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Types of Samurai Swords

There are three main types of samurai swords, and from these, a few others were designed. Each was used for a different purpose by the legendary swordsmen of Japan, who also bore the name "samurai." Each sword was painstakingly hand-crafted from two strengths of steel, a softer core and harder outer layer, which were folded and hammered many times before a recognizable blade finally took shape. Thousands of samurai swords of every kind traveled to the U.S. with servicemen returning from the Pacific War and are now collector's items.

Daito
- A Daito samurai sword has a blade more than two feet in length. The Daito was worn pushed through the kimono belt (obi). A more familiar name for the Daito class of swords is Katana. These are the best known and favorites of the samurai. Their creation was a lengthy process, not only because of the accompanying ritual prayers, but because of the difficulty involved in forging swords of this length. The Katana was used mainly for outdoor fighting as seen in the movie, "The Last Samurai." Katana swords feature a curved blade with a skin wrapped handle and round guard.
Chisa
- A sub-type of the Katana, the Chisa came from the need for a sword sized in between the Katana and the shorter Wakizashi. Its styling is the same, but it measures a foot shorter than a full-sized Katana, so it is easier to wield for indoor fighting. Some Chisa resulted from damaged Katana swords which were trimmed.
Tachi and Nodachi
- The older-style Tachi sword features a longer and more curved blade than the Daito or Katana. It was worn on a cord and often used for fighting from horseback. There is a slightly larger version of the Tachi called the Nodachi. These two blades were the longest swords used by the samurai. Fighting with a Tachi or Nodachi required an extremely strong samurai because of the extra weight and size. The longer handle and blade offered an advantage of extra reach and force (from using both hands) on the battlefield, where they were worn on the back, attached at both ends by a cord which passed diagonally across the chest
Wakizashi
- The Wakizashi are short swords between one and two feet long; the smaller-sized Tachi, permitting the samurai to fight in constricted quarters or practice inside and was used as a "backup" weapon. Shogun is the name given to an elite samurai class who wore two swords and were universally feared, as they carried a Katana and a Wakizashi. Wakizashi are often referred to as "Kodachi," the common name for a short sword.

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