Samurai swords are chronicles of how Japan has evolved and are believed to date back as far as 4500 BC. Let’s see how samurai swords unfold to become the swords they are today through the four periods in Japanese history.- Ancient Sword (Chokuto or Ken) Period - until A.D. 900
The Ancient Sword (Chokuto or Ken) or period of antiquity is the time before 900 AD. Swords in this period were made chiefly by smiths in China or Korea or by the early Japanese smiths. The tempering was faulty although they were made of steel. It is common to find most swords of the straight (Chokuto) type. Locations in Japan primarily as centers of the sword making profession were in Yamato, Mutsu and San-in. They maybe manufactured in Japan yet are mere imitation of Chinese blades. During this period, many high-ranking officers carry expensive swords imported from China. Models made from an imitated Chinese sword were gradually developed into typical swords. The first Samurai swords were so thin which bends upon holding them parallel to the ground.
- Old Sword (Koto) Period - 900 to 1573
New forging techniques in Japan served as a signal of the Koto period. It came about following the disintegration of the peaceful civil administration under the Fujiwara clan in the latter half of the Heian period. Power was only gained by means of warfare. The opportunity for wars for power was numerous making it practical for samurais to adopt the sword for combat. The samurai leaders maximize the full function of their warriors on horseback at the battle fronts. Swords were designed with a cutting edge of four feet or more as an effective weapon for wars. Swords smith developed the techniques and style producing the unique look and durability of samurai swords.
The predominant weapons used were bows and arrows, naginata and swords. Swords became an everyday weapon and were carried constantly for most samurai. Soon, the straight and thin sword prior to this period was replaced by a single-bladed sword with curvature. It was suitable for slashing rather than stabbing. The transition of the blade design of swords took longer time. It became the standard style of samurai swords yet few swords made during the transitory period still exist today.- New Sword Period (Shinto) - 1574 to 1868
The new sword period is believed to cover from 1574 to the modern period beginning in 1868. Samurai warriors used to carry one sword before this phase. During Shinto period, it saw an important development of samurai warriors carrying two swords. The katana sword was the longer of the two swords and measured between 60cm - 76cm long. Katana swords functioned as the samurai’s primary weapon. The second sword was called the “wakizashi” and measured approximately 45cm long. The partner sword of Katana was primarily ceremonial. The period also saw a decrease in production of samurai swords brought about the outlawing of sword possession by farmers along with the coming to power of the Tokugawa clan which brought with it 250 years of peace.
- Modern Sword Period (Gendaito) - 1868 to the present
The modern sword period is the last period of samurai swords. It represents the time period from 1868 to the present. Emperor Meiji oversaw the historic position of modernizing Japan. Feudalism was abolished during this time feudalism enabling the reign of the Samurai Warrior. The Emperor saw the samurai sword as a national art form and allowed sword smiths to continue their work despite the fact that feudalism was dead. When the American occupying force stayed in Japan, they outlawed the production of swords for seven years. It is said that the prohibition of sword making caused massive problems for modern sword makers which took decades to reach the quality achieved in previous centuries.
