Samurai katana was a single bladed sword which samurai warriors wore on their waist.
It was considered a great privilege that indicated one's class.
In 1614, after the early Tokugawa period, wearing katanas was regulated, and samurai warriors began carrying two swords of different size. o-gatana (longer sword) and kogatana (shorter sword), which were limited in their length to under 2 ft. 7,5 inches (85cm) and 2 ft. 2,5 inches (75cm).
Katanas that are under most demand are the ones which are curved and have medium lenght. Single bladed katanas (kogatanas) were often considered as a gift.
Katanas were primarily used for slicing, and sometimes for thrusting also.
Waki-sashi (wakizashi) was used as a side-weapon. They were usually 12 to 24 inches long (30-60cm). It was used as a second weapon when the katana was not available, and was worn by the samurai at all times.
They were sometimes used in performing seppuku.
More often, tanto was used for seppuku. Tanto was primarily a stabbing weapon, worn by samurai, and sometimes by women for self defense. It's lenght is usually 6-12 inches (15-30 cm).
|