薙刀
薙刀
The Japanese "なぎなた" (薙刀), also known as "naginata", is a traditional Japanese long-handled and sharp-edged weapon, which belongs to the firearm class of weapons. In feudal Japan, it was mainly used by the samurai class (Japanese "samurai"), ashigaru soldiers (Japanese "ashigaru"), and samurai monks (Japanese "sohei"). The naginata is also a representative weapon of the female samurai (Japanese "onna-musha"). There is a common misconception that the naginata is mistaken for a sword, when in fact it is a long-handled weapon.
薙刀
Naginata consists of a wooden or metal rod and a single-edged curved blade at the end of the rod, similar to the Chinese Guan knife and the European long-handled scythe. Similar to Japanese knives (Japanese "Japanese knives"), naginata knives usually have a circular gauntlet (Japanese "tsuba") between the blade and the rod. The 30-60 cm long naginata blade is forged using the same method as traditional Japanese swords. The blade has a long handle (Japanese "nakago") that is inserted into the rod.
薙刀
The blade is detachable and is fixed in a hole ("mekugi-ana") between the handle and the rod by means of a wooden nail called a wooden nail ("mekugi" in Japanese). The length of the rod varies from 120 cm to 240 cm and the shape is oval. The part of the rod where the blade touches is called tachiuchi (Japanese) or shank (Japanese "tachiuke"), and is reinforced with a metal ring (Japanese "naginata" or "semegane") and/or a metal sleeve (Japanese "sakawa") and wrapped tightly with a rope (Japanese "san-dan maki"). The end of the rod has a heavy metal cover (Japanese "ishizuki" or Japanese "hirumaki"). When not in use, the blade is covered with a wooden sheath.
dagger
dagger
The Japanese "タントウ" (short knife), which means "short knife" in Chinese, is one of the traditional Japanese swords (Japanese "ニホントウ", meaning "Japanese sword"), worn by the samurai class in feudal Japan. The origin of the dagger can be traced back to the Heian period, and it was originally mainly used as a weapon, but as the times changed, the design became more elaborate. Short knives are also used in traditional martial arts (Japanese "タントウジュツ"). Since the 80s of the 20th century, in the Western world, the term "short knife" has also been used to describe a modern tactical knife used for stabbing or stabbing.
dagger
The short knife is a single- or double-edged dagger with a length of between 15 and 30 cm (about 5.9 to 11.8 inches, equivalent to 1 Japanese foot). The short knife is primarily designed to be used as a stabbing weapon, but the blade can also be used for chopping. Short knives are usually forged using the flat (Japanese "ヒラズクリ") method, which means that there are no ridges on the sides and are almost flat, unlike the Japanese sword "シノギズクリ") structure. Some short knives had a particularly thick cross-section and were used to penetrate armor and were called "guanji" (Japanese "ヨロイトシ").
dagger
Short knives were mainly carried by samurai; Ordinary people generally don't wear it. Sometimes women put a small short knife called a "waiken" (Japanese "カイケン") in their belts, mainly for self-defense. On the battlefield, short knives are sometimes worn on the pocket knife part of the belt, replacing the cheek finger (Japanese "ワキザシ") in the broadsword. Before the advent of the "waki" combination, it was more common for samurai to carry a taidao and a short knife instead of a sword and a toji.
dagger
It has been noted that the Tai knife was used in conjunction with the short knife, and later with the knife was paired with the small knife. With the advent of matching knives, the toshiji was eventually replaced by the short sword of choice by the samurai. In his book The Japanese Sword, Kuwayama Satoru points out that there does not seem to be a particular need for the weapon, and believes that the reason why the finger is more popular than the short knife is that it is more suitable for indoor combat. He mentions the Xi of taking off the knife at the door when entering a castle or palace and continuing to wear a finger.
Samurai sword (Japan sword)
Samurai sword (Japan sword)
A Japanese knife (刀, Japanese "かたな") is a type of Japanese sword characterized by its curved single-edged blade, round or square handguards, and a long handle large enough to be held with both hands. It was developed after the Taiken and was used by samurai in feudal Japan, with the blade upward. Since the Muromachi period, many old taidao knives have been cut down and made smaller, and the blade roots have been crushed and transformed into Japanese swords. In Japan, the specific name for a Japanese sword is "打刀" (Japanese "うちがたな"), and the term "knife" (Japanese "かたな") is often used to refer to single-edged swords around the world.
Samurai sword (Japan sword)
The term "Japanese sword" first appeared in the Nihon Shoki in 720 AD. It is a combination of the words "piece" (Japanese "かた", meaning "one side, one side") and "blade" (Japanese "な"), as opposed to the double-edged "剣" (Japanese "つるぎ"). Japanese swords belong to the Japanese sword family and are characterized by a blade (Japanese "ながさ") that is more than 2 feet (about 60 cm) long.
Samurai sword (Japan sword)
Among Western sword lovers, Japanese swords are also known as "broadsword" (Japanese "だいとう") or "broadsword", although "broadsword" is a generic term for any Japanese long sword. Since there is no singular or plural in Japanese, both "Japanese sword" and "Japanese sword" are recognized as plural forms in English.
Samurai sword (Japan sword)
In Portuguese, the pronunciation of "Japanese knife" is [日本刀], which is a loanword from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese character "knife" "かたな", which originally meant a single-edged knife (of any length) in Chinese knives. In Portuguese, the word means "broadsword" or "machete".
Japanese knives are generally defined as standard-sized, moderately curved (compared to the greater curvature of older Taitosa) Japanese knives with a blade length of more than 60.6 cm (23.86 inches) (more than 2 feet). It is characterized by its unique appearance: a curved, elongated, single-edged blade, a round or square handguard (Japanese "つば"), and a long handle large enough to be held with both hands.
Samurai sword (Japan sword)
If there is an inscription, it is possible to distinguish between a Japanese sword and a taidao by the position of the signature (Japanese "めい") at the root of the blade (Japanese "なかご"). In general, the signature should be engraved on the exposed side of the blade at the root. Because the blade is facing downwards while the blade is facing upwards, the position of the signature is just opposite on both sides of the root.
Samurai sword (Japan sword)
Western historians once said that the Japanese sword was one of the most brilliant cutting weapons in the military history of the world. However, during the Sengoku period in the 15th century, the main weapons on the battlefield were bows, spears, and arquebuses, and Japanese swords and taitobe were only used in close combat. During this period, the tactics of teaming up with a large number of infantry gradually replaced traditional tactics, so long-handled weapons such as spears and taitobe were gradually phased out on the battlefield and replaced by guns and Japanese swords. During the relatively peaceful Edo period, the importance of Japanese swords as weapons increased, and at the end of the Edo period, political activists used Japanese swords as their main weapon in many battles. Japanese swords and taitotos were also often used as gifts between daimyo and samurai, or enshrined in Shinto shrines as a symbol of the samurai's authority and spirituality.
太刀
太刀
Taidao (Japanese "たち") is a type of traditional Japanese sword (Japanese "にほんとう") that was worn by the samurai class during feudal times. Tai knives and punch knives differ slightly in length, bend, and how they are worn, depending on the position of the signature at the root of the blade (Japanese "めい"). The development of the taito-style blade predates the appearance of the Japanese word "katana" (knife), and it was not recorded until the end of the 12th century. Tai Dao was the mainstream Japanese sword of the Kotoku era between 900 and 1596 AD. Even after the Muromachi period of 1336-1573 became mainstream, taishu was still worn by high-ranking samurai.
太刀
The predecessor of Tai Knife was called "Barian Sword", and in the middle of the Heian period, samurai developed the "Hair Shape Tai Sword", that is, an early Japanese sword. More precisely, the Ainu improved the warabi sword, developing the "hairy warabani sword" with a hole in the handle and no decoration on the handle, and the samurai developed the hair-shaped taidao on this basis. Developed in the first half of the 10th century AD, this taidao has a new camphor ridge with an extended pentagonal or hexagonal columnar body and a slightly curved single edge, which became typical of Japanese swords. This type of sword does not have a wooden handle, and the handle that is integrated with the blade is used directly in the grip. The word "hair shape" comes from the hollow shape above the handle of the knife, like ancient Japanese tweezers.
太刀
In the sword after the hair-shaped sword, a structure is used to hold the handle to the handle by means of a screw called a "me". As a result, a blade with three basic external elements of a Japanese sword was formed, including the cross-section of the Shin-camphor ridge-zukuri, the slightly curved single-edged blade, and the structure of the handle. Its shape may have reflected a change in the form of Japanese warfare, with cavalry becoming the main combat unit and the straighter archaic scimitar not suitable for cavalry. A curved sword is far more suitable for cavalry than a straight sword, and the bend of the blade greatly increases downforce when chopping.
太刀
By the Heian period of the 11th century, taidao had been exported to neighboring Asian countries. Ouyang Xiu, a Chinese politician in the Song Dynasty, described the Japanese sword in "Song of the Japanese Sword": "The sword is carved with wood and is full of copper and tin." Rakshasa can eliminate succubus, and Japan will enter Taizhao Yao." From the Heian period, ordinary samurai wore swords painted with black lacquer. The nobles of the imperial court wore exquisite metal inlay decorative knives out of ceremonial programs.
太刀
By the Kamakura period, high-ranking samurai wore taiswords with delicate metal-plated sheaths that hung from their waists by chains. At the end of the Kamakura period, this sword was also used as an artifact for shrines.
The legend of "Demon Sword Muramasa".
The legend of "Demon Sword Muramasa".
"Myoho Muramasa" is the only sword that has been officially designated as an important cultural relic. It is a knife with a length of 66.4 cm, a curvature of 1.5 cm, and a base width of 2.8 cm. The front of the blade is engraved with the inscription "Muramasa" and the mantra of demon suppression representing "Myoho-renge-kyo". The back is engraved with the year "October 13 of the 10th year of Yongzheng", which is equivalent to November 10, 1513 AD. This date was most likely chosen to commemorate Nichiren Daishi's entry into Nirvana on October 13, the 5th year of Hongan (1282 AD). The carved motif on both sides is a dragon-shaped flame "Ryikara" pattern, which is similar in style to the work of Changra in Heian Castle, indicating that Muramasa may have learned from Nagara Xi. The knife is also inlaid with a silver inscription of "Sashinobu", indicating that the sword once belonged to Katsushige Sajima, the first lord of the Saga Domain. Later, the sword was given to Katsushige's son, the first lord of the Omura domain, Motoshige Tsushima, and it has been passed down to the lord of the Omura domain.
The legend of "Demon Sword Muramasa".
Muramasa's disciples have also built many excellent weapons. The "Dragonfly Cut" created by his disciple Fujiwara Masami is one of Japan's three famous guns; He also built a knife called "Pig Kiri", which is said to have been used by Tadayoshi Sakai to hack a wild boar to death while hunting with Tokugawa Ieyasu.
The exact origin of the Muramasa faction is unknown. The earliest surviving sword with both the inscription "Muramasa" and the date mark shows that it was in the first year of the Bunkan reign (1501). However, judging by the style, some of the knives that only have "Muramasa" and no date are older than 1501. Scholars generally believe that the village has lasted for at least three generations. It is not known when this faction disappeared, but some of the Muramasa swords bear the date of the Kanbun period (1661-1673).
The legend of "Demon Sword Muramasa".
Legend from the late Muromachi period (early 16th century – 1573) says that Muramasa Hatsuyo was a student of the famous swordsmith Masamune (c. 1300), and that the Honami family (a family that defended and appreciated swords) noted that his heyday was during the Shoji period (1362-1368). However, scholars from the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1600) to the present day believe that the relationship between Masamune and Muramasa is purely fictional, because all the heirloom Muramasa swords are too new to support this theory. Another theory says that Muramasa Hatsuyo was a student of Kyoto swordsmith Heian Castle Nagara. The Masashige faction records that the first Masaege died in 1456, so if there is any credibility, the first Muramasa was active before 1456.
Muramasa's alias, "Chiko", is also full of mythology. It is generally believed that the first generation of Muramasa was born in a place called Chiko, but in fact, there is no such place near Kuwana. Another popular legend says that his mother believed in the Thousand-Armed Guanyin Bodhisattva, so she was called the "Son of a Thousand Hands".
The legend of "Demon Sword Muramasa".
Sato Kanzan believes that the first generation of Muramasa was active in the Entoku and Meio periods (1489-1501), the second generation in the Tensho period (1532-1539), and the third generation in the Tensho period (1573-1591). Tsukamoto Shotao, on the other hand, believes that the heyday of the first Muramasa dynasty was in the Masanga period (1428-1429), and that the sword of 1501 was forged by the third generation of Muramasa.
The Tokugawa family favored the Muramasa series of weapons. The Mikawa samurai, led by the founding Tokugawa Ieyasu and his ancestors, often used this sword. Therefore, when there is an unfortunate incident in the Tokugawa clan, it is often related to the Muramasa knife, which is purely due to the high use rate, and there is no such thing as a "curse". Ieyasu's grandfather, Kiyoyasu, was mistakenly killed by his retainers, and the murder weapon was the Muramasa knife; His father, Guangzhong, was assassinated by a drunken heartbreaker, and the murder knife was also Muramasa. Son Nobuyasu was forced to belly, and the knife used to behead the assistant was still Muramasa.
The legend of "Demon Sword Muramasa".
Despite the numerous unfortunate incidents involving the Muramasa sword, Ieyasu himself seems to have admired the weapons. He himself owned two Muramasa knives, which he left to his family after his death, and as of 2013, the Owari Tokugawa family still kept one as a family heirloom. One of the four great generals, Honda Tadakatsu, used the divine spear "Dragonfly Cut", which was built by Fujiwara Masashi, a disciple of Mushimasa. The sword of "pig cut" used by another great general, Tadashi Sakai, is also from the hand of Masashi.
However, in the hearts of later generals, the Muramasa sword gradually became associated with the ominous. Shogunate scholar Arai Shiraishi commented that "the name of Muramasa is related to many ominous events." The official history book "Tokugawa Shinro", published by the shogunate in 1849, cites a novel that says that Ieyasu believed that the village was a murderous thing and that the family was forbidden to use it, but this is clearly fiction, considering the heirloom sword of the Owari Tokugawa family.
At the end of the Edo period, the Muramasa sword was considered a monster that could be used against the shogunate, so the anti-shogunists were eager to acquire this type of sword. The Miyaya family rarely used the Muramasa system in normal times, but in the Boshin War, there were indeed people in the official army who attacked the shogunate under the commander-in-chief of Prince Gojin. Due to the surge in demand, a large number of fakes of Muramasa knives also appeared during this period.