Changes

The japanese swords are divided in periods as follows :

The japanese swords are divided in periods as follows :

Jokoto 上古刀 pre-938,

*Jokoto 上古刀 pre-938,

early Koto 初古刀 938 ~ 1319,  

*early Koto 初古刀 938 ~ 1319,  

middle Koto 中古刀 1319 ~ 1460,  

*middle Koto 中古刀 1319 ~ 1460,  

late Koto 末古刀 1460 ~ 1596,  

*late Koto 末古刀 1460 ~ 1596,  

Keigen-Shinto 慶元新刀 1596 ~ 1624,  

*Keigen-Shinto 慶元新刀 1596 ~ 1624,  

Kanei-Shinto 寛永新刀 1624 ~ 1658,  

*Kanei-Shinto 寛永新刀 1624 ~ 1658,  

Kambun-Shinto 寛文新刀 1658 ~ 1684,  

*Kambun-Shinto 寛文新刀 1658 ~ 1684,  

Genroku-Shinto 元禄新刀 1684 ~ 1764,  

*Genroku-Shinto 元禄新刀 1684 ~ 1764,  

early Shinshinto 初新々刀 1764 ~ 1818,  

*early Shinshinto 初新々刀 1764 ~ 1818,  

middle Shinshinto 中新々刀 1818 ~ 1854,  

*middle Shinshinto 中新々刀 1818 ~ 1854,  

late Shinshinto 末新々刀 1854 ~ 1868,  

*late Shinshinto 末新々刀 1854 ~ 1868,  

Gendaito 現代刀 1868 ~ today.

*Gendaito 現代刀 1868 ~ today.

There is another term we usually find when talking about japanese swords : Shinsakutô 新作刀. This means "recently made swords" and is referred to swords made by a living smith and after 1952 when the 1945 ban of forging swords ended. It's basically a sub-group of Gendaitô, because if the smith pass away, for the NBTHK (Nippon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai) Shinsa (judgement) the sword begins Gendaito.

There is another term we usually find when talking about japanese swords : Shinsakutô 新作刀. This means "recently made swords" and is referred to swords made by a living smith and after 1952 when the 1945 ban of forging swords ended. It's basically a sub-group of Gendaitô, because if the smith pass away, for the NBTHK (Nippon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai) Shinsa (judgement) the sword begins Gendaito.