History of the Japanese saber

The jôkotô (上古刀): ancestor of the Japanese saber

In Japanese, the term jôkotô indicates any form of saber or former sword in the middle of the era Heian (平安時代, Heian-jidai , 794-1185). One finds in this category the tsurugi , the tachi , the warabite-No-tachi and the tosu .
According to the Japanese archeologists, the jôkotô made their appearance during the era Yayoi (弥生時代, Yayoi jidai ), era when the techniques of the work of metals are imported continent (primarily the China). One finds the first references on the Japanese sabers in the '' Kojiki '' (古事記, 712) and the '' Nihon Shoki '' (日本書紀, 720), major literary works of the archipel.

Although some blades are interesting from the historical point of view since they represent the prototypes of what one will call nihontô , word being used to indicate what one calls today Japanese sabers, they are generally of low qualities artistic and technical. The shape of the sabers is not fixed yet, but in general, the jôkotô are right blades with double edge, forged in only one type of metal. It happens that some are curved, but that remains accidental. Hardenings are not yet partial and are often chaotic, which makes the blades particularly fragile.

However, many found parts remained in a remarkable state and among those, some corresponding to the selection criteria for the denomination of " saber japonais" are regarded today as parts maîtresses.

The technological developments making it possible to pass from the jôkotô to the true saber occur only for the period of Nara (奈良時代, Nara-jidai ). These techniques include/understand mainly:

the forging mill based on the recycling of metal employed;
partial hardening;
the folding of metal in fine superimposed plates.

The sabers koto (古刀)

The term indicates all the sabers forged for the period going of second half the era Heian until the era Muromachi. Traditionally, one classifies works of this period according to five great traditions (geographical and technical) called Mino, Yamato, Yamashiro, Bizen and Sôchu.

The evolution of the sabers koto divides according to four periods:

fine Heian - beginning Kamakura;
medium - end Kamakura;
era Nambokuchô;
era Muromachi

End Heian - beginning Kamakura

the Heian period marks a loss of being able of the central government towards the clans. This loss will result in sporadic wars, sources of observations useful for the improvement of the techniques of forging mill. At the same time, these wars encourage the noble ones to develop their military capacity, which contributes to the emergence of a new class of warriors (Bushi) , but also with the increase in the number of Forgeron S.

Moreover, the developments in the military technologies, and particularly the adoption of the assembled combat, make great modifications in the shape of the sabers which become more curved (what constitutes an advantage for practical reasons of handling). The other consequences of this strong intentional curve is that it reinforces the impact resistance and gives a better capacity of cut.

It is only at the beginning of the Kamakura era that the first “school will appear”, initial form of the traditions. It will be located in the Province of Yamashiro. The advantages of this specialized organization very quickly will represent the source of the creation of the other schools, located mainly in the provinces of Bizen, Bitchū, Hoki, Chikugo, Bungo, Satsuma and Yamato.

Medium - End Kamakura

In general, the saber of the Kamakura era is distinguished from the sabers of Heian from a more imposing general aspect and less refined. That can be explained, firstly by the come to power of a harder warlike class, aesthetically less developed, and secondly by the impact of the Mongolian invasions (1274 and 1281). The blades become longer and broader close to silk. In the same way, the point ( kissaki ) tends to lengthen, which makes the unit much more aggressive. Complex hardenings, which confer more solidity on the blade, tend to become much more spectacular: KB-choji midare, koshi- No-hiraita-midare etc

On another side, the traditions are formed around the Masters blacksmiths. It results from this a standardization of the styles, specific to each area. Among the traditions, the principal ones are Bizen, Yamashiro, Yamato, Sôshu and Mino.

In a parallel way, the production of tantô , often curves, develops. They are generally a length of approximately 25 cm.

Era Nambokuchô

Stylistiquement, the saber of Nambokuchô is very close to the style of the end Kamakura, if it is not that it constitutes the culminating point of it. Thus, the blades become disproportionate in the face and width. It is in this tendency that appear nodachi whose size varies between 1,20 m and 1,50 m (of which the majority will be often shortened thereafter), the sunnobi ( tantô wide going from 30 to 43 cm).
This time will also mark the advent of the Sôchu tradition.

Era Muromachi

End of the period koto . The wars of the end Nambokuchô end, leaving room to a general peace. The installation of the shogunat in Muromachi seems to have for effect to bring back the lifestyle of old the shogunat of Kamakura. That is not without impact for the saber since it loses its aggressive character of Nambokuchô, then takes again the characteristics of the saber of Kamakura. Thus, the katanas of the beginning of Muromachi are approximately from 70 to 73 cm and the katanas of the eras Buniki (1501-1504) and Tenbun (1532 - 1555) vary in the neighborhoods of 60 cm.

The uchigatana seems to make its appearance during the era Eikyo (1429 -) but takes its final form during the era Ônin (1558 - 1591). By extension, those a length higher than 60 cm are called katanas in the Japanese modern use whereas those of which the length in is lower are called wakizashi . Originally, the term uchigatana was employed for the period of Kamakura to indicate the sabers used by the basic people social class. But one does not know exactly when this name was replaced in the language running by the two current terms.

From the quality point of view, on the one hand the large blacksmiths are fewer than during the previous time and on the other hand, the artisanal production transforms themselves under the Ônin era into mass production, from where generally a period qualitatively rather poor. The sabers produced at that time are called kazuuchi-mono (数打物).

Later, following the strategic changes brought by Nobunaga Oda during the civil wars of the end of the era, the lances (yari) become more useful and from now on are used by the noble ones gone up as well as by the infantry.

The sabers shintô (新刀)

Azuchi Momoyama is one very important period in the history of Japan. Indeed, at the beginning of the Momoyama era, of great social and economic changes are launched by Hideyoshi Toyotomi. In parallel, the Japanese sabers undergo an impressive transformation, from where the term shintô (新刀) which means literally new (新) saber (刀).

Era Momoyama

The accession with the capacity of Hideyoshi Toyotomi will be marked by a wave of military and administrative reforms which will support the establishment and the development of supporting castles the installation of retail parks and artisanal prosperous. In parallel, of great transportation routes appear connecting these economic places, which facilitates the exchange of the techniques between craftsmen, but also the transport of the raw materials like the ores. The consequence will be the disappearance of the styles specific to the schools.

The reunified empire does not mean therefore military relaxation and the production of blades is accentuated. On the other hand, the imperative speed of times of war makes place to a neater production quickly supporting the appearance of large Masters that and there.

As regards the style, the fashion returns to the sabers of the Kamakura period and Nambokuchô. The blades measure between 73 and 76 cm and are very slightly curved. Unfortunately, the esthetic quality of the grain of the blade of the sabers shintô remains lower than that of the sabers koto . The first explanation of this phenomenon lies in the massive importation of the iron of the Portuguese and Dutchman beginning at the end from Muromachi, gold this iron is of less good quality. The second cause of this loss of quality holds of the use of an iron coming from the west from the Japan, iron which is of bad quality because of a phosphorus saturation which makes the blades breakable. The last cause, but not least, is the loss of techniques of forging mill caused by the great productions of the end Muromachi.

Another important phenomenon, it is at this period that daisho celebrates it (simultaneous port of the katana and the wakizashi slipped into the Obi ) becomes with the mode. The reason is undoubtedly the novel method of combat called Kenjutsu .

Era Edo

This period marks one time of peace where the research of the esthetism becomes again a lifestyle among the noble ones. This tendency benefits the sabers which regain the refined shapes of the koto while innovating of new hardenings at the same time more spectacular and evocative. The horimono loses its religious direction to make place with more decorative figures. Remarkable fact, the blacksmiths start to add titles with their names revealing their desires to belong to a higher class.

The sabers shin-shintô (新々刀)

End Edo

The end of the Edo era marks the loss of being able of the family Tokugawa with the profit of a new class of merchants. Great oppositions on the problems of the opening of Japan appear in Satsuma and Hizen. This opposition obliges the shogunat to return the capacity to the Emperor marking the beginning of the era Meiji. The sabers produced for this period try to take again the modes of Kamakura and Nambokuchô. After a long absence the tachi is reintroduced.

From the point of view of the style, the sabers shin-shintô mark the return of the 5 great traditions (Gokaden) . However, these styles are mixed between them what gives one period of great creativity. The sabers of this time are, consequently, of a diversity up to that point unknown.

Medium Meiji at our days

If the period of Meiji marks the return to the capacity of the emperor, it marks in the same way the disappearance of the caste of the Samurai S. the prohibition of port of the saber implies a change of attitude: the saber becomes more one symbol or an artistic work. Organizations organize the recognition and the safeguarding of major works. In 1897, the nomination of sabers as national treasures is authorized (under another name). Shortly after (1890), under the patronage of the imperial family, the title of “alive national treasure” is adopted in seen to promote an ancestral knowledge shared by the best craftsmen of Japan.

The Second world war will be the last period of manufacture of sabers with a military aim. These sabers called Showatō . However, the blades of this period are not forged according to the ancestral traditions and are of poor quality.

The gendaitô (現代刀): the contemporary saber

Although the blacksmiths are done rare nowadays, the saber preserves an important position in the artistic traditions of the Japan. For a few years, certain blacksmiths have shown an extraordinary creativity, creating new astonishing forms, others get busy to mix the Japanese technique with the foreign forms (hunting knifes, etc).

Random links: