Japanese katana – Sakura in Bloom

Katana, or the samurai sword, is the most advanced type of Japanese edged weapon, which production has been honed for centuries. The history of katana begins around the XII–XIIIth centuries. A large sword could be carried only by samurai warriors and aristocrats. Katana was an indispensable attribute of the Japanese aristocracy until the XIXth century, but after the Meiji revolution, it lost this status, and officials began to wear European-style smallswords.

Nevertheless, in the modern world, interest in ancient Japanese cold steel weapons is very great. Many connoisseurs of edged weapons appreciate the quality of steel and the grace of katana finishing, weapon collectors are looking for ancient swords with the stamp of blacksmiths or collect parts of accessories. Experts believe that a number of principles of katana design which remained almost unchanged from the XIV century, formed the basis of many models of modern combat cold weapons.

Katana production technology is a complex process that takes several months of work of several people. It includes special steel processing, multi-layer and multiple forging, hardening, making the hilt and accessories, a scabbard and a Katanakake stand. According to etiquette, the point of the sword on the stand should always look up. Combat katanas made according to ancient Japanese technology are the strongest swords in the world; they easily cut materials of any hardness: meat, bones, iron. The strength of the samurai’s blow and the steel of a katana in a battle with a warrior armed with an ordinary European sword made it possible to split the enemy’s sword into two. The structure of katana most clearly manifest the traditional features of the Japanese sense of beauty and minimalism. Decoration of katana can be expressed with the words “modesty”, “elegance”, “embodied dignity.”