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Samurai Sword Making - a Brief History

Samurai sword making has a long history although the facts are often unclear, being shrouded in many myths and legends. Samurai swords called chokuto were used before the eighth century and had single edge straight blades. During the eighth century curved blades were introduced that were easier to unsheath, initially being curved only at the tang and later developing into fully curved swords.

Three types of samurai swords were produced, the katana, the Wakizashi and the Tanta. The katana is a long curved sword used for outdoor combat, the Wakizashi a short sword used for indoor fighting and the Tanta, a knife also used for indoor combat. According to legend the first katana with a single edged blade was made by Amakuni around the eighth century A.D. This master sword maker made swords for his Emperor but they were poor quality and easily broken on the tough armor of enemies. The Emperor was disappointed in Amakuni who resolved to make a better sword. With his son he worked for 30 days and 30 nights and emerged with the most famous samurai sword of all, a single edged curved katana.

Historical records show that warring Japanese families in the eighth century developed superior swords to the poor quality swords available at the time. These elite families were warring over the short supply of agricultural land and sword making flourished during this time. For the next 300 years during the Heian period sword making continued to flourish as the Japanese families fought amongst themselves.

The now famous folded steelmaking techniques developed during this time, the principal sword that was manufactured being a koto, a single edged katana. During the 10th century sword making manufacture was helped by trade with China and improvements in techniques were made. Iron ore was mixed with carbon to make a harder steel and the sword made during this time are now highly prized as a masterpieces of the Japanese sword making techniques.

The design of the katana reflected the fact that the samurai usually fought on horseback where a long weapon was needed that could slash at the enemy. A curved weapon could also cause greater damage when used on horseback in an upward motion. Later when Mongols invaded Japan this type of fighting became ineffective again the tough armor that they wore. Thicker, straighter swords replaced the long curved blades of the katanas. By the 15th century the technique of traditional sword making was declining as more sophisticated weapon were introduced. With the introduction of firearms, sword making declined even further and katanas ceased to be made in any great numbers.

The art of sword making was completely lost by the 17th century. Many sword smiths tried unsuccessfully to rediscover the traditional techniques and swords made at this time, called shindo, were vastly inferior to the swords made in past centuries.

No history of samurai swords would be complete without mention of the greatest Japanese swordsmith who ever lived, Goro Nyudo Masamune. Although records are very sketchy about his life he is thought to have made swords in the latter part of the 13th and the beginning of the 14th century. The swords he created were known as tachi and the daggers as tanto, and was forged in the Soshu. His swords are regarded as the most exquisitely crafted katanas ever made in Japan. His name lives on in the Masamune prize which is awarded at the Japanese sword making competition to a swordsmith whose work is exceptional.

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