Japanese sword types: Your comprehensive guide

Japanese sword types: Your comprehensive guide

In popular media, whether it be anime, TV shows, or video games, Japanese bladed weapons have often sparked and captured our imagination in ways that no other weapons in the known world have. Duncan MacLeod, Zatoichi, Jubei Yagyu, and Miyamoto Musashi are just some of the most notable characters (fictional or otherwise) to have wielded such a blade in their hands. And there are many Japanese sword types from centuries past.

The modern katana is the most symbolic and the most common sword to have been used in recent history. They inspire respect from the wielders themselves and fear in those who would be cut down by them. One cannot help but be fascinated by the different types of Japanese swords and the strength required to use them efficiently.

Throughout history, there have been many Japanese sword types that were shaped by contact with external forces, namely the Koreans, the Chinese, and the Mongols. Each of them played a role in some form in shaping the mindset of how the Japanese made and used their blades.

Types of Japanese Swords

It’s important to remember a basic point about Japanese swords: regardless of the type of blade discussed, or the era in which they originated, they are all known as (“Japanese sword”). The swords themselves are subdivided into six basic Japanese sword types corresponding to specific eras in history:

  • : Ancient swords, developed until the 10th century
  • : Old swords, manufactured between 900 and 1596
  • Shinto: New swords, produced from 1596 to 1780
  • Shinshinto: New new swords, made from 1781 through 1876
  • : Modern swords, produced from 1876 to 1945
  • Shinsakuto: Newly-made swords, from 1953 to the present day

It can be very hard to get an authentic sword from Japan itself. Not only are the country’s laws on swords and firearms strict, but there’s a lengthy process whereby the blades need to be licensed prior to being shipped. Would-be owners would need to contact the Agency for Cultural Affairs to submit the relevant paperwork before receiving an export license. You can find additional information about getting swords in and out of Japan here.

Still, it’s easy to find many different Japanese sword types for sale, be they pricey antiques or lovingly-made modern reproductions. Anyone interested in Japan’s famous blades needs to know the kinds that exist.

Katana: The One That Everybody Knows

The is perhaps the most well-known of all Japanese sword types that have been in existence. Its origins date as far back as 12th century Japan, and it served as the mainstay weapon of samurai and ninja during the country’s Edo period (beginning in the 1600s). Katanas are characterized as having a curved blade of about 23.6 inches or more, with a rounded handguard. They are held with both hands.

At one point the Mongols repeatedly invaded Japan, at a time when native Japanese warriors still utilized swords known as tachi. The fact that the tachi had difficulty in cutting through the armor the invaders wore necessitated the change in the Japanese approach to their blades, leading to the classic katana style.

Some of the sword-fighting techniques that have been used commonly in practice with the katana are , , , and .

Both replicas and actual katanas made by real swordsmiths are available to be purchased. The latter can reach an upper price range of $25,000 due to their real steel construction. 

Chokuto: Before the Age of Katanas

Produced up to the 10th century, the was designed as a straight single-edged sword similar in design to Chinese swords of the same era. Usually hung from the waist, these particular blades were used for stabbing or slashing on foot. Their blade styles are very distinct from the tachi and katana that would be introduced later on. It is estimated that the chokuto measured up to 24 inches, similar to the length of katana blades.

Encounters with the Mongols taught the Japanese the effectiveness of curved blades, forcing them to re-evaluate their own weapons at the time. Chokuto had difficulty cutting through Mongolese armor and prompted Japan to switch over to the tachi and katana blade-styles that would be used in future generations.

There are affordable chokuto replicas that are sold online, but finding authentic originals can be a more difficult prospect. If you want one more more of these Japanese sword types in your collection, though, plenty of great examples are available.

Dotanuki: The Torso-killer

Dotanuki refers to a school of Japanese swordsmiths based in the Higo Province of Japan (modern-day Kumamoto). A dotanuki is a specially designed sword dubbed “the torso killer”. It was renowned for its superior cutting ability compared to other blades of the era. Its blade is characteristically bigger and thicker compared to standard katanas, and is able to endure extreme duress.

The most famous wielder of the dotanuki blade was Kato Kiyomasa, who led an invasion of Korea in the 16th century. He was accompanied by a cadre of dotanuki swordsmiths to ensure that strong blades could be manufactured to survive the war effort against the Korean natives. 

Gunto: For the Imperial Army

Essentially a military sword, the marks the period in which mass-produced swords were becoming more common compared to ones made by swordsmiths. This occurred during the post-Meiji era (1868), when samurai warriors gradually lost their status as defenders of Japan. The unified Japanese government introduced a military conscription system into the country during the early 1870s.

As the Imperial Japanese Army grew in prominence, so did the number and types of blades that they wielded. The gunto was divided into three types:

  • Type 94 : Officer sword that replaced the kyo gunto in 1934. Bears the Imperial cherry blossom insignia on the guard and has a silk wrapping around it.
  • Type 95 shingunto: Used by non-commissioned officers within the Imperial Army. Made to resemble the shin gunto worn by Imperial officers, but were cheaper to produce en masse. The scabbards were manufactured out of wood rather than metal.
  • Type 96 shingunto: Simplified version of the type 94 shin gunto that began production in 1938. This iteration of the shin gunto lacks the second hanging point that the type 94 possessed.

Kodachi: Not Quite a Katana, Not a Tanto

With designs derivative of the tachi, the is a short sword (as is the ) that measures less than 23 inches in length. They were worn by samurai during the Kamakura period (12th through 14th centuries). The exact use of the kodachi itself is unknown, though it is speculated that it served as a companion sword to the tachi.

Ninjato: The Blade of Assassins

The was, as its name suggests, the primary weapon of choice for ninja during Japan’s feudal era. As opposed to having curved blades, ninjato are single-edged straight swords with square guards. While they could be used for direct combat, they were primarily tools of assassination. The wielders of this blade practice ninjutsu, and the art is still practiced to this day (albeit for demonstrative purposes).

If you collect Japanese sword types from different eras, a ninjato can be a particularly fun one to get.

Odachi: Part Ceremonial Blade, Part Longsword

Cousin of the Chinese miao dao, the is a Japanese longsword that measured roughly 36 inches. The blades are intended for two purposes: as blades of ceremony and as anti-infantry weapons. In the instances of the former, they would be used as an offering to a shrine or in a prayer prior to going off to war.

Odachis could not be held on the waist like the tachi or the katana. They either had to be carried on the back or held sheathed in the hand. In the case of the latter, it took the wielder and a helper to draw the blade out. When used in combat, there was an emphasis placed on using the odachi for downward cuts.

Shikomizue: Hidden Sheathed Blade

The is the trademark weapon of Zatoichi, the fictional blind swordsman whose stories have enlivened multiple feature-length films and TV shows. It is in truth a wooden cane mounting with a nihonto hidden inside. This “secret” sword design was meant to avoid suspicion from any onlookers. The fact that it’s easy to sheathe such a thin blade within a wooden cane made it an ideal assassination tool for a ninja (a.k.a. ) to use.

The length of a shikomizue blade is estimated to measure about the same length as a katana (up to 23 inches).

Tachi: A Katana Before the Katana

A curved sword, the predated the Japanese katana and was present prior to the latter’s introduction in 1596. The tachi was produced during the Koto era. This blade is longer than the katana, spanning between 23 and 32 inches. They were the primary battle sword of samurai warriors prior to the katana’s introduction. The Mongol Invasion of 1276 inspired the Japanese to make the blades of the tachi thicker and longer.

Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi: Super Rare Sword

The kusanagi-no-tsurugi (or simply tsurugi) is a double-edged straight sword fashioned similarly to the Chinese jian or Roman gladius. While not much is known about the tsurugi, the kusanagi-no-tsurugi is actually one of the three Imperial regalia of Japan.

This sword’s last known sighting was sometime around 1989-1993, when Emperor Akihito ascended the throne. When brought along with one of the other recovered regalia for ceremonial purposes, it was kept hidden from the public eye.

Uchigatana: A Single-Handed Blade

The uchigatana is a direct descendant of the tachi and worn by the samurai class. Uchigatanas bear the distinction of being able to be used one-handed despite the thickness of the blade (which measured between 23 and 28 inches). Uchigatanas were also easier to use compared to tachi blades since they never got in the way of pole arms.

Drawing the uchitgatana out for use took consistent practice. One had to be able to expose the sword and cut down his foe in one single motion. And it had to be fast as lightning, lest the user himself be cut down.

Wakizashi: Never Hurts to Have A Backup

The famed is a blade with a similar curvature to the katana, but measuring between 12 and 23 inches in length. They were worn by samurai during the feudal era of Japan and were often coupled with the katana to reinforce users’ status as warriors. Its known uses were to act as a backup sword in close-quarters combat, to commit (ritual suicide), and to behead a defeated enemy.

Zanbato: One of the Largest Swords

Some Japanese sword types derive from China. The equivalent of the Chinese zhanmadao, the zanbato is a very large single-edged sword dating back to the Heian era. Given the sword’s translation (“horse-chopping saber” or “horse-slaying sword”), the zanbato’s purpose was as an anti-cavalry weapon designed to take down horses and their riders. Given its size, zanbatos were intimidating and imposing weapons, and almost the length of a pole arm.

Little is known about the specifics of this type of blade. Information on the zanbato’s exact measurements are scarce, though it is safe to say that its length was approximately 36 inches.

Acquiring Remnants of a Bloody History

Japan has a very long history of blood-soaked warfare. The long years in which the samurai and Imperial armies fought have spawned different Japanese sword types, and many sword styles, that have kept the weapons relevant to modern enthusiasts.

There are almost endless subcategories of Japanese swords to learn about, and to collect. It’s a fascinating subject, and each type of sword tells the tale of Japanese thinking, technology, warfare, and social strata in its era. Now that you’re familiar with the different Japanese sword types, why not look around for the next one to add to your collection – or if you’re just approaching the hobby, start a new one?

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