As you know, the samurai were Japanese warriors from ancient times, and they are well known for their katanas, but these are only one type of the total number of weapons they used. As you can see, in this post we have collected the best-known weapons of those brave knights.
Bokken
It is the wooden sword, shaped like a katana, used especially in the training of warriors. But be careful, with this “stick” Mushashi killed one of the great fighters of Japan. Its length is about one hundred centimeters and it used to be made of oak wood.
Katana
Katana is the most famous saber or sword. Long curved sword whose length is greater than 60 centimeters. It has a single edge and the handle is very long to be able to be held with two hands. The curvature was achieved thanks to a particular cooling system used by the blacksmith. Its origin probably dates back to the Kamakura period and it was the perfect weapon for hand-to-hand combat.
Yari
It is the most used spear in medieval battles, it was very cheap to manufacture and much easier to use than other weapons. The use of this weapon is called Sojutsu. It is an evolution of the naginata, it differs from it in that the blade is shorter and straighter. There are many varieties of yaris such as the naga yari, the te yari, and the kama yari.
YariYumi
It is the bow they used in battle, usually from the horse. It is a very long bow, longer than the Western ones, about two meters. They used to be made of wood, bamboo or leather. The rope was made of hemp.
Tachi
It is a type of sword longer and more curved than the katana, older and its predecessor, it was the first forged sword in Japan. It has a very elegant appearance, which is why it was used by warriors of higher rank and condition. The blade was carried downwards, unlike the katana, and was used by cavalry. If you want to buy these types of sword then visit our store truekatana.com, all types of katana for sale available here.
Uchigatana
It is another long Japanese sword, before the katana and after the tachi, it began to be used clearly in the Muromachi period. Uchi means “hit” and gatana “sword”, so it could be translated as the sword of hitting. At first it was used by low-ranking people and was lighter than the tachi.
Nodachi
Nodachi means “field sword”, it is a large saber, used with two hands, longer than the tachi sword. It was used by infantry in the open field, unlike the other Japanese swords, which were carried on the belt, it was carried hanging on the back.
Kodachi
It is the short sword, its length is less than sixty centimeters, it dates back to the Kamakura era and is thought to have been primarily a defensive weapon. It is not known exactly how it was used; it probably accompanied other swords in the samurai’s belt.
Wakizashi
It is the shortest saber, although it is not a dagger, it has a length between thirty and sixty centimeters and the edge is very thin. It was the samurai’s defensive weapon when he had lost his katana in combat. The samurai carried it everywhere because they were always on edge.
Tanto
It is the Japanese defensive dagger, it has a double edge and the blade measures between fifteen and thirty centimeters in length. It dates back to the Heian period but it was during the Kamakura period when they developed artistically. It was used for the harakiri or seppuku (belly cutting) ritual, thus replacing the wakizashi.
Naginata
It is a type of halberd, nagi (long) nata (saber), used by infantry to defend themselves against cavalry. It is from the Heian era and was first used by warrior monks, then it spread among the samurai. The shaft or stick is one and a half meters long and the blade is about thirty or sixty centimeters. It was the favorite weapon of the samurai woman.
Tanegashima
It is the harquebus introduced to the island by the Portuguese back in 1543. It has that name after the daimyo of Tanegashima who was admired by the power and capacity of European weapons. It is also called teppo and at first it was not viewed favorably by the samurai clans but as always, technology prevailed.
Tessen
It is perhaps the most surprising piece, it is a war fan. Several very sharp blades are housed behind the fan; it was above all a defensive weapon. It was very useful to avoid the blows of a sword, as a shield and was also used by ninjas. General Minamoto defeated the monk Saitou Musashibou Benkei with a Tessen.
