Weapons

The main weapon of a Samurai is the nihonto sword which appeared in the 9th century and was considered both battle and sacred weapon. To the nihonto class refer long tati swords that were carried blade downwards and short swords (knives) kosigatana that were stuck under one's belt and carried together with tati. In the 16th century tati were replaced with utigatana swords that were carried blade upwards. Since that time the Samurais got the privilege of carrying two utigatana swords at the same time - a long katana and a small vakidzasi which made a pair called daisyo.

To the nihonto class also refer straight two-blades ritual swords ken that were made as gifts to Buddhist temples and Shinto sanctuaries. There were many schools of blacksmiths each of which had its own secrets and smithery techniques. The quality and the beauty of the traditional Japanese sword made it one of favorite collectors' items. At present, the art of forging swords in the nihonto style is rising again after the decline of the end of the 19th - middle of the 20th century not only in Japan but also in many other countries.

The Samurai bow was up to two meters long and had a complex construction. It was glued with fish glue and covered with color varnish, and the handle was covered with soft suede or rattan. The bow-string was braided from vegetable fiber. There were open and closed quivers for 21 to 25 arrows. There were split (karimata), wide (hirane) and narrow ("bird's tongue" or "chisel" tips. Many arrows had special horn or bone whistles; fire arrows were also widely used. Fire-arms (teppo) were adopted from the Europeans in the 16th century. In the troops of almost all feudal dukes groups of harquebus-infantrymen (teppo-asigaru) were organized, who, together with archers were very effective in battles. Later there appeared taiho cannons that were used to destroy fortress walls.

The Samurais also used spears (yari) with long and straight (sugu-yari), cross-like (dzyumodzi-yari), falciform (kama-yari) tips; the spear with a hook kagi-yari, short spears teyari as well as halberds naginata and nagamaki, "wolf sticks" sodegarami and futamata, battle "rakes" kumate ("bear paw"). Of high popularity were the so-called kusarigama -  battle reaping-hooks on relatively long handles equipped with thin strong chains with a weight at the end.

Katana sword of Edo epoch. Japan.		Quiver of Edo epoch. Japan.		Smith-armourer at work. Japan. The Japanese. Kupin K., 2004
Sword making. Japan. The Japanese. Kupin K., 2004		Sward grinder. Japan. The Japanese, mid-to-late 19th c.