HOW SAMURAI SWORDS WERE MADE
Katana, the traditional blades of a Japanese samurai warrior, were forged to meticulous standards and gave their owners high status
WORDS AILSAHARVEY
DID YOU KNOW? Samurai believed their purpose in life was to protect their master
Samurai warriors ruled Japan from 1185 to 1868, replacing the government and introducing immense discipline and loyalty to the military in the absence of a police force. To be a samurai, warriors needed to abide by the ethic code of ‘bushidō’, which translates to ‘the way of the warrior’. Included in this code were eight virtues that the samurai lived by: justice, courage, mercy, respect, honesty, honour, loyalty and self-control. While these sound like positive traits, samurai took bushidō to the extreme. Samurai couldn’t show any sign that they were afraid of death – a mistake on the battlefield might force a samurai to honour his name and end his own life. This was viewed as a much more desirable outcome than losing their samurai status.
Did you know?
High-quality katana take 18 months to make
5 FACTS SWORD STANDARDS
1 SHARP SIDE UP
The sharp edge of the sword always needs to face upwards, whether it’s placed on a stand or being worn on the body.
2 DISPLAYING INTENTION
If the handle, also called the ‘tsuka’, is on the left-hand side of the samurai, it portrays peace, while the right side indicates that the samurai is ready to attack.
3 BOWING OUT
Retired samurai had their swords taken away and were required to bow to anyone with one for the rest of their lives.
4 DRAWING RULE
If a samurai pulled their katana out of the sheath by at least nine centimetres, this was classed as officially drawing the blade.
5 DYING WITH HONOUR
If samurai didn’t abide by the rules, they were ordered to commit seppuku, also called hara-kiri. This was thought to be an honourable death, where the samurai would slice open their own stomach.