8 Code of the Samurais: The Samurai Sword

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8th Code of the Samurais: The Samurai Sword

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List of Contents

Introduction Chapter 1: Evolution of Swordsmanship Chapter 2: Legacy of Samurai Swords Chapter 3: Samurai Swords: Then and Now Chapter 4: Types of Samurai Swords About us

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Introduction

The Revenge of Forty Seven Ronin is one of the most famous tales of samurais in the history of Japan. Ronin is a word that depicts a samurai who became 'master-less' owing to the death or fall of his master. The tale is an ideal example of the samurai code of honor and portrays a group of samurais who take revenge of the death of its feudal lord named Asano Naganori. The Ronin avenged their master's honor by ending the life of Kira, who was responsible for the death of Asano and were forced to commit suicide for murdering Kira. The tale not only reminds us of samurais and their swords but also symbolizes various codes of samurai such as loyalty, sacrifice, persistence, and honor. Samurais, the middle and upper echelons of the warrior class, were known for their chivalry and fighting spirit. Rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor and loyalty are the seven codes of a true samurai warrior. Samurai sword is the 8th code of samurais that has been an integral part of their journey throughout the history. The word 'Samurai' is related to the warrior class of feudal Japan. The word that defines and depicts samurai perfectly is 'sword' because it is one of the main weapons that have come apposite with the class of sword fighters. In modern times, samurai sword has its existence in samurai teachings as an essential part of Japanese martial arts. In ancient times, samurai warriors used to wear a long sword (katana) or (tachi) together with a smaller sword for conquering their enemies and winning wars. In forthcoming chapters of this e-book, we will discuss the various aspects of samurais and their swords.

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Chapter 1

Evolution of Swordsmanship
The sword has a special place in the history and culture of feudal Japan in the form of samurai. Kenjutsu is the word that describes sword art in Japan adequately. It shows the actual way how a sword is drawn from its scabbard, re-sheathed and used for demolishing the enemies. There were many Koryu or ancient schools in Japan that taught the art of swordsmanship. In Japan, samurais used to follow the doctrines or moral codes of Bushido, the way of the warrior and these were the codes that distinguished the samurais from other warriors. These codes include respect, benevolence, bravery, honesty, loyalty, justice and honor. It was the period between the 9th and 20th centuries when Bushido developed profusely. By the end of the 12th century, samurai became a common word directly associated with the middle and upper groups of the warrior class. According to the Japanese dictionary Shogakukan Kokugo Daijiten, "Bushido is defined as a unique philosophy (ronri) that spreads through the warrior class from the Muromachi (chusei) period." In Bushid: The Soul of Japan (1899), author Nitobe Inaz wrote: "...Bushid, then, is the code of moral principles which the samurai were required or instructed to observe... More frequently it is a code unuttered and unwritten... It was an organic growth of decades and centuries of military career." Bushido Codes 1. Rectitude 2. Courage 3. Benevolence 4. Respect 5. Honesty 6. Loyalty 7. Honor Filial piety, wisdom and care for the aged were considered as secondary codes for samurais. It was believed that earlier codes used to focus on frugality, faithfulness, mastery of martial arts, and honor to the death. Death or suicide was considered as a perfect way to get honor if a samurai failed to uphold his honor. Asano Naganori, Imagawa Ryoshun, Kato Kiyomasa, Morihei Ueshiba, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, Tadakatsu Honda, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Torii Mototada, Sasaki Kojiro,

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Yamaga Soko, Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Yamaoka Tesshu and Angelus Askari were some shinning names in the Japanese history of Bushido. The evolution of samurais and their swordsmanship started with Asuka and Nara periods and came to a sharp fall during the period of Tokugawa Shogunate. Heian period, Kamakura Bakufu period, Ashikaga Shogunate, Sengoku period and AzuchiMomoyama period were also an integral part of rise and fall of swordsmanship of samurais. During Kamakura Bakufu Shogunate, samurai rose to its apex and made its presence felt in all parts of the feudal Japan. During this period, samurais were given right to wear a katana in public and the right to execute commoners who disrespect them. 'Bushido' and 'Seppuku' were the two common words in the life of every samurai in ancient times. The latter word belongs to the death or suicide committed by defeated warriors or disgraced government officials. Samurai training with weapons Samurais, the champions of martial arts, were trained with a variety of weapons, but it was the sword that had a special place in their practicing, fighting and way of life. When it came to training, samurais were ordered to use wooden swords to learn techniques and skill of using a sword. The process or art of using wooden swords for training was known as kendo. It is still popular in various samurai schools and is practiced today to learn skills and principles of samurai. Samurais were the only people who had permission to carry swords in public and war places. There are some myths that the samurai fighters used to test their new swords by performing 16 unique cuts systematically on the body of their be-headed victims. Early Samurai Weapons Early samurais were archers who used long bows called 'yumi', during their fights. They also used swords but mainly for finishing off their wounded enemies. The samurai started using swords as their main weapons after Japan was invaded by Mangol. Samurai warriors used to carry two long and short swords together called daisho. It was the katana and wakizashi that made a diasho. Katana is a curved blade with a length of 24 inches and was ideally perfect for slashing whereas the wakizashi with a length of 12-24 inches was prominently used for the purpose of stabbing. In the late 16th century, non-samurai were forbidden to wear the daisho. Current Status of the 8th Code Data on Japanese history show that there were about 13,000 swordsmiths who contributed in the making of two million samurai swords just before the Meiji restoration in 1868. Before the World War II, there were about million swords and 1/3 rd of them were daito. After the Meiji restoration, samurai swords were manufactured in sword factories under the supervision of the Japanese government. It is said that there are about 100,000 swords in Japan and 300,000 in the United States. Today, more daito, buke-zukuri, shin-gunto, and kyu-gunto types of samurai swords are found in the United States than Japan.

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Chapter 2

Legacy of Samurai Swords

The Samurai sword is a powerful and eye-catching weapon without which a samurai is considered incomplete and incompetent... The sword is called the soul of the Samurai. Portrayal of samurai swords has a special place in movies and literature. That is why samurais have been a popular topic for films and books not only in Japan but around the world as well. Samurai has a big effect on Jidaigekii, a genre of film, television and theatre in Japan, which paints the way of lives of the samurais, farmers, sword smiths and merchants. Japanese Literature The oldest known evidence of samurais in Japanese literature belongs to Kojiki, the oldest chronicle in Japan, where an interesting incident is narrated by the son of Emperor Keiko on using and admiring sword by Japanese warriors. Another Japanese history text called 'Shoku Nihongi', 797 AD has some content related to the use of the term "bushi" in Japanese literature. Another chronicle called 'The Heike Monogatari' shows conflict and struggle between samurai clans for control of power in Japan. In the similar way a letter called 'The Message of Master Gokurakuji' stresses on the importance of loyalty to one's master. Historian Carl Steenstrup also puts a light on the development of bushido in his writings. 17th to 19th centuries were the golden period for samurais and their depiction in history. Miyamoto Musashi's 'Go Rin No Sho' a n d "Dokkodo" belong to samurai warriors. '47 Ronin' was one of the most popular stories penned during this period that later inspired various movie directors and screenplay and story writers. 'Power Rangers Samurai' was one of the famous television shows aired on Nickelodeon and Nicktoons. The show was completely inspired by the way of the Samurai.

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Japanese Cinema The common theme of almost all samurai films revolves around samurai warriors, sword fighting, historical setting and code of honor. It also defines martial arts, skills of samurai warriors, their ongoing life and undeterred loyalty to their masters. Earlier samurai movies were highly based on period drama, but the trend changed sharply when it was replaced by the action genre after the Second World War. Martial arts, death and violence were the common themes in all the movies that were made after the world war. Zatoichi, Crimson Bat, Kyoshiro Nemuri, Miyamoto Musashi, Lone Wolf and Cub, Sanjuro/The Ronin with No Name are some of the popular characters in samurai movies who have become immortal as great samurai warriors.

Akira Kurosawa is one of the most famed directors for portraying samurais in the Japanese cinema with legendary movies such as 'Seven Samurai', 'Rashomon', 'Throne of Blood' and 'Yojimbo.' Masaki Kobayashi directed the films 'Harakiri' and 'Samurai Rebellion.' Both cynical films were based on flawed loyalty to the clan. Kihachi Okamoto portraits violence in a particular fashion in his renowned films titled 'Samurai Assassin', 'Kill!' and 'Sword of Doom.' Hideo Gosha's creation 'Three Outlaw Samurai' paints the struggle between traditional and modernist thoughtanti-feudalism. Impact of Samurai cinema on the Western world It is not only Japan that made remarkable and unforgettable movies based of samurais and their culture, lifestyle, living, fighting, struggle, feud, victory, sorrow and death. There are a lot of blockbuster movies, remade or inspired by the Japanese cinema, crafted by renowned directors of Hollywood.

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Sergio Leone's 'A Fistful of Dollars' and Walter Hill's 'Last Man Standing' were the two successful remakes of 1961's period drama 'Yojimbo' by Akira Kurosawa. 1954 Japanese period adventure drama film 'Seven Samurai' has been remade as 'The Magnificent Seven' and 'Battle Beyond the Stars.' Another movie 'Blind Fury' starring Rutger Hauer narrates the story of a blind swordsman living in the modern US.

2003 American epic drama film 'The Last Samurai' by Edward Zwick, starring Tom Cruise is the most recent work of Hollywood on samurais where a French officer Jules Brunet helps Japanese samurai in rebellion against the Emperor. z

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Chapter 3

Samurai Sword: Then and Now

There are four major periods in the history of the samurai sword that is curved, tempered, single bladed and made of steel. These periods can be classified as ancient sword period, old sword period, new sword period and modern sword period. Ancient Sword (Chokuto or Ken) Period (Until 900 A. D.): Ancient samurai swords were mainly crafted by smiths from Japan, Korea or China. These swords were made of steel, but they had a faulty tempering. Ancient Japanese swords from the Nara period were known for their straight blades. Yamato, Mutsu and San-in were considered as the main centers for manufacturing swords in this period. It was believed that samurai swords made in Japan were imitation of Chinese blades. Made in China samurai swords were expensive. That was the only reason they were carried by high ranking officers only. Plainly speaking, the swords in the period were used for stabbing. Old Sword (Koto) Period (900 to 1530 AD): It was actually a transitory period for the old swords in terms of shape and size. The period took a new form under the rise of a new samurai class that emerged owing to contemporary power struggle and the disintegration of peaceful civil administration. In the era of wars for power, the samurai adopted the sword for the purpose of combat and replaced other common weapons such as bows and arrows, halberd, and swords with faulty tempering. It was the period when the sword become an everyday weapon and replaced straight swords with a single-bladed sword. The standard samurai-sword style of the period is still relevant in the present time. Yasutasuna, a smith in Hoki, was supposed to be the first smith who began forging excellent samurai swords. It was the time for the manufacturing of perfect swords. Specific years of the period were known for the most renowned swordsmiths in the Japanese history. The Five Schools of smiths used to produce about 80% of all swords made in this period. The Five Schools of smiths were from five different provinces of Japan that include Bizen, Yamashiro, Yamato, Soshu, and Mino. The schools had their own traditional as well as distinctive ways of making splendid swords. Suke, Jo, Daijo and Kami were some of the prestigious titles that were given to skilled smiths during the period. The Bizen School: The province of Bizen was considered the first place where the art of sword making was produced. It is also believed that the school was founded by Tomoanri (c. 1100). Fukuoka, Yoshioka, Osafune, Yoshii, and Omiya were some of popular branches of the school that had some leading smiths. http://www.

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Chapter 4

Types of Samurai Sword "It is not a Samurai who selects the sword; it is the Sword that selects the Samurai"
A samurai sword is considered as the best sword due to its magnificent level of weaponry. Its exceptional functions and magnificent art of using make it both beautiful and deadly. Generally, the value of a sword depends on the quality of its edges called kissaki. It was the old sword period when a Japanese smith named Amakuni Yasutsuna invented the samurai sword. There are several types of Japanese samurai swords that can be classified on the basis of size, field of application and method of manufacture. Mentioned below are some of the common and popular types of swords that still exist. These include: Katana: It is the longest type of sword made by swordsmiths during the 15th and 16th centuries. The most commonly preferred sword was ideally perfect for outdoor combat in past times. The sword has a blade which is over 24 inches in length. Being one of the longest types of swords, a katana sword requires functioning of both hands when it comes to operating it. It was used by samurai fighters for close outdoor battles. It is nothing but facing up blade and efficient use that make it a perfect choice for sword fighters. Wazikashi: It is another form of samurai swords that are short and are tucked in the side of the arm. The sword is about 1/3rd shorter than the katana. The sword has a length between 12 to 24 inches. This type of samurai sword is worn and used in indoor environment. It is nothing but convenient maneuverability of the sword that makes it a good option for indoor use. Tanto: It is like a small knife or dagger which is used like a Wakizashi. The sword is known for its single edged or double edges.

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Although Katna, Tanto and Wazikashi are considered as three main types of samurai swords, yet there are also some other popular types of swords used by samurai fighters for different purposes. Daisho: It is common term that is given to the pair of two swords named the Katana and the Wazikashi. Being longer in size, the katana is considered as the main sword whereas the wazikashi is assumed as the backup sword. Tachi: It is the biggest type of a katana with a bigger curve and it is worn with the edge of the blade facing down. The sword was generally worn by samurai fighters when they mounted on horses. Kodachi: It is small or short tachi sword that is between a dagger and a long sword. It had about 59 cm length during the Edo period. Compared to a wakizashi sword, kodachi is more curved and easy to handle.

Daito: It is a popular Japanese sword that has a length of over 24 inches. In terms of size of the sword, a katana is also like a daito. On the other hand a double edge Katana is a double edge sword. This type of sword is not produced generally as it impractical. Iaito or Mogito: This type of sword is commonly used for the practice of iaido. The sword is like a katana with unsharpened edges. It is nothing but unsharpened edges of the sword that makes it a great sword for practice purpose. Odachi: It is a common term given to a sword that is larger than a katana and is handled by two hands. The thing that makes the sword not preferred is its awkward appearance and size.

Nodachi: It is also a term that is given to a sword that is larger than a katana and is handled by two hands.

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O Katana: This type of sword is found a little longer than a katana but smaller than an odachi or a nodachi sword. This sword was used only by the samurais of higher ranks. Another thing that makes this sword ideal for samurais is its length that is hard to copy. Ninja-to: It is a compact and lightweight sword that can put into clothes. Ninjato is a straight sword and is different from a katana on the basis of its design. It is an optional sword to katana. Classifications of Samurai Swords by length: Samurai swords can also be classified by the length of the blade. Shaku is the traditional unit of measurement commonly used to measure samurai swords that are handmade. One shaku is about 30.3 cm or 11.93 inches in length. The length of a blade is determined by measuring it in a straight line across the back from the tip to the munemachi (the point where the blade and tang meet). Tanto, shoto and daito are three main divisions of Japanese blade length. Their measurements are: Tanto (knife or dagger) 1 shaku or less Shoto (short sword) 1-2 shaku Daito (long sword) 2 shaku or more Shoto is an example of wakizashi and kodachi swords whereas daito is a category of katana and tachi. . Parts of Samurai Sword Fuchi-kashira: Ring-like pieces of soft metal at the grip of the sword that helps a samurai warrior hold the handle firmly. The tsuka: It is the handle of the sword that makes its grip convenient. Menuki: It is a pair of ornaments that is placed under the bindings of the handle. The ornaments were the symbol of animals or mythical creatures that depict the tradition of the samurai era. Sageo: It is the silk or cotton wrapping used to wrap the handle and secure the scabbard of the sword. The nakago: It is the tang of the blade covered by the tsuka. It not only supports the entire sword but also prevent it from falling and dropping.

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Tsuba: It is the guard that prevents the hand from being slipped to the edge of the sword. It is placed at the end of the handle. That is why it renders more control of the sword.

Seppa: It is a metal washer that fills the gap between tsuba and habaki. It also keeps both of them tight together. The habaki: It is a small, square metal collar to encircle the base of the blade. It fits over the blade and the handle to protect the saya from dust and rain. Nagasa: It is known as a complete blade. Sori: It is the curvature of the blade developed after a differential quenching and hammering. Mune: It is the unsharpened back edge of the blade of the sword. Shinogi: It is the ridgeline at the blade of the sword. Mono-uchi: It is the cutting section of the sword that is found between the kissaki and the nakauyi. The kissaki: It is the tip most portion of the sword that determines the value of the sword. The scabbard: It is the cover of the sword made of honoki wood.

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