How many swords does a samurai have? Less significant types of samurai weapons

Although many people associate only the samurai sword with Japan, they are wrong. Some of the most diverse and famous are the Japanese swords katana, wakizashi, tachi, tanto dagger, rare ken, various types of yari spears and naginata halberd. Tachi is a long sword (blade length from 61 cm) with a relatively large bend (sori), intended mainly for mounted combat. There is a type of tachi called odachi, that is, a “large” tachi with a blade length of 1 m (from 75 cm from the 16th century). Visually, it is difficult to distinguish a katana from a tachi based on the blade; they differ, first of all, in the manner of wearing. Tachi is usually longer and more curved (most have a blade length of over 2.5 shaku, that is, more than 75 cm; the tsuka (hilt) was also often longer and somewhat curved). The tachi, unlike the katana, was not tucked into the obi (fabric belt) with the blade up, but hung on the hip in a sling designed for this purpose, with the blade down. To protect against damage from armor, the scabbard was often wrapped.

Koshigatana is a small sword that does not have a guard. The length of the blade is up to 45 cm. Sometimes, instead or in addition, a tanto dagger is worn. Naginata is an intermediate weapon between a sword and a spear: a strongly curved blade up to 60 cm long, mounted on a handle as long as a person’s height. Since the naginata was adopted by the samurai, it was usually and most often used by women to protect themselves from attack during the absence of men. It became most widespread during the reign of the emperors of the Kamakura and Muromachi eras.
Yari is a Japanese spear that was not designed to be thrown. Yari has been used by warriors since ancient times. The design of the yari is somewhat reminiscent of a regular sword. The production of yari was carried out by simple artisans (not masters), since structurally this weapon did not require much skill and was made “from a single piece.” The length of the blade is about 20 cm. Yari was used by both samurai and ordinary soldiers.
When the word “sword” is pronounced, the imagination pictures a long straight blade. But long swords were primarily cavalry weapons and became noticeably widespread only in the Middle Ages. And even then they were found much less often than short swords, which served as infantry weapons. Even knights girded themselves with long swords only before battle, and at other times they constantly carried daggers.
Stylet

In the 16th century, the cords lengthened somewhat and acquired a closed guard. The direct successor of the legionary sword - the short sword - “landsknecht” - remained the most popular weapon of the European infantry until the advent of bayonets at the end of the 17th century.
"Landsknecht"
The greatest drawback of the daggers was not their modest length, but their lack of penetrating power. In fact: a Roman sword reached 45 cm from the palm, but the long sword of European knights of the 12th century - also only 40-50 cm. After all, it is advisable to cut with the middle of the blade. Even shorter were katanas, scimitars and checkers. The cutting blow is applied with a section of the blade as close as possible to the handle. Blades of this type were not even equipped with a guard, since it could get caught on the enemy’s clothing.
So, from a practical point of view, the dagger was not short. But he didn’t pierce the armor either. The small weight of the dagger did not allow it to reflect blows from heavy weapons.
But the blow of a short piercing blade could be delivered very accurately and suddenly. Great strength was not required to fight with short swords, but only a very experienced and dexterous warrior could use this weapon effectively.
Pugio
In the middle of the century, the legionary sword not only did not disappear, but also did not change at all. Under the name of stiletto or cord, it continued to be the most popular type of bladed weapon in Europe. Cheap, light and compact cords were used by both nobles and residents of medieval cities as “civilian” weapons. Medieval infantry also wore short swords for self-defense: pikemen and crossbowmen.
Cleaver

On the other hand, conversion steel was very soft. A saber forged from Asian Damascus simply cut through a saber made from English steel. Elastic but soft blades of the 16th century dulled literally “on air.” The soldiers were forced to spend all their leisure time with a grindstone in their hand. DAGA
Since the daga served primarily to repel blows, its main part was the guard. This was especially noticeable in European dagas of the 16th century, the guard of which was a large bronze plate. Such a guard could be used as a shield. Sai - Okinawa, trident stiletto with a faceted or round central blade and two side blades that curve outward.
Misericordia
Another question is that daggers were usually not specially adapted for throwing. They did not have the advantage towards the tip necessary for throwing weapons. There were special knives to defeat the enemy at a distance.
Shurikens
The variety of shapes of small projectiles is so great that they practically defy classification. All “throwing iron” has, perhaps, only one thing in common: warriors never used it. Knife throwers never walked ahead of the phalanx along with archers and slingers. And the knight preferred to practice throwing a dagger that was completely unsuitable for this purpose, rather than carry a special knife with him.
The knife could not withstand competition from other projectiles. Its penetration power was insufficient against the lightest armor. And he flew not far, inaccurately and too slowly.
Kansashi is a Japanese women's combat stiletto in the form of a hair clip with a blade 200 mm long. Served as a secret weapon. Guan Dao is a Chinese edged weapon - a glaive, often mistakenly called a halberd, consisting of a long shaft with a warhead in the form of a wide curved blade; weight within 2-5 kg. for combat samples and from 48 to 72 kg. - for weapons used during the Qing period to conduct examinations for military positions (the so-called ukedao). total length

At the beginning of the 10th century, detachments of armed horsemen known as tsuwamono, mono-no-fu or samurai began to appear in the Kanto region, remote from the political center of Kyoto.

Initially, these militant units were composed of members of the war leader's own family, so that warriors and peasants formed a single group. However, by the 12th century, outsiders began to be accepted into units, giving rise to the lord-vassal system, in which vassals were known as ie-no-ko, or rodo. Two such armed groups were the Genji and Heike clans.

From this period onwards, the samurai began to play a dominant role, and what had originally been mono-no-fu martial skills developed into much more than just a set of fighting techniques. It combined a strict moral code of behavior and a certain mindset. As a result, the Way of the Samurai arose, and the medieval period provided extensive opportunities for its further development and improvement.

Ultimately, in 1185, the Heike, or Taira, clan was defeated, following which the military leader of the victorious Genji, or Minamoto, clan organized a new, exclusively military government - the Shogunate.

The period of the Muromachi Shogunate (1336-1573), with its almost constant wars, was a particularly turbulent period in Japanese history.

Samurai long sword

The sword was the main weapon of a warrior, was considered the soul of the samurai and played an extremely important role in Japanese culture. It was also a work of art and a symbol of the centuries-old samurai tradition. The sword was a permanent regalia of power, like a crown in European culture.

Swords were a mandatory part of the outfit during celebrations. The samurai fastened two swords: earlier, a long tachi and a short uchigatana, with the tip down, and later a katana and wakizashi with the tip up, which made it possible to instantly pull them out and deliver a lightning-fast strike.

In the samurai's house, the swords were on a special stand located opposite the entrance.

Samurai sword art (which originated in the 10th-11th centuries) differs very significantly from all other methods of wielding edged weapons, adopted both in Europe and in Asia. In ken-jutsu, as this art form was called in ancient times (other terms: gekken, tatigaki, heiho), there are relatively few fencing elements that Europeans are accustomed to.

The fighters, as a rule, took their starting position and waited for the enemy to open up to strike. Then came the decisive blow or series of blows. The fewer swings of the sword, the higher the value of the fighter’s art. This fighting pattern was the main one for more than 1,500 schools of kenjutsu, and later kendo. It was customary to hold a long sword with two hands, although fencing with one hand and fencing with two swords at once - large and small - was allowed.

Kenjutsu schools: Japanese long sword.

Schools of kenjutsu differed in stances, of which there were about three hundred, and techniques (there were several thousand), but in each individual school (ryu), not so many basic stances and strikes were provided, from 10 to 15. It was believed that with a solid mastering this is quite enough to emerge victorious from any battle.

For many centuries, kenjutsu training was carried out as closely as possible to real conditions, that is, with steel swords and most often without armor.

The main occupation of samurai has always been bu-jutsu training, where most of the time was devoted to practicing sword fighting.

It was prestigious to maintain a special school of kenjutsu; it was no coincidence that many wealthy daimyos invited eminent fencers as instructors (kenshi) and assigned them a good annual allowance of 300-400 koku of rice. The daimyo sought to ensure that all their samurai who studied kenjutsu had decent weapons, preferably several training swords, new armor that was not dented in battles, and all this cost a lot of money. Therefore, how the kenjutsu school was maintained and who taught in it, one could judge the viability of the daimyo.

The very first schools of kenjutsu began to open at Shinto shrines, and this tradition was preserved until the twentieth century.

Probably the first regular schools of kenjutsu arose in the Edo and Kyoto regions at Shinto altars. For example, in the Kanto region, a suburb of Edo, the Kanto-ryu school was formed in Shinto shrines. It was divided into several directions, named after the altars next to which the training took place. Thus, at the altar of the Kashima clan, the Kashima-ryu school was formed, from where the famous sword fighting style of the Yagyu clan originated.

Great masters of kenjutsu, who, due to their character, could not be in the service of someone, embarked on long journeys throughout Japan. Most often, they were accompanied by a huge retinue of servants and students who greedily caught every word of the master, and having stopped in some village, they immediately began training.

Only a few dared to set out alone - such warriors were followed by a series of fights, murders, and legends were formed about their invincibility. But, as a rule, traveling alone ended after a couple of months with the death of the samurai.

Perhaps history knows only one person who, wandering alone for years, was never defeated by anyone. They said that not a single fight of his lasted more than three whamahs with a sword! This man was the famous Shinmen Musashi no Kami Fujiwara no Genshin (Musashi Miyamoto).

Most schools of kenjutsu were similar to each other. There are almost no records of their activities, and not much is known about the internal life of such schools. Nevertheless, a most interesting overview of the methods of kenjutsu of the 17th century has been preserved. It can be found in one of Miyamoto Musashi’s books, the title of which is conventionally translated as “The Book of Morals.” It was included in the famous “Book of Five Rings” (“Gorin-no her”, 1643).

Musashi Miyamoto treated kenjutsu not only as a set of fighting methods, but above all as a system of spiritual values. This approach was determined by the very logic of the development of Japanese culture, the increasing attraction to the Zen Buddhist ideal of emptiness and aestheticism. It was at that time that the ritual of ordinary tea drinking, which came from China, developed into the complex mystical “Way of Tea” (cha-no yu). Kenjutsu schools develop complex methods of spiritual education within the martial arts tradition. For example, the fencing school of Odagiri Sekikei in Edo became famous for this. Her main thesis was “enlightenment of consciousness and insight into the Emptiness,” which is very similar to the thoughts of Musashi Miyamoto.

Way of the Sword

Gradually, the combat practice of samurai with a long sword develops into a mystical path of enlightenment. There is an awareness that the highest value of sword fencing lies far beyond the combat itself, and the “Way of the Warrior” becomes equivalent to the “Path of Enlightenment.” In this situation, a new term was born to denote combat with a sword - kendo (Way of the sword), which replaced ken-jutsu - “the art of the sword”. For the first time this term began to be actively used at the beginning of the 18th century in the elite school of Abatate-ryu. Training in kenjutsu schools was as close as possible to real combat. In the initial stages, samurai trained in sword and spear combat for at least seven to eight hours a day.

In the early period of the formation of the samurai corps, warriors trained on real combat swords - katanas and tantos, which were sometimes blunted so that the warriors would not inflict serious wounds on each other. Many instructors at the same time forbade their students to wear any protective equipment so that they would not allow the blade to even touch their body. In addition, they required students to lightly wound their opponent at least once a day. It’s easy to imagine how bloody these training sessions were!

But even in fighting with wooden swords, samurai risked being seriously injured. Finally, by the mid-17th century, two famous schools of masters Torani-shi Kansina and Ono Tadake introduced protective equipment for the first time to train swordsmen. At first, students were allowed to wear some of the samurai battle armor, but then they considered this not very rational (and also a very expensive pleasure).

It was then that the type of protective training kit that we can see today on kendo fencers was formed. It consisted of a helmet with a protective mask, a lightweight cuirass and shields on the forearms. But such shields could not withstand a powerful blow even from a wooden boken. Therefore, Ono Tadake for the first time introduced into training practice fighting with light bamboo sticks that imitated a bamboo sword - a shinai. Now you could fence freely without fear of injuring your partner.

Yet the bamboo stick was significantly different from the katana both in weight and in its structure. In the 50s of the 18th century, a follower of Ono Tadake, the famous warrior Nakanishi Chuta, developed a more advanced type of shinai. He tied together several bamboo sticks, tying them with strong leather straps. The ends of the sticks were rounded, and a hand shield was attached to them - thanks to this, the shinai took on the appearance of a real sword. This is the type of shinai that is still used in kendo clubs.

These improvements were introduced only when relative peace reigned in Japan. Now martial art, especially sword fencing, has become not so much a method of resolving conflicts and a method of self-defense, but rather a symbol of the special status of samurai. It was impossible for a samurai not to be able to fight with katanas and naginata, but the likelihood that he would not use his skills in life increased. Training fights with real swords without protective equipment turned out to be unnecessary.

Samurai sword

However, during the troubled times (1860-1868) of the fall of the shogunate, many clans (acting on the side of the shogunate) again began to use steel swords in training. This was due to the decline of the samurai spirit and, accordingly, the bushido code. In this way, schools and paramilitary organizations separated cowards and incompetent warriors, namely warriors, because there was no time to train newcomers.

In 1868, military rule in Japan, which had lasted nearly seven centuries, came to an end and Emperor Meiji was restored to his throne. In the ensuing atmosphere of radical reform that attempted to comprehensively modernize Japan in line with the industrialized Western powers, kenjutsu (the art of the sword) was seen as an unwanted relic of the samurai class, which had been abolished in an attempt to establish universal equality before the law. Naturally, the art of the sword began to decline.

A ban was introduced on the carrying of weapons by samurai, and it was during these years that the art of hand-to-hand combat began to develop.

For example, many aikido masters do not even suspect that this art was born precisely from kenjutsu. All movements of the arms, body, and legs correspond to movements with a sword. Throws are nothing more than the final blow of a katana, i.e. the movement of the hands describes the same trajectory as with a weapon. This is probably where the saying “a samurai without a sword is like a samurai with a sword, only without a sword” came from.

The samurai sword katana is not just a sword, but the embodiment of the Japanese spirit, the personification of historical culture and a source of pride for the people of the Land of the Rising Sun.

This weapon is considered a true symbol of the Japanese people, their fighting spirit and will to win. Since ancient times, it was believed that there were three main Japanese treasures. These include a jasper necklace, a sacred mirror and a sword.

For a samurai, the sword was his life partner, and even on the threshold of death, the warrior did not let it go from his hands. The katana also reflected the social status of its owner, being the personification of purity, and - which is unique to the Japanese - was considered the best gift in tribute. According to Japanese mythology, the sword is not a symbol of war and death, but rather a weapon of peace.

History of the katana sword

For a long time, when participating in bloody battles, the Japanese used spears. But the reign of the Tokugawa shogunate changed the usual way of life of warriors. With the advent of the technological process, swords began to be used. The art of swordsmanship is called "kenjutsu". This is not just a set of military knowledge, but also spiritual self-improvement.

The emergence of the “weapon of the soul” is associated with a historical change in its more ancient ancestor - the tachi sword, which is considered the traditional weapon of the samurai. The katana is not a native Japanese sword, because its formation was influenced by other Asian cultures. The sword received its final form during the Nara and Heian periods - it is a curved blade with the same handle, sharpened only on one side - this is how we can see it in our time. To create a katana, special techniques for forging and hardening iron were used, and the handle was usually wrapped in silk ribbon. In rare cases, swords were decorated with engraving; usually such specimens were of particular value.

Carrying a katana

The samurai katana sword is worn on the left side in a sheath, which is located behind a special belt - obi. The blade of the sword, as a rule, is directed upward - this method of wearing is considered generally accepted since the end of the wars during the Sengoku period, when the carrying of weapons took on a traditional character rather than a military one. When the possibility of a threat arose, the katana was held in the left hand, and if they wanted to express their trust, then in the right. When sitting down, the samurai placed the sword not far from him. If the katana was rarely used, it was kept at home in a sheath made of untreated magnolia wood, which prevented the appearance and further spread of corrosion.

The corner in which the sword was kept was called tokonoma. And the special stand on which it was located was a katanakake. While sleeping, the samurai placed his sword at the head of his head in such a way that it could easily be grabbed at any time.

Katana Proficiency

A katana is a cutting weapon that can decapitate an enemy with one blow. The main technique of wielding a Japanese sword is that the blow is struck not at a right angle, but along a plane. Also, to simplify the application of cutting blows, the center of gravity was located closer to the blade.

The length of the katana allowed for various maneuvers. You need to hold it with both hands at once. The middle of the left palm was located at the end of the handle, and the second hand squeezed the area near the guard. Participation in the swing of two arms at once made it possible to obtain a greater amplitude, which strengthened the blow.

There are three types of stances for katana fencing:

Jodan - the sword is on the top level
Chudan - in this position the sword should be in front of you
Gedan - the sword is on the lower level

To successfully apply the mastered fundamentals of katana fencing, you need to be able to anticipate all the enemy’s movements and accurately plan your actions in a short time.

Traditionally, Japanese sword fencing training is divided into three levels:

Omote is an open level, it does not delve into “hidden” sword techniques
Chudan - intermediate level
Okuden - closed level

In Japan, many traditional schools teaching the art of swordsmanship have survived to this day. These schools were able to continue to exist even after the ban on wearing swords, which was established by Emperor Meiji.

How is the special sharpness of the Katana achieved?

The katana is considered a unique bladed weapon because it has a self-sharpening function. The stand on which the sword is placed allows the blade to remain sharp for a long time due to the special movement of the molecules. The blade manufacturing process involves the use of special equipment. Grinding consisted of ten stages, thus reducing the graininess of the surface. The blade was polished using charcoal dust.

The last step is to harden the blade using liquid clay. She contributed to the emergence of a special strip with a matte surface, which symbolized the boundary between the mirror part of the blade and the matte one. Part of the blade was wrapped in clay, and the other half of the blade was tempered in water. In this way, different surface structures were achieved. If the master was very popular, then at this stage of production he left his signature. But at this stage the blade was not yet considered ready. The final polishing of the blade took two weeks. When the surface of the blade acquired a mirror shine, it was considered that the work was completed.

The metal involved in the manufacturing process of weapons had a special structure. Its peculiarity is its layering. There were several ways to obtain high-quality steel. They were determined under the influence of many external factors.

Samurai katana sword in modern times

Having long ago lost its military significance, the katana sword has become a real find for lovers of Asian culture. A real weapon is an ancient handmade creation. Genuine specimens are most often passed on by inheritance and serve as heirlooms. But not everyone has the opportunity to purchase the best katanas, since only a true connoisseur of edged weapons can distinguish a fake from an original. So how much does a real samurai katana sword cost? The cost of swords made in Japan is at least 1 thousand dollars, and the price of rarer specimens can reach up to 9 thousand dollars. Thus, the most expensive Japanese sword in history is considered to be the 13th century Kamakura sword, which was sold at auction for 418 thousand dollars.

Tati(Japanese?) - long Japanese sword. The tachi, unlike the katana, was not tucked into the obi (fabric belt) with the blade up, but hung on the belt in a sling intended for this purpose, with the blade down. To protect against damage from armor, the scabbard was often wrapped.
It is usually longer and more curved than the katana (most had a blade length of over 2.5 shaku, that is, more than 75 cm; the tsuka (hilt) was also often longer and somewhat curved).
Another name for this sword is daito(Japanese ?, lit. “big sword”) - in Western sources it is sometimes mistakenly read as "daikatana". The error occurs due to ignorance of the difference between on and kun reading of characters in Japanese; The kun reading of the hieroglyph is “katana”, and the on reading is “to:”.
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Tanto(Japanese tanto, lit. “short sword”) - samurai dagger. The length of the blade should not exceed 30.3 cm (otherwise it will no longer be a tanto, but a short wakizashi sword). Each tanto (as a national treasure) must be licensed, including the found historical tanto. The tanto was used only as a weapon and never as a knife, for this there was a kozuka, worn in pair with the tanto in the same sheath.
Tanto has a single-edged, sometimes double-edged blade ranging from 15 to 30.3 cm in length (that is, less than one shaku).
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It is believed that tanto, wakizashi and katana are, in fact, “the same sword of different sizes”

Shin-gunto(1934) - Japanese army sword, created to revive samurai traditions and raise the morale of the army. This weapon repeated the shape of the Tati's combat sword, both in design and in the methods of handling it. Unlike tachi and katana swords, which were made individually by blacksmiths using traditional technology, shin-gunto was mass-produced in a factory.
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Tsurugi(Japanese) - a Japanese word meaning a straight, double-edged sword (sometimes with a massive pommel). Its shape is similar to a tsurugi-no-tachi (straight one-sided sword).

Uchigatana were divided into two families according to the length of the blade: more than 60 cm - katana, less - wakizashi (accompanying sword).
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Aykuti(Japanese - fitted mouth) - a style of sword frames without the use of a tsuba (guard).
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Ninjato(Japanese ninjato), also known as ninjaken (Japanese) or shinobigatana (Japanese) - a sword used by ninjas. It is a short sword forged with much less effort than a katana or tachi. Modern ninjato often have a straight blade and a square tsuba (guard). Some sources claim that the ninjato, unlike the katana or wakizashi, was used to deliver only cutting blows, not piercing ones. This statement may be erroneous, since the main enemy of the ninja was the samurai, and his armor required an accurate piercing blow. However, the main function of the katana was also a powerful cutting blow.
Ninjato (Japanese ninjato-, also known as ninjaken (Japanese ?) or shinobigatana (Japanese ?) is a sword used by ninjas. It is a short sword forged with much less diligence than a katana or tachi. Modern ninjato often have a straight blade and square tsuba (guard). Some sources claim that the ninjato, unlike the katana or wakizashi, was used only for cutting blows and not piercing blows. This statement may be erroneous, since the main enemy of the ninja was the samurai, and his armor was required. accurate piercing blow, however, the main function of the katana was also a powerful cutting blow.
According to Masaaki Hatsumi (Japanese), ninjato came in different shapes and sizes. However, they were most often shorter than the daito used by samurai. With a straight blade, but still slightly curved. A typical ninjato was more like a wakizashi, having a handle like a katana and housed in the same sheath. This made it possible to grab the sword faster than the enemy and, moreover, to fool him, since such a disguise in no way betrayed the true nature of the ninja. The free space in the sheath could be used to store or hide other equipment or necessary things. Of course, a shorter blade in some cases was a disadvantage, since the enemy could significantly reduce the distance, but in a number of fights it was also an advantage, since the ninja could fully use the short length of the blade, for example, in an iaido fight, when necessary draw your sword and hit your opponent as quickly as possible. Other researchers, however, believe that the shorter blade gave the ninja an advantage in that it was much easier to conceal and, importantly, it gave an advantage in the event of indoor combat: walls and ceilings significantly prevented samurai from using the katana in some techniques attacks.
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There was another type of sword - chizakatana- slightly longer than a wakizashi and slightly shorter than a katana. With it the samurai had to replace the zaisho (a pair of samurai swords consisting of a shoto (short sword) and a daito (long sword)) when approaching the daimyo or shogun.

Kodati(Japanese, lit. "small tachi") - a Japanese sword, too short to be considered a daito (long sword) and too long to be considered a dagger. Due to its size, it could be grabbed very quickly and also fenced. It could be used where movement was restricted (or when attacking shoulder to shoulder). Since this sword was shorter than 2 shaku (about 60 cm), during the Edo period it was allowed not to be worn by samurai, but by merchants.
The kodachi is similar in length to the wakizashi, and although their blades differ significantly in design, the kodachi and wakizashi are so similar in technique that they are often confused. The main difference is that the kodachi is usually wider than the wakizashi. In addition, the kodachi was always worn in a special sling with the curve down (like a tachi), while the wakizashi was worn tucked behind the obi with the curve of the blade upward. Unlike other Japanese weapons, the kodachi was not usually carried with any other sword.
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Shikomizue(Japanese Shikomizue) - a weapon for “hidden war”. In Japan it was used by ninjas. Nowadays, this blade often appears in films. The Shikomizue was a wooden or bamboo cane with a hidden blade. The shikomizue blade could be straight or slightly curved, because the cane had to exactly follow all the curves of the blade. The Shikomizue could be either a long sword or a short dagger. Therefore, the length of the cane depended on the length of the weapon.
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To Sansey

05.04.2018

Today we will touch on the most interesting topic about traditional weapons of Japan. We have known about some literally since childhood, thanks to literature and films, but much less is known about others. Some types of weapons are literally modified agricultural implements, and it is no coincidence, because agriculture occupied a leading role in the production of Japan at that time. So, let's begin.

1.KATANA

Many people know about the katana; it is some kind of saber, but with a long and straight handle, so the katana can be held with a two-handed grip. The length of the katana could be different (there are varieties of katana: tachi, tanto, kozuka, ta-chi), but in general it is a fairly long sword measuring about 70 cm-120 cm. The width of the katana blade is about 3 cm, the thickness of the butt is about 5 mm. There are many legends about the properties of this sword, but one thing is certain: the technology for making a katana is extremely complex. For the production of katana, multilayer forging is used, specially selected materials and conditions. This combination made it possible to make a sword capable of cutting a person in half with one swing.

2.WAKIZASHI

Wakizashi is a short sword. The length of its blade did not exceed 60 cm. The shape of the wakizashi resembles a katana. Usually samurai wore it paired with a katana in their belt with the blade facing up. Wakizashi was used as an auxiliary weapon in cases where it was impossible to use a katana, or together with a katana at the same time. Unlike the katana, wakizashi could also be worn by merchants and artisans.

3.NUNCHAK

Nunchucks are bladed weapons with shock-crushing and suffocating effects. By design, nunchucks are two short sticks connected by a chain or cord. Nunchaku sticks can be either the same or different in length. They say that the prototype of this weapon was a flail for threshing rice. There are many varieties of nunchaku, including three-link:

There is also a weapon similar to three-link nunchaku - a three-link pole:

However, the techniques for using these types of weapons differ.

Nunchaku gained popularity primarily thanks to films with Bruce Lee:

4.BO (BATTLE STAFF)

Bo (Korean name "bong", Chinese - "kon") is a long staff made of wood, bamboo or metal. Usually it was a wooden pole about 180 cm long and 2.5 cm - 3 cm in diameter. Bo is used as a weapon. It is believed that previously the BO was part of a spear. Bo were used for self-defense by monks and common people.

5.SAI (TRIDENT)

Sai is a piercing bladed weapon resembling a stiletto. Outwardly it looks like a trident with an elongated middle tooth. Sai is one of the main types of Kobudo weapons. The side teeth play the role of a guard, but can also serve to grab a weapon or hit a target by sharpening it.

6.JUTTE (WAR CLUB)

The jutte is a Japanese bladed weapon about 45 cm long, which was used by ninjas and Japanese police. The jutte has a one-sided guard about 5 cm in length. Currently used in the martial art of jutte-jutsu. Jutte is a small metal club.

7.KAMA (BATTLE SICKLE)

Kama is also a melee weapon. Very similar to a small braid. It consists of a handle and a short curved blade, which is mounted on the handle perpendicular to it. The prototype of Kama was a sickle for harvesting rice.

8.TONFA

Tonfa is a bladed weapon with impact and crushing action. The prototype of the tonfa was the handle of a rice mill. The tonfa is the ancestor of the modern cross-handled police baton. There are many versions regarding the history of the origin of tonfa - according to some sources, it came to Japan from China.

9. YAVARA

Yawara is a Japanese brass knuckle designed for jabbing. Intensifying the blow of a hand with an object clamped into it led to the appearance of a simple but very effective weapon - a short stick. The length of the javara ranges from 12 cm to 15 cm, and the diameter is about 1-3 cm. It is made from various hardwoods. Can be sharpened on one or both sides. Many other available means can also be used as javara.

10.SHURIKEN

Shuriken literally translates to “blade hidden in the hand.” Shuriken was an additional weapon, along with the katana. The art of using shuriken, known as shuriken-jutsu, was taught along with other martial arts. There are 2 known types of shuriken: bo-shuriken (a rectangular, round or octagonal wedge in cross-section) and shaken (made from thin sheets, coins, carpentry tools).

11.KUBOTAN

The Kubotan is a keychain, but is used as a non-aggression weapon that gives its owner the ability to resist an attacker. The prototype of the kubotan was the yawara. The Kubotan is a rigid plastic rod, about 14 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter, weighing about 60 grams. Kubotan does not contain any sharp parts or edges. The body of the rod has 6 round notches for better grip, and there is also a key ring attached to one end. The kubotan's father is master Soke Kubota Takayuki 10th dan Gosoku Ryu. Today, the Kubotan is included in the equipment of the police in the United States and other countries.

12. TIMBAY

Timbay, also known as a shield, was oval in shape, usually about 45 cm long and 38 cm wide. Shields were made from turtle shells, metal, or woven from wicker. Modern schools use plastic shields. Timbay was held in the left hand and used for protection. Timbey was often used in conjunction with a weapon called Rotin.

13. ROTIN

Rotin was a pike about half a meter long. Most of this length was the shaft. The tip usually had an extension in the middle part for more serious damage to the enemy. If such a weapon was turned inside a wound, the damage was often incompatible with life. Usually the rotin was held in the right hand and stabbed from the bottom up, trying to hit the ribs or throat. A common technique was to hide the pike behind a shield, which made it possible to take advantage of the effect of surprise. A short sword could also be used as a rotin.

14.ECU (BATTLE OAR)

The eku is a wooden boat oar made from Japanese red oak. The length of the eku is about 160 cm. The length of the round handle is about 1 m, the diameter of the handle is about 3 cm. The outer edges of the flat blade were tapered and sharpened, the end of the oar was also sharpened at an angle of 45 degrees. Kobudo masters applied cutting and piercing blows with the blade of an oar, and working with the handle was reminiscent of working with a pole.

15.KUVA

Kuva is also a melee weapon, although it is much less known. It is also included in the Kobudo arsenal. Kuva was a fairly effective and popular weapon, due to the fact that its wearing did not arouse any suspicion.