Tag Archives: Japanese Weapons

Hawatari, the Length of a Sword Blade

The Length of a Sword Blade Sword blades come in different lengths which we call Hawatari. But aside from Hawatari, there are several things to consider when choosing a sword.[... ]

The Battle Suit of the Samurai

Samurai Armor Here we are going to talk about the Samurai battle suit or armor. What was it like? Is it heavy? Why do some helmets have horns? Or did[... ]

The Daisho: The Samurai’s Swords

The Daisho Do you know the importance of Daisho? The Samurai wore the Katana as their life swords. That is true. But what most didn’t know is that Samurai don’t[... ]

The Conquest of Toyotomi: The Dual Battles of Imjin

The Dual Battles of Imjin The Imjin invasion started in the year 1592 when the Japanese army arrived at the Busan port city. This peninsula is in the southernmost spot[... ]

From Family Dispute to Civil War

The Onin War Who can tell that a dispute between a father and his son-in-law would eventually become a 12-year civil war? This war was known as the Onin War.[... ]

Tameshigiri Double Cut

Tameshigiri The most challenging cuts you will first learn are the double cuts. Yet this is where all the trick cuts start. It can be daunting, especially the speed of[... ]

The Samurai Bow and its History – A Beautifully Accurate Piece

The Samurai Bow and its History The Yumi was a vital weapon of the Samurai during Japan’s feudal period. It was able to accurately and efficiently shoot Japanese arrows called[... ]

Deadly, Powerful, and Efficiently Dangerous – The Samurai Spear and Polearms

The Samurai Spear and Polearms Aside from the popular Katana, the Samurai spear and polearms were also some of the main weapons of the Samurai. These warriors have also utilized[... ]

Kogarasu Maru – Double Edge Katana

The Kogarasu Maru The Kogarasu Maru – a double-edged Katana – is also called the Little Crow. It is a distinct Japanese Katana believed to have been crafted by Amakuni.[... ]

What is Tamahagane?

Tamahagane There are various Japanese swords made of Tamahagane steel, but what is Tamahagane? It is a kind of steel that originated from Japan for producing classic Nihonto. In a[... ]