During the Muromachi period (1394-1595), the samurai sword of choice gradually shifted from the tachi to the katana. This era, also known as the Ashikaga period, was ruled by the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, although the actual power belonged to the daimyo. This setup inevitably led to a fight for true authority; in 1467, the Onin War marked the beginning of the Sengoku jidai, or the Warring States period. Japan was in a constant state of conflict for nearly a hundred years, until the three great daimyo of the Sengoku period eventually brought the country together under one rule. These individuals were Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Transition from tachi to katana
Muromachi era japanese samurai slowly switched from tachi to the katana sword. Though, tachi similar to those from the Kamakura period were still used – a narrow mihaba (width), a small kissaki (point), and a curved monouchi (first six inches from kissaki), which was a common feature of handmade swords from the Muromachi period.
As this was a transitional time from tachi to katana, the difference between these two types of swords became hard to tell if one did not pay attention to the mei (swordsmith’s signature). The side of the sword with the mei must always face outward when worn. Tachi are worn edge down, while katana, edge up. In case there was no mei, another distinguishing feature was the koshirae (mounting style).
Early Muromachi (1394-1466)
As armies grew in size, the amount of samurai warriors on horseback decreased, and foot soldiers began to make up the core army force. Tachi were still being produced, but katana were slowly gaining popularity, as shorter swords were easier to carry and draw. The curvature of the blade moved to its center, designed for quick drawing and on foot use. Most swords measured 69.7-72.7 cm long with a tapered point.
Middle Muromachi (1467-1554)
The samurai sword became even shorter as the strategic importance of troop mobility increased. Swords of this period were 60-65 cm in length, with an even width all across the blade, making them ideal for fast unsheathing and using with just one hand. These katana are called katate-uchi, meaning “one-handed fighting sword”. The width of the monouchi and habakimoto (blade area near the machi) were the same, and the nakago (tang) was shorter.
Wakizashi and yoroidoshi were also made during the Middle Muromachi period. Wakizashi had lengths of around 40 cm, and no ridgelines and sori (curvature). Engravings of deities and Sanskrit characters called horimono were also common. Yoroidoshi, which means samurai armor piercing tanto, were very thick, not so broad and long, with a strong kissaki.
As a result of the constant demand for the samurai sword, not all swords were made with high standards. Kazuuchimono and taba-gatana were used to refer to mass produced swords; kazu-uchi means “mass produced” and taba-gatana indicates bulk selling. Though these swords were shunned by collectors because of their relatively low quality, they were still effective to a certain extent.
Late Muromachi (1555-1595)
The late Muromachi era saw the artistic revolution of the Momoyama period, during which the japanese katana sword completely replaced the tachi as the primary samurai sword. It was not always easy to tell the difference between these two types of swords made in this era, but the position of the mei (swordsmith’s signature) was one way of doing so.
The mei must be on the side of the blade that faces away from the body when worn. Since tachi are worn edge down and katana are worn edge up, the mei of both swords are placed on different sides. If there was no mei, the koshirae (mounting) was another way of distinguishing the two swords. As the transition from tachi to katana was gradual, there are several swords that are “in between” and cannot be easily placed in a particular category.
The practice of wearing daisho (a pair of katana and wakizashi) started during the late Muromachi period. Although japanese samurais have always carried a backup blade, the trend of having matching mountings for the main and backup swords began here. Backup swords were normally inserted in the obi (belt sash).
In ancient times, the term wakizashi was used to refer to any sword that was secondary to the tachi and worn through the obi, regardless of length. Backup blades during the Koto (Old Sword) period could be yoroidoshi (armor-piercing tanto), chiisagatana (short katana), and koshigatana. These were always worn inserted in the obi, though the koshigatana was sometimes worn hanging from the obi.
It was only during the Momoyama period that the official criteria for categorizing the different types of japanese samurai sword according to length were formed.
