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Another important type of catalogation of japanese swords is according
Another important type of catalogation of japanese swords is according
to schools (GoKaDen) and roads that hold the schools.
to schools (GoKaDen) and roads that hold the schools.
The first important change occurred after the attempts of mongol invasion in
the XIII century. The blades becomes more sturdy on the upper part, the
"Ikubi-Kissaki", a sort of very small point, was replaced with other, larger
types that left more rooms to repairs after damages.
A second one, only temporary, was the one made in Nanbokucho era, when
every type of blade begun greater, longer and heavier, sometimes even
too much.
The most important, anyway, occurred in Momoyama era, when the Katana
finally replaced the Tachi as main sword of the Samurai.
The difference between a tachi and a Katana is, to make a incredible diffucult
thing the easiest possible, the position of the Mei (signature). The signature
must be on the part of the blade that faces outside. So as tachi is worn
edge-down and Katana is worn edge-up, the signatures are placed in opposite
positions. Obviously this change was more a low evolution rather then a
suddenly revolution. So we have a lot of blades that are "in between"
and that is, for now betterr to skip about.
The following layout shows the main (NOT all) "Sugata" (shape) changes of the japanese sword with period and lenght (in shaku, 1 shaku = 30.3022 cm or 11.93 inches) from right to left, first line first. Obviously an infinite number of possible mix are found, but these are
The following layout shows the main (NOT all) "Sugata" (shape) changes of the japanese sword with period and lenght (in shaku, 1 shaku = 30.3022 cm or 11.93 inches) from right to left, first line first. Obviously an infinite number of possible mix are found, but these are
