Japanese Samurai Swords - A Brief History (II)

Muromachi swords were called odachi or nodachi,katanas. This was a relatively short type of
and they were longer than 1 meter (theysword, which was worn attached to the belt, in
sometimes measured 120-150cm). These longthe scabbard, with the cutting edge upwards. This
katana swords, which sometimes measure almostfact permitted to the sword to be taken out of
2 meters were used for ceremonies only. After athe scabbard and the strike from a single move,
short peaceful period, in the middle of this interval,whereas tachi was hanging at the belt, with the
the fight for power started again in 1467. Thecutting edge downwards. In the same time, the
whole country was involved in a constant war fornecessity of a continuous source of swords,
over 100 years, when finally, Oda Nabunaga anddetermined the fact that not all the swords
Toyotomi Hideioshi succeeded to unify again andmanufactured during this period had the high
to set peace in Japan. This period is known asstandards to which they rose during previous
Senkogu (the period during which the country wasperiods. During this period Japan exported about
on war).100 thousands of swords to China, which was
The swords in this period are divided in 3 specificruled by the Ming dynasty at that time.
historical groups: 1394-1466; 1467-1554 andThe end of the muromachi period (1555-1595)
1555-1595.marked the total change of the way in which the
During the first period (1394-1466), when armieswars were conducted in Japan, by the introducing
grew too, as we have already said, the numberof fire arms. In 1543 the Portuguese introduced
of soldiers on horseback decreased, which lead tothe first fire arms in Japan. Even if the first arms
an increasing of foot soldiers. Although tachi orof this kind were very good from the point of
odachi swords were still manufactured, theview of the accuracy, and they needed a long
glorious period of katana swords was gettingrecharge period, Oda Nobunaga used them for
closer. Shorter swords were more easily to wearthe first time successfully during the battle of
and more easily to be taken out of the scabbard.Nagashino in 1573. The horse back troops of the
The curve (Sori) of the these swords moved toTadeka clan (being known during that period as an
the end, being conceived to be used standing.elite formation in Japan) were completely
Most of the swords had a length of 69,7-72,7 cm,destroyed by a group of samurai, who were
and they got more narrow near the top of theholding fire arms. Since that moment, horse back
sword. Towards the end of this period, almost alltroops were completely useless. The battle field
the swords produced are called uchigatana.was used then by small troops of foot soldiers,
During the second period (1467-1554), when theequipped with pistols. The armors became harder
mobility of the troops became a strategic point,and thicker to protect the bullet holder, and the
the swords became shorter. Most of the swordsswords became once again longer, harder and
manufactured during this period had a length ofmore solid, in order to be able to penetrate the
60-65cm, and their width was almost equal toarmors.
their length. This was the glory period of the