Katana

Description

The katana has a size higher than 60 cm but can vary according to the periods and techniques of war. It is generally handled with two hands (still that certain techniques, like the famous technique with two sabers of Musashi Miyamoto, or of the techniques implying the use of the sleeve, suppose the handling with a hand). Its handle ( tsuka ), according to the political climate, varied between the width of two or three hands. The tsuka ends in a guard ( Tsuba ) which protects the hand. The weight of a katana standard varies from 800 grams to 1300 grams.

For the drive with the katana , one uses five types of saber of drive:

the iaitô (居合刀), metal counterpart (a zinc and aluminum alloy), nonsharp, of a katana; this variation of the Japanese saber is the tool of training of predilection of the practitioners of Iaidô (居合道).
the Bokken (木剣), saber out of rigid wooden; it is a weapon in oneself (samurai Musashi Miyamoto celebrates it gained its famous duel against Kojirō Sasaki with an impromptu bokken by cutting an oar of the boat which took it along on the place of the duel). It is used by the practitioners of iaidô for engagements, and by the practitioners of Aïkido and Kendo in katas .
the Suburitô, saber out of rigid and heavy wooden, intended to involve itself with the cuts in the vacuum ( suburi ) while musclant itself;
the Shinaï (竹刀), formed by plates of bamboo maintained by a leather sheath; this saber makes it possible to carry strike real without danger, realizing body protections, and is used by the practitioners of the Kendo (剣道).
the Shinken, which is an authentic and sharpened katana; it is used mainly for the cuts, as in the batto C and the tame shigiri, against targets made up of Tatami S or plaits of rolled straws. The tops graded (5th daN or more) in Kenjutsu and Iaidô use them to pass from the examinations or some katas .

There exist now katana foams about it making it possible to carry more virulent attacks without danger, used in Sport will chanbara (ludic form of the kendo ).

Manufacture

See Japanese Saber

Parts of the katana

The blade as well as the handle comprise several parts which have each one their name; this marks the importance which the Japanese culture attaches to the saber.

Tsuka : handle; its heart consists of two wood hulls of magniolia.

will kashira , or will tsukagashira : decoration at the end of the pommel;
menuki : stitch ornament on the handle, it also helps with the seizure; it is not posed on the same level on the face Omote as on the face Ura ;
mekugi : pin Bambou which fixes the blade at the tsuka ; silk (nakago) of the blade and the tsuka are bored, and the mekugi the cross-piece right through;
same coffee : skin of Shark or Line pastenague which recovers the wood of the tsuka ; this skin (container of silica) stuck around or on each side of the handle was used in particular for the extreme rigidity of this one;
tsuka ito or tsuka maki : lacing of special braid out of silk or cotton, or of leather around the handle, allowing a better gripping and to maintain the two hulls constituting the tsuka.

tsuba : guard;
seppa : parts metal enters the tsuba and the blade, guiding silk (nakago) during its insertion in the tsuka ;
habaki : metal part located at the base of the blade; it is used “to lock” the saber in the sleeve (saya) , to prevent that it does not fall; to declad, the fencer pushes on the guard (tsuba) with the inch to make leave the habaki the saya and be able to draw the blade;
blade

nakago : silk, part inserted in the tsuka and bored mekugiana (hole allowing the passage of the mekugi );

hitoe : back of silk;
yasurime : file stroke organized on silk, vary according to the schools;
mei : signature engraved in silk identifying the blacksmith

mune machi : setback on the back of the blade, marking the beginning of the back of silk (hitoe) ;
mune : back of the blade;
bohi : gutter or throat, allowing to reduce the blade
yakiba : soaked part of the blade, forming the line of hardening, (hamon). Present various forms: waves, boxes, etc
hassaki : edge of the blade;
shinogiji : parallel part of the sides, vertical when the saber is carried to the belt or in guard;
edges: the parallel part of the sides of the blade (shinogiji) has a certain thickness; the blade refines towards the point (kissaki) and towards the edge (hassaki) , the transition from the parallel part and the parts refining itself form three Arête S which meet in a point named mitsukado ;

shinogi : side edge of the blade
yokote : edge separating the point (kissaki) from the remainder of the blade
koshinogi

mono-uchi : 9 cm starting from Yokote; it is mainly with this part that the cuts
kissaki are carried out: point bevelled; it is separated from the remainder of the blade by one stops, the yokote
sashi omote : when the saber is carried to the belt (on the left side, curve upwards), it is the part presented to the public (Omote) , external the side part; when the warrior is in guard (Kamae) , it is the left side of the blade;
c' is also this side which is presented when the blade is on a display unit;
sashi ura : when the saber is carried to the belt, it is the hidden part (Ura); when the warrior is in guard (Kamae) , it is the right side of the blade;

saya : Sleeve; it is made of wood of magniolia which, dried well, is absorbent of moisture, limiting the oxidation of the blades; it is covered with traditional lacquer (22 layers) of aspect smooth or granulated with reason with or without incrustation; this one had two virtues: to return seal the unit sabers sleeve, and to rigidify the made sleeve of fragile magniolia;

sageo : cord.

Presentation of the katana

When the katana is on its display unit, it is placed:

in its sleeve ( saya );
slicing upwards;
public face ( omote ) visible.

Famous manufacturing katanas

Amakuni (which forged the first katana, towards 700 a. J-C)
Munechika
Rai Kunitoshi
Rai Kunimitsu
Soshu Masamune
Soshu Sadamune
Muramasa Sengo
Inoue Shinkai
Nagasone Kotetsu
Gassan Sadakazu
Yosozaemon Sukesada
Yamato Kaneuji
Bizen Saburo Kunimune
Etchu Norishige
Go Yoshihiro
Magoroku Kanemoto
Sadatoshi Gassan
Kotetsu Nagasone

See too

Japanese Sabers
Structure of the blade of the Japanese saber
History of the Japanese saber
Technical of forging mill of the Japanese sabers

Cinema

The katana holds a considerable place in the cinema, Japanese, of course, but also Western.

It is, for example, a central point of the film Kill Bill and more particularly of its first part during which the manufacture of the saber of married by Hattori Hanzo is development. One also finds it in Highlander where Juan Sanchez Ramirez Villa-Lobos (Sean Connery) and Connor MacLeod (Christophe Lambert) use successively same a katana with the length of film and its continuations. One can also quote " the last samourai" or Tom Cruise initiates himself with the combat of saber to the Japanese woman and is not long in putting, in a spectacular way, its assets in work. There is also " Zaitochi" , in which Takeshi Kitano camps a blind masseur, frightening expert of the saber.

External bonds

Site with many photographs of quality
the Japanese sword Aoi-Art.com

Simple: Katana

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