![]() The familiar types of the katana sword first appeared during the Muromachi era within the years 1392 to 1573 AD since the Japaneses history of weapon craftsmanship goes all the way back to over two thousand years. While there is a well-defined limit to the large katanas length, its upper limit is not much enforced. Compared to the set length of the Odachi which is about three shaku, the large katana only has a measurement of over two shaku and not more than three.īlades that are much longer than two shaku are referred to as the daito or long katana, and to qualify as one, the swords blade should at least be longer than two shaku which is about twenty-four inches or sixty centimeters. In this day and age, the great swords are illegal in Japan so citizens are prohibited from possessing the Odachi unless its function is specifically for ceremonial purposes only. These types of swords were utilized during the warring period of Japan since these provided the foot soldiers better advantage when it came to their reach. ![]() The term Odachi is often utilized as the synonym of the Japanese sword since this means great sword while the Nodachi literally refers to field sword. ![]() The abnormally lengthy blades are called the Nodachi or Odachi and are often carried across the wielders back. The blade of a regular-sized samurai sword usually measures around twenty-five to twenty-nine inches while an O Katana has no set length but is usually thirty to thirty-nine inches. True to its name, the O Katana is much longer compared to the standard katana and although it is lengthier compared to other swords, it still features adequate mass, allowing the wielder to easily carry the weapon through tough targets while also having extended reach that is relative to regular katanas. ![]() This led to the development of tamahagane steel - a high-carbon steel that was used to make traditional Japanese swords like the katana.The O Katana is a word utilized during the modern times and also in the West it basically translates to large sword or long katana. However, swordsmiths discovered that adding carbon to their swords resulted in a stronger blade. In the early days of Japan's bladesmithing craft, swords and bladed weapons were produced with basic, low-carbon steel. This involves heating and cooling the katana's spine and edge at different rates, thereby creating a stronger edge and a more flexible spine.įinally, the traditional Japanese katana had the perfect composition of metals. Considering that tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands were produced throughout Japan's history, that's a pretty astounding number.Īnother reason the traditional Japanese katana is regarded as being the world's best sword is that they were forged using differential heat treatment. In fact, one report found that, on average, it took six months to forge a single katana. While some cheap, mass-produced swords today are rolled out of the factory in just hours, it took months to create a traditional Japanese katana. Producing a traditional Japanese katana was a painstakingly difficult and methodical process. Samurai warriors found that wearing the katana with the cutting edge up made drawing and unsheathing the sword easier. The katana is unique because it was the only Japanese sword worn with the cutting edge up. The moderate length of the katana allowed samurai warriors to easily wield and use it in a variety of scenarios.Ī key difference between the katana and other traditional Japanese swords lies in the way in which they were worn. With an average length of 23 5/8 to 28 3/4 inches (60 to 73 cm), it wasn't too long nor to short. The katana, however, featured the perfect blade length. Some feature blades just 1 to 2 inches long, whereas others feature blades longer than 50 inches. Swords have been designed in a variety of sizes over the years. So, why is the katana still regarded as being the best sword in history? And in that time, it's only become more popular - even though countless other swords have emerged. Originating in feudal Japan, it's been around for centuries. The katana is known throughout the world as being a superior sword with an unparalleled level of strength and versatility.
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