up mats and sometimes on corpses. It was especially honorable to test the new sword on a living person: a criminal or a prisoner of war.

Only after testing the blacksmith stamps his name on the tang, and the sword is considered ready. Work on mounting the handle and guard is considered auxiliary. The katana handle was usually covered with stingray skin and wrapped with a silk or leather cord.

The fighting qualities of Japanese swords and their comparison with European swords

Today the katana can be called the most popular sword in the world. It is difficult to name another type of bladed weapon around which there are so many myths and outright fairy tales. The Japanese sword is called the pinnacle of blacksmithing in the history of mankind. However, one can argue with such a statement.

Research carried out by specialists using the latest methods has shown that European swords (including ancient period) were not much inferior to their Japanese counterparts. The steel that European blacksmiths used to make weapons turned out to be no worse refined than the material of Japanese blades. They were welded from many layers of steel and had selective hardening. When studying European blades, modern Japanese masters were involved, and they confirmed high quality medieval weapons.

The problem is that very few examples of European bladed weapons have survived to our time. Those swords that are discovered during archaeological excavations, are usually in poor condition. There are particularly revered European swords that have survived centuries and are today in museums in good condition. But there are very few of them. In Japan, due to the special attitude towards edged weapons, a huge number of ancient swords have survived to our time, and the condition of most of them can be called ideal.

A few words should be said about the strength and cutting characteristics of Japanese swords. Without a doubt, the traditional katana is an excellent weapon, the quintessence of the centuries-old experience of Japanese gunsmiths and warriors, but it is still not capable of cutting “iron like paper.” Scenes from films, games and anime, where the Japanese sword is without special effort cutting stones, plate armor or other metal objects should be left to the writers and directors. Such abilities lie beyond the capabilities of steel and contradict the laws of physics.

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Katana. Even the word itself cuts the air, flying from the lips, like its sharp blade, which cuts the hair lengthwise without any effort.

How many times in a wide variety of films have we seen stern men (and sometimes women) who bravely shred enemies of all stripes and types into small rags. This type of two-handed sword appears in books, art, sculpture, video games and movies. Any more or less pretentious hero, who may not have anything to do with the East, stands in a flowing cloak and shreds his adversaries with a constant grin. Blood flows like a river, pathos is maintained, the viewer is satisfied.

To have a more complete idea of ​​what this type of blade is, we should turn to the concept of what this type of weapon is:

If you are a collector and do not want to stumble upon a fake, then you should pay attention to the jamon (it has a certain form due to forging and hardening techniques). Particular attention should be paid to the handle, which is necessarily covered with stingray skin and entwined with a silk ribbon.

If you have a combat katana in front of you, then it is covered with either stingray or plain leather. But if the handle is wooden, or even ivory, then this is a ceremonial or decorative katana.

Manufacturing:

To understand how valuable the katana is, and why even today it costs cosmic money, it is worth turning to the process of its manufacture. Incredibly painstaking, complex and multifaceted, it can take up to six weeks.

To make such a sword they use special kind steel, which is called “tamahagane”. Pieces of this iron are placed together, filled with clay mass, sprinkled with ash and wait until all the slag has come off. When melted, all unnecessary impurities come out along with the clay, and the resulting block is turned into a cake. Then this metal sheet is folded again and flattened again. After some time, there are almost 12 times more such layers; By the way, it is somewhat reminiscent of pasta dough, which is rolled many times, thereby distributing its thickness evenly along the entire length.

As a result, there are about 4,000 such layers (more precisely, 2¹²), and all of this is handmade.

It is worth remembering that even in the classic form of forging, pure steel is not used, and softer material is necessarily added to it, thereby protecting the sword from breaking at the most inopportune moment.

When the workpiece is completely ready for use, the blade is pulled out to its usual shape, and then a layer of special liquefied clay is applied, thereby making a recognizable pattern on the blade - hamon.

Then the blade is hardened in water and fire, as well as in solutions that will be specific only to a certain blacksmith shop.

This diagram shows a cross-section of the katana:

Now let's take a walk based on the design of the legendary sword.

But before we get into the specification, we should take a look at general scheme sword structures:

There are about 12 variations of the tip (depending on the metal) and their cost:

• Maru- the most budget design of all. It is used in tanto and ko-wakizashi. All the cheapness lies in the ordinaryness of the layers, and also in the fact that the grade of steel is the same (without impurities).
• Kobuse- an equally budget version from World War II, which, due to its cheapness, was in great demand among the army.
• Khonsammai- the most popular design. Here both side parts are reinforced with steel plates of more average hardness. This sword is durable and also has an unhardened butt, which prevents the sword from breaking. Take a closer look at old swords: it is in this place that traces of blows are visible.
• Shihozume- a type that looks like a honsanmai, which has an iron strip of increased rigidity at the back.
• Makuri- the design is simple to the point of disgrace: inside is a soft heart, and outside is hard steel.
• Wariha tetsu- lightweight and simple design with increased flexibility.
• Orikaeshi sammai-a more advanced form of honsanmai.
• Gomai- the option is absolutely strange and unusual, as it resembles a sandwich: hard iron in the middle, a soft middle layer and a hard steel shell.
• Soshu kitae- the most complex design that combines 7 layers of steel. Invented by master blacksmith Masamune, it is a reference work.

Next comes polishing to a mirror shine, and then they make a handle (here the scope for imagination is limitless), which is cut out in a couple of days.

For a more detailed idea of ​​the structure of this amazing sword, I present to your attention this photograph, however, there are no tassels on the hilt:

In addition to its aesthetics, the katana has proven to be an excellent weapon. But before we move on to a more detailed analysis of it, it is worth answering some questions

How to wear a katana correctly?

Is it true that a katana is a cutting weapon and not a chopping weapon?

To answer first question, we should look into history and go to a time when Japan ceased to be a state fragmented by wars and wearing a katana became more of a tradition than a combat necessity.

Let's go back to the Sengoku era, during which the basic rules for wearing a katana were developed.

Swords (a katana is paired with a wakizashi) are always worn on the left, with the sheath tucked behind the upper belt of the kimono (obi), with the blade pointing to the sky. As for the wearing traditions in civil times, the samurai, before entering the house, took out the sword and then took it in accordance with the situation: if problems are possible, then left hand, if as a sign of trust, then to the right. If it was necessary to sit down, the katana was placed nearby so that it could be reached by hand, while the wakizashi was not removed (the samurai kept it in a sheath that was tucked into the belt).

An interesting fact regarding the high value of the katana itself for the Japanese warrior is illustrated by the history of the Second World War. At all times, it was considered the highest valor to die during battle, clutching the hilt of your sword in your hand. In 1943, the plane of Ishiroku Yamamoto, an admiral, was shot down, whose charred body was found in the wreckage of the plane. In the hands of the dead man his katana was clenched, which was with the owner until the very end: on the ground and in the air.

Another eerie tradition associated with the accompanying sword is the ritual of seppuku, also known as hara-kiri.

By the way, the rules for wearing and storing are called mounting (kosirae), this design also includes a sheath.

When the sword does not have to be used often, it is stored in a special scabbard made of rough wood, often magnolia. This type of wood has the properties of protecting steel from corrosion and other damage.

In some modern versions, the sword is produced with an unfinished scabbard, without varnish or decoration; By the way, this type of unattractive box gained popularity in the 19th century, after the emperor banned wearing a sword in public.

It was during this period that a new one appeared. Why not spy games?

Installation (koshirae) in detail:

It is worth noting that a complete installation consists of the following parts (be careful when purchasing supposedly original swords, if some details are missing, this is a reason to bargain):

• habaki(a coupling that is attached to the tail section under the guard, which serves to securely fix the sword in the sheath).
• tsuba(guard)
• seppa(washer under and above the tsuba)
• footy(coupling between tsuba and handle)
• Samegawa(handle cover made of regular leather or stingray)
• tsuka-ito(silk or leather ribbon for braiding the handle)
• Menuki(handle decor under the braid)
• kashira or tsuka-gashira(cap at the end of the handle)

The decorations are futi, menuki and kashira, which are the same in theme and patterns.

By the way, this photo shows a tsuba from the Edo period:

Now let's answer second question: Is it true that a katana is a cutting weapon? Yes, despite the common misconception, as well as the incorrect presentation in films and games, a katana is primarily a cutting weapon, and only then a piercing weapon. But in no case is it slashing (unless you want to chop bamboo with it), since the fighting style is not conducive to slashing movements. Moreover, because of this manner of fighting, the katana was created with the expectation of a cutting blow (one-sided blade and cut tip):

Masters and schools:

And then great masters and schools appear on the horizon. Since we have found out that this is a cutting weapon, then perhaps it is worth figuring out who was the most skillful and deadly legislator of the eastern school of sword fighting:

The oldest schools of katana fighting date back to the 15th-16th centuries.

The main idea of ​​Japanese fencing (kendyutsu) and its techniques (for example, iaido) is that, due to the design of the sword, blows should not be struck in the Western manner (that is, chopping), but along the plane of the blade, delivering cutting blows. Therefore, when they talk about the Japanese school of fencing, the specifics of the weapon itself stand out: length and curvature.

There are several variations of schools and training, which were perfectly described in his book by the swordsman Miyamoto Musashi (“The Book of Five Rings”).

He himself devotes Special attention his own two-sword technique (niten-ryu), and also substantiates it from an esoteric perspective. The master says that working with a katana and the accompanying sword is similar to escrima (in modern concept: Arnis de mano)

The art of Japanese fencing has undergone many changes and evolutionary processes, for example:

Kenjutsu turned into gendai budo.

Iaido(surprise attack and counterattack) has a more meditative form and fights an imaginary enemy.

Kendo(fighting) instead of a combat discipline turned into a sports one. As in the Western style of rapier fencing, there is also a set of face protection and armor. How much of this is athletic or military training varies depending on the style (ryu).

To this day, Japan abounds in a wide variety of schools of traditional fencing that have survived the imperial ban (Meiji era) on wearing katana and other types of swords. The most famous schools: Kashima Shinto Ryu, Kashima Shin Ryu and Katori Shinto Ryu

12 Defects that can be found when examining a katana:

As mentioned at the beginning, a katana costs exorbitant amounts of money, and the older it is, the more valuable it is. When choosing such a weapon, you should pay attention to possible defects. They are critical, there are fixable ones, and there are those that make the sword completely damaged and unsuitable for battle. How to recognize them, as well as their names (and a picture with a visual example), will be given below:

Karasunokuchi (1). Crack inside the blade. Such a crack, when passing through a parallel plane, divides parts with and without hardening in half. May be reflected in the shape of the sword. If it affects the shape, then the sword is defective.

Shinae (2). A small defect at the bend appears as a result of metal fatigue. It runs along the perpendicular part of the blade, most often in the area with unhardened steel. Not a critical defect.

Fukure(3). Jambs from the welding process. Mostly leftovers. They appear after polishing, spoil the aesthetics and reduce the strength of the sword.

Kirikomi (4). Defect on the back of the blade due to the beating guard. Easily erased when polished. An indicator of the use of a sword in battle. Not a serious defect.

Umegane (5). Kuznetsk patch that covers some kind of jamb. This thing is made to seal the inner layer of steel, which bleeds through frequent polishing.

Hagire (6). A notch on the jamon, or a strong bend that provokes a very small crack - hagire. The notch is often visible, but the crack is not, and it is this that is the most dangerous jamb.

Hakobore (7). It's just a very noticeable cylindrical notch, which is often the cause of cracks.

Hajimi (8) A matte area that often occurs after multiple sharpenings. The sword may lose its shine. Not dangerous.

Nioi gire (9). The reason is poor hardening.

Such a defect can be well masked by grinding, but not in all cases.

Mizukage (10). Dark area on the cutting part. The reason is several hardenings or coolings.

Shintetsu (11) Multiple polishing defect. An erased area of ​​the top layer of steel, under which the core of the sword appears. This is also metal fatigue.

Tsukare (12)(it's not in the picture). A sharpened sword from constant grinding and sharpening. Tired and old sword.

Rules for caring for a katana:

Like any expensive item, a katana needs care. There are several rules for its care, cleaning and polishing:

Notches remove with a polishing stone.

From old oil (camellias or carnations) and dirt clean with rice paper. Before cleaning, the paper is crumpled so as not to scratch the sword with small particles. If you don’t have rice paper on hand, you can clean the sword with a regular napkin without impurities or odors.

A dirty sword can be cleaned with lime. It has cleaning and polishing properties, and does not scratch the surface. Using a sheet of rice paper and chalk powder, you can scrub away any remaining oil and dirt.

After cleansing the blade is again opened with oils. You need to take a fresh sheet of paper or napkin. Can't take essential oils, (they are the most common in our open spaces). It must be applied in microscopic doses so that a thin film appears. In theory, two drops will be enough. Before returning the blade to its sheath, make sure that there is no excess oil left, otherwise dirt, dust and microcracks are guaranteed.

Frequency of repetition of procedures: once every 3 months, depending on the level of humidity in the air.

By the way, each sword can be safely break down into components:

1. A wedge made of bamboo or horn that secures the blade in the handle. It is pulled out using a mekuginuki, which is somewhat reminiscent of a hammer.
2. The blade itself, which can be seen in the picture below.

For those who like to do everything themselves: There is no need to disassemble the sword yourself; in the same way, you should remove rust yourself or polish the tang of old swords. This should be done by a specialist who can not only determine the age of the sword and its price, but also do everything correctly, without risk to the blade and your wallet.

This is what the sword looks like disassembled condition:

Legends and popular culture:

But where are we without legends? Everyone loves good story. In mythology, there are a lot of mythical weapons, but just like our guests, the legends will be associated with it.

One of the ancient legends is the Kusanagi sword - a holy sword that was presented to the great Amaterasu by the god Susanoo, and also has its place among the Three Great Treasures of the Emperor. According to legend, the sword was obtained from the tail of an eight-headed dragon. It is believed that the sword controlled the element of wind and had destructive power.

Another notable sword was the Muramasa sword, a sword that "awakens bloodlust" which, according to legend, survived the ordeal of the lotus river by cutting the flowers into strips.

There are also many historically oriented legends, I will give a few of them below:

It was believed that the blades of the blacksmith Monju from Chikuzen (Heian period) had a distinctive feature: they were incredibly sharp. His hand belonged to the legendary sword Higegiri, which translates as Beard Carver. They called it that because when cutting off an enemy’s head, the samurai also cut off his beard (which only added to the coolness of the blade).

Another eerie blade is Hizamaru (“Lord of the Knees”), which, when cutting off the head of a condemned man, in addition to the head itself, also cut off the kneecaps.

Another super-sharp blade was called Azuki (“bean”), which cut on the fly bean grain. The sword belonged to the forge of master Nagamitsu from the Kamakura period.

During World War II, soldiers Japanese army a pretentious and patriotic film was shown, intended for mass propaganda military power countries. The film showed a master swordsman cutting the barrel of a machine gun in half.

In fact, it is still not known how true this film was, since its legend has not been refuted.

But it is worth indicating the source of this idea. And the idea of ​​cutting a weapon with a blade appeared back in the 17th century, when Ono Hankei cut a gun in half.

Of course, even an uninitiated person understands that the barrel of a machine gun is designed to withstand higher loads than the gun from the old legend. But nevertheless, it's still a beautiful wartime bike that you don't want to destroy.

However, if you suddenly want to see how “MythBusters” are trying to destroy this myth, then this video can be found somewhere in the depths of YouTube.

In 1662, the blade tester Yamano cut two corpses with his Shinto brainchild, which were stacked one on top of the other. But, no matter how cool it may sound, Yamano's achievement was not at all unique, because for complete success it was necessary to cut up four corpses. This was due to the ongoing military conflicts, which gave rise to a lot of rumors among the samurai specifically about the cutting of four corpses.

Another legend not only among swords, but also among masters. There was a maestro of knife and sword fighting, Kajiwara Nagato, who was so skilled that he cut a swallow in mid-flight in a jump. This was due not only to the great man’s colossal skills, but also to his incredibly sharp sword.

Pop culture and video games also like to speculate on “legendary” swords.

For example, in manga and anime they often appear various forms katanas, knives and other pseudo-mythmic blades.

In the One Piece anime, there are as many as five types of katanas, from cursed to enchanted, with a variety of big names. For example: Wado Ichimonji, Yubashiri, Black Sword and similar shiny pathos.

Also, don't miss it Japanese theme and comrades from Hollywood, who recently shot the not-so-bad film “47 Ronin,” which is based on the legend of the same name. The number of legendary, fictional and simply beautiful katanas in one frame is off the charts. For lovers of beautifully choreographed battles, this is a must-see.

The Japanese, as befits people who are proud of their country, use many legends and myths in their mass culture, so if you suddenly want to see a heroic picture, go to the Japanese branch of the tracker.

In video games, they also don’t shy away from using swords left and right. For example, in the legendary series of games and anime Devil May Cry, there is an equally extensive arsenal of bladed weapons, of which we are interested in Yamato - the demonic katana that belonged to Dante's brother Virgil. She, like Dante's Rebel, is the legacy of Sparda, their demon father. According to the history of the Universe Devil May Cry, is capable of opening and closing gates between the worlds of demons and humans.

In general, as you can see, the katana is not only a beautiful weapon, but also a very widespread mass cultural phenomenon, which with its brilliance and cold sophistication will not leave even the most hardened pacifist indifferent.

This article contains the history of this truly amazing weapon, its manufacturing intricacies, as well as advice to potential buyers.

But, first of all, as an author and adviser, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that each sword has its own soul. If you buy such an authentic type of weapon, then take the trouble to give it a name. By the way, this belief arose on the basis of samurai superstitions, dating back to the times of Ako and other districts. It was believed that the better the name for the blade, the more faithful the weapon will be to its owner. Therefore you will never see a bad name. In addition to Japan, the tradition of naming weapons was also widespread in Europe, in particular in northern countries(Scandinavia, Germany, Finland, Norway). The local inhabitants, stern and cruel warriors, gave their swords, hammers, axes and halberds fearsome names. The most famous hammer from Scandinavia was Thor's hammer, and it had a slightly funny name - Mionmil.

As for places of purchase, if you have enough funds to truly Japanese katana, then the Land of the Rising Sun is always happy to meet admirers of its culture. But, if you are just an admirer of the East, and do not have fabulous funds in stock, then our online store provides a wide selection of a wide variety of swords, including katanas.

And that is all. Thank you for your attention and time. May your blade be forever sharp.

A sword with an outwardly curved blade more than 60 cm long (daito) with a long and straight handle, which makes it possible to use a two-handed grip. The slight bend of the blade and the pointed end also allow the use of piercing blows. Fighting with one hand is greatly complicated by the fact that

The katana has no pommel. The weight of the Japanese katana is traditional for swords of this type (approximately 1 - 1.5 kg).

Samurai sword katana photo

History and characteristics of the katana

The era of the samurai katana sword began in the 15th century as a result of the improvement of the tachi. The katana was used as the standard weapon of the samurai, mainly in pairs (the so-called daisho set - long and short) with a small wakizashi sword, which was used in close combat or hara-kiri. Only samurai were allowed to wear a katana. Katana is the most durable sword in the world, which made it possible to cut almost all materials - meat, bones and even iron. Professional katana wielders in a battle with a fighter using a European sword could cut this sword (the hardness of a katana blade is 60-65 HRC versus 50-58 HRC for the hardness of European swords).

Katana techniques

The long handle made it possible to effectively maneuver the katana. How to hold a katana correctly? The grip used was predominantly in which the end of the handle lies in the middle of the left palm, and the right hand squeezes the handle near the guard. The synchronized movement of both hands makes it possible to create a wide amplitude of the swing without large expenditures of force. Most blows are struck vertically. The division into “block-strike”, widespread in Europe, is practically not used. Instead, strikes are made to the opponent's sword or arms, removing his weapon from the trajectory of the attack and allowing a further swing to hit the opponent.

Katana grip

A real Japanese samurai katana sword can be distinguished by the characteristic hamon hardening line, which is formed as a result of the use of special forging and hardening methods, and by the tsuka hilt, which is wrapped in stingray skin and wrapped in a strip of silk. Plain leather could be used as a covering. Only souvenir and ceremonial katanas have wooden or ivory handles.

photo jamon hardening line

The blade is made from at least two different types of steel: tough at the core and tough at the core. cutting edge. Before forging, these components were cleaned by multiple folding and welding.

The sheath of the samurai katana sword is called saya; they are made of wood and have a varnish applied to their surface.

Photo sheath of katana saya

Carrying a katana

Japanese samurai swords The katana and wakizashi are worn with the blade up on the left side in a sheath that is placed behind the belt. When the samurai entered the house, he pulled out a katana from his belt. When threatened, he held the sword in his left hand, ready to fight, or, if he wanted to show trust, in his right. Sitting down, he put the sword on the floor within reach, while the wakizashi remained behind his belt. If there was no need to use the katana frequently, it was left at home in an undecorated shirasaya frame made of magnolia, which protected the sword from corrosion.

Carrying a katana

Katana video

A video demonstrating the basic techniques of wielding a katana and the technique of performing strikes.

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