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'''HISTORY OF THE JAPANESE SWORD RELATED TO JAPANESE MAIN HISTORICAL PERIODS'''

'''HISTORY OF THE JAPANESE SWORD RELATED TO JAPANESE MAIN HISTORICAL PERIODS'''

    

    

Heian Era (794-1184)  

Heian Era (794-1184)

When Kammu Tenno came to power, he moved the capital from Nara to Kyoto. The whole era was characterized by the prevalent tendency toward japanizing the Chinese influences that had came over the sea during the previous centuries. The method of forging a sword with an softer inner core wrapped into an harder steel one was developed during this period. The most ancient swords with this features belongs to the Ko-Bizen tradition and are dated around 950 a.D.  This is the time which is going to change to a Samurai government ( Genji and Heike ) from an aristocrat government. After the war happened in the middle stage of Heian Era, the battle style changed. That is, they began to fight on  horseback.

When Kammu Tenno came to power, he moved the capital from Nara to Kyoto. The whole era was characterized by the prevalent tendency toward japanizing the Chinese influences that had came over the sea during the previous centuries. The method of forging a sword with an softer inner core wrapped into an harder steel one was developed during this period. The most ancient swords with this features belongs to the Ko-Bizen tradition and are dated around 950 a.D.  This is the time which is going to change to a Samurai government ( Genji and Heike ) from an aristocrat government. After the war happened in the middle stage of Heian Era, the battle style changed. That is, they began to fight on  horseback.

There is an ancient legend that attribute this revolution in sword making to Amakuni, traditionally belived to be the maker of Kogarasumaru or ‘Little Crow’, the first curved NipponTo, now in the Imperial Household Collection. According to this legend Amakuni was the Emperor’s swordsmith. One day he saw his lord’s army returning from a battle and the Emperor ignored him instead to give the usual cheers for the good work made with the blades. Then he noticed that many soldiers had  broken swords. They where chokuto or straight swords. He was so disappointed of this that he avoid to eat food and drink water for a week, studying a better way to make swords. According to the legend Inari, the Kami of swordsmakers, appeared in a dream to Amakuni, teaching him how to wrap a soft steel core in an harder one, and how a curved edge is more suitable to cuts and more resistant to shocks  than the previous straight one.  

There is an ancient legend that attribute this revolution in sword making to Amakuni, traditionally belived to be the maker of Kogarasumaru or ‘Little Crow’, the first curved NipponTo, now in the Imperial Household Collection. According to this legend Amakuni was the Emperor’s swordsmith. One day he saw his lord’s army returning from a battle and the Emperor ignored him instead to give the usual cheers for the good work made with the blades. Then he noticed that many soldiers had  broken swords. They where chokuto or straight swords. He was so disappointed of this that he avoid to eat food and drink water for a week, studying a better way to make swords. According to the legend Inari, the Kami of swordsmakers, appeared in a dream to Amakuni, teaching him how to wrap a soft steel core in an harder one, and how a curved edge is more suitable to cuts and more resistant to shocks  than the previous straight one.  

This ancestral sword was found into the tail of a dragon by the Kami Susano-no-Mikoto , and was, together with the mirror and the claw-like jewel, the symbol of the Imperial Power. Accordingly to  this legend it was substituted with another sword, the same we can see in the Imperial Treasure today, other sources said the sword lost was a fake, and the original one still remain in the Imperial Treasure.  

This ancestral sword was found into the tail of a dragon by the Kami Susano-no-Mikoto , and was, together with the mirror and the claw-like jewel, the symbol of the Imperial Power. Accordingly to  this legend it was substituted with another sword, the same we can see in the Imperial Treasure today, other sources said the sword lost was a fake, and the original one still remain in the Imperial Treasure.  

Kamakura Era (1184-1333)  

 

Kamakura Era (1184-1333)

After defeating the Taira clan at Dan-No-Ura, Minamoto no Yorimoto  moved his shogunate to Kamakura. Emperor Gotoba, the formal ruler, remained in Kyoto. This also marked the beginning of the rule of the samurai class. Kamakura became the cultural capitol, and swordsmiths from all over the country gathered there. These are the days of Masamune and his Jittetsu (ten disciples). Today is generally agreed that best blades were made in this period and, for quality and beauty, still remains at the top.

After defeating the Taira clan at Dan-No-Ura, Minamoto no Yorimoto  moved his shogunate to Kamakura. Emperor Gotoba, the formal ruler, remained in Kyoto. This also marked the beginning of the rule of the samurai class. Kamakura became the cultural capitol, and swordsmiths from all over the country gathered there. These are the days of Masamune and his Jittetsu (ten disciples). Today is generally agreed that best blades were made in this period and, for quality and beauty, still remains at the top.

Kamakura swords can be divided into three sub-periods :

Kamakura swords can be divided into three sub-periods :

* Early Kamakura (1184-1231) :

* Early Kamakura (1184-1231) :

In this period, the Kamakura shogunate and court nobles in Kyoto scrambled for political power. And internal trouble broken out in the Kamakura shogunate. Therefore, demand of swords increased all over the country. This period is a transitional period from the refined shape in the last stage of Heian Era to the mighty shape in next period.

In this period, the Kamakura shogunate and court nobles in Kyoto scrambled for political power. And internal trouble broken out in the Kamakura shogunate. Therefore, demand of swords increased all over the country. This period is a transitional period from the refined shape in the last stage of Heian Era to the mighty shape in next period.

Sori ( curvature ) does not look like suddenly fall to the ridge side at right above Nakago and the center of Sori moved upper in comparison with the previous period. We call Sori like this " Koshi-zori ". It means the sword curved at waist of a blade. The width near Kissaki is not so different from that of near Nakago, and Kissaki became little bigger. A standard length of this period is about 79cm.

Sori ( curvature ) does not look like suddenly fall to the ridge side at right above Nakago and the center of Sori moved upper in comparison with the previous period. We call Sori like this " Koshi-zori ". It means the sword curved at waist of a blade. The width near Kissaki is not so different from that of near Nakago, and Kissaki became little bigger. A standard length of this period is about 79cm.

Hamon in this period is based on Sugu-ha, straight.  

Hamon in this period is based on Sugu-ha, straight.  

The swords until this period are made in Ko-Nie. Swords made in Nioi did not exist yet.

The swords until this period are made in Ko-Nie. Swords made in Nioi did not

exist yet.

 

* Middle Kamakura (1232 - 1287) :

* Middle Kamakura (1232 - 1287) :

After the war happened in 1232, Hojo family held real power and Kamakura shogunate reinforced their authority. Kamakura became the center of Samurai culture and the demand of sword increased. Kamakura shogunate called in some sword smith who have superior skill from Kyoto and Okayama. They moved with family and Kamakura became the center place of the production of swords. The shapes in this period did not remain copies of the older period but changed to be more mighty.

After the war happened in 1232, Hojo family held real power and Kamakura shogunate reinforced their authority. Kamakura became the center of Samurai culture and the demand of sword increased. Kamakura shogunate called in some sword smith who have superior skill from Kyoto and Okayama. They moved with family and Kamakura became the center place of the production of swords. The shapes in this period did not remain copies of the older period but changed to be more mighty.

The width became to be greater, but there is no difference between the width near the Kissaki and near Nakago. Thickness also became greater. Moreover, Kissaki became to be Ikubi-Kissaki and the edge became to be Hamaguri-ba because of the edge became to be thick. Hamaguri means a clam, and we call it because the cross section of the blade looks like a clamshell.  Sori is Koshi-zori and the center of Sori moved more upper and Nakago became to be a little longer then that of former period.

The width became to be greater, but there is no difference between the width near the Kissaki and near Nakago. Thickness also became greater. Moreover, Kissaki became to be Ikubi-Kissaki and the edge became to be Hamaguri-ba because of the edge became to be thick. Hamaguri means a clam, and we call it because the cross section of the blade looks like a clamshell.  Sori is Koshi-zori and the center of Sori moved more upper and Nakago became to be a little longer then that of former period.

About Hamon, the brilliant patterns became to be conspicuous. Especially Fukuoka-Ichimonji school in Bizen ( Okayama prefecture ) made the so-called Obusa-Choji or Juka-Choji and they became to be popular. Obusa means the shape of the head of Hamon ( round part of Hamon ) looks like a big bunch of Choji and Juka means Choji overlapped each other.  And a lot of Tanto became to be made from this period. The characteristic is Hira-zukuri and they curved toward the edge. That is, the blade curved contrary to the normal . We call this curvature Uchi-zori or Takenoko-zori. But originally the blade were straight, and the thin edge were polished again and again, then the width of the edge decreased. Therefore it looks as if it curved the reverse way. Hawatari is about 25cm.  

About Hamon, the brilliant patterns became to be conspicuous. Especially Fukuoka-Ichimonji school in Bizen ( Okayama prefecture ) made the so-called Obusa-Choji or Juka-Choji and they became to be popular. Obusa means the shape of the head of Hamon ( round part of Hamon ) looks like a big bunch of Choji and Juka means Choji overlapped each other.  And a lot of Tanto became to be made from this period. The characteristic is Hira-zukuri and they curved toward the edge. That is, the blade curved contrary to the normal . We call this curvature Uchi-zori or Takenoko-zori. But originally the blade were straight, and the thin edge were polished again and again, then the width of the edge decreased. Therefore it looks as if it curved the reverse way.  

Hawatari is about 25cm.

* Late Kamakura (1288 -1333) :  

* Late Kamakura (1288 -1333) :  

The Mongolian invasions attempt of 1274 and 1281 greatly influenced the Japanese sword. Until this period the method of battle in Japan was based on single duels, with rituals as  exchanging names and genealogies each other before fight with no organized formations and tactics. On the contrary Mongolians attacked suddenly in organized formations following tactics. Moreover, their armor were tough and they used weapons which Japanese have never seen before as gunpowder hand-grenades and rockets. Their armors were light and they could move fast. After that the Japanese armors became to be lighter and sword's shape  changed to make them able to chop the light armor without being entrapped and then broken in them.  

The Mongolian invasions attempt of 1274 and 1281 greatly influenced the Japanese sword. Until this period the method of battle in Japan was based on single duels, with rituals as  exchanging names and genealogies each other before fight with no organized formations and tactics. On the contrary Mongolians attacked suddenly in organized formations following tactics. Moreover, their armor were tough and they used weapons which Japanese have never seen before as gunpowder hand-grenades and rockets. Their armors were light and they could move fast. After that the Japanese armors became to be lighter and sword's shape  changed to make them able to chop the light armor without being entrapped and then broken in them.