Referred to by the Japanese as a “horse-killing sword”, the nodachi was feared for its size, strength, and range. Unfortunately, it didn’t see much use in combat due to it being difficult to wield. Today, these imposing Japanese swords make excellent additions to sword collections, so if you’re looking for something impressive and unusual, then make your next piece a nodachi.
Our selection of nodachi swords boasts of high quality materials and excellent craftsmanship. We carry items from Shinwa, Cold Steel, and other reputable modern sword makers. Here you will find swords with blades made of carbon steel, Damascus steel, or stainless steel. Choose from a variety of styles and sizes – some models are over five feet long! These will make the other swords in your collection look like tanto.
For accurate contemporary reproductions of nodachi swords, we invite you to browse our collection. Many items are available at special prices.
Nodachi, literally “field sword”, is a big sword that was generally used by foot soldiers on open battlefields. The term is often mistakenly interchanged with odachi, meaning “large tachi”, but these are two different weapons. The former was a lot longer, usually having a tsuka (hilt) of more than 15 inches in length and stretching about five feet long in all.
Because of its large size, the nodachi sword was almost impossible to use indoors. It was, however, ideal for open field engagements and effective in battling cavalry. It could be used on horseback and often replaced the polearm since the length of its blade made it easy to strike at an opponent and his horse with a single blow. In times of peace, it was carried across the back as a status symbol. This style was unusual as most Japanese swords were worn at the waist.
Due to its weight, the nodachi was difficult to wield and was usually disposed of at the start of a melee. Foot soldiers would carry it with the flat edge resting on the shoulder, the blade facing out, and the fuchi (butt of the tsuka) in the palms of the hands. The sword would then be thrown towards the enemy, in some instances hitting several individuals at the same time. After having tossed his nodachi sword away, a samurai would draw his katana, which he would use for the rest of the encounter.
Though the nodachi had better range and cutting capabilities than katana samurai swords and was highly effective against cavalry, it was actually rarely used for three reasons. As previously mentioned, it was larger and heavier than the average sword; hence, more strength was required to wield it correctly, and only the strongest and most skilled samurai could use it with just one hand. Nodachi sword blades were also harder to forge, and other weapons such as the nagamaki and the naginata could perform just as well in the same role on the battleground.
Though nodachi swords were seldom used historically, they are a common sight in modern popular culture. These immense samurai swords have appeared in manga and anime series such as Bleach and Samurai Deeper Kyo; films like The Seven Samurai and Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple; and several video games including Vagrant Story, Super Dragon Ball Z, Devil May Cry 3, and Final Fantasy VII and X.
