Short-cuts in forging were also taken, such as the use of power-hammers, and tempering the blade in oil, rather than hand forging and water tempering. In addition, supplies of the Japanese steel (tamahagane) used for sword making were limited, so several other types of steel were used, as well. Traditionally made swords were produced during this period, but in order to supply such large amounts of swords blacksmiths with little or no knowledge of traditional Japanese sword manufacture were recruited. Japanese military swords produced between 18 are referred to as guntō (military swords).ĭuring the pre World War II military buildup and throughout the war, all Japanese officers were required to wear a sword. Military action by Japan in China and Russia during the meiji period helped revive interest in swords but it was not until the Showa period that swords were produced on a large scale again. Skilled swordsmiths had trouble making a living during this period as Japan modernized its military and many swordsmiths started making other items such as farm equipment, tools, and cutlery. The Haitōrei Edict in 1876 forbade the carrying of swords in public except for certain individuals, such as former samurai lords (daimyo), the military, and police.

Modern katana (gendaito) ĭuring the Meiji period the samurai class was gradually disbanded and the special privileges granted to them were taken away including the right to carry swords in public. The daisho could only be worn by samurai and it represented the social power and personal honor of the samurai. The pairing of a katana with a smaller sword is called the daishō. The katana was often paired with a similar smaller companion sword, such as a wakizashi or it could also be worn with the tantō, a smaller, similarly shaped dagger. By the late 16th century, the average length returned to approximately 73 cm ( 28 1⁄ 2 in). During the early 16th century, the average length was closer to 60 cm ( 23 1⁄ 2 in).

In the late 14th and early 15th centuries, katana blades tended to be between 70 to 73 cm ( 27 1⁄ 2 to 28 1⁄ 2 in) in length. The length of the katana blade varied considerably during the course of its history. Previously, the curved tachi had been worn with the edge of the blade facing down and suspended from a belt. Ideally, samurai could draw the sword and strike the enemy in a single motion. The katana further facilitated this by being worn thrust through a belt-like sash (obi) with the sharpened edge facing up. The quicker draw of the sword was well suited to combat where victory depended heavily on fast response times. The rise in popularity of katana by samurai is believed to have been due to the changing nature of close-combat warfare. The fact that swordsmiths started signing swords with a katana signature shows that some samurai of that time period had started wearing their swords in a different manner. When a tachi was worn in the style of a katana, with the cutting edge up, the tachi's signature would be facing the wrong way. Japanese swords are traditionally worn with the signature facing away from the wearer. This was in response to samurai wearing their tachi in what is now called 'katana style' (cutting edge up). Starting around the year 1400, long swords signed with the 'katana' signature were made. The evolution of the tachi into the katana seems to have started during the early Muromachi period (1337 to 1573). These references to ' uchigatana' and 'tsubagatana' seem to indicate a different style of sword, possibly a less costly sword for lower ranking warriors. The first use of 'katana' as a word to describe a long sword that was different from a tachi is found in the 12th century. The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods: jokoto (Ancient swords, until around 900 A.D.), koto (old swords from around 900–1596), shinto (new swords 1596–1780), shinshinto (new new swords 1781–1876), gendaito (modern swords 1876–1945), and shinsakuto (newly made swords 1953–present). Japanese Edo period wood block print of a samurai with a tachi.

Traditional japanese katana length