TOP 15 exotic weapons of medieval Japanese culture

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

What unites people around the globe, besides having two ears? A passionate desire to chop, cut, stab, shred, pound each other for objective (and not too much) political, economic, ideological reasons. For centuries, people in all corners of the planet have only been doing this, trying to create the most perfect tools for reducing the population of their enemies. Today we will talk about what was used to achieve this goal in medieval Japan.

1. Tsurugi

Japanese sword, which with a high degree of probability was borrowed and modified by the islanders from the Chinese. The sword was widely used in Japan before the advent of a fundamentally new blade weapon - tachi. The greatest distribution of tsurugi fell on the period from the 7th to the 9th century.

2. Tati

In the 10th century, a fundamentally new blade weapon appeared in Japan. Contrary to popular opinion (and the term used in everyday life and popular culture), tati, like all derived types of bladed weapons, is not a sword, but a saber. The tachi was one of the largest swords in feudal Japan, and was also more curved than the katana.

Note: Japanese bladed weapons have much more in common with Eastern and European sabers than with "traditional" swords. First of all, the katana is not a sword due to the fact that it has a cutting edge on only one side of the blade (unlike tsurugi, which are really a sword).

3. Katana

The visiting card of the Japanese samurai. Long two-handed saber (up to 75.7 cm), which appeared as a result of the evolution of the tachi. The first katanas appeared quite late - in the 15th century and were used until the end of the 19th century. Traditionally it was used in combination "dise" (large-small): the katana was worn with its scabbard blade upwards, paired with a short wakizashi blade.

It is interesting: modern GOSTs of edged weapons define a katana as a "long two-handed saber".

4. Wakizashi

A bladed weapon is very similar in shape to a katana, but has a shorter blade - up to 60 cm (most often less). In most cases, a pair of katana-wakizashi swords were made by the same master. Wearing a pair of weapons from different blacksmiths was considered "bad form" in samurai society. Wakizashi was used for the most part as a spare or auxiliary weapon.

5. Tanto

Japanese samurai dagger with a blade length of 30-50 cm. Most often tantos had a sharp edge only on one side of the blade, but there are also double-sided tantos. One of the few types of weapons that were allowed to be owned not only by samurai, but also by wealthy citizens. Tanto was used as a ritual and auxiliary weapon.

6. Odachi and Nodachi

Japanese bladed weapons with a blade length of 130-180 cm and 120 cm, respectively. Such sabers were used exclusively in foot combat. Some Odachis were so large that they were used exclusively as ritual weapons, playing the role of symbols of a military formation.

7. Bo

A wooden or bamboo staff with a shaft about 3 cm in diameter. It was used mainly for martial arts. In most cases, Bo was 180 cm long, but there are also very long samples - 270 cm. Despite the apparent simplicity, a knowledgeable person can kill an opponent with Bo with just a few blows.

8. Jutte

A small metal club, which is sometimes referred to (for some reason?) As a dagger. The main feature of Jutte is the absence of sharpening and the presence of a small protrusion-trap for capturing the blade of a bladed weapon. It was widely used by the city militia, as well as by the ninja.

9. Kusarigama

A very specific edged weapon that appeared in Japan in the XIV century. In fact, it is a fighting sickle with a chain. The chain was used to entangle the enemy. The length of the sickle blade could reach 20 cm, and the length of the handle sometimes reached 60 cm.

10. Sai

A thrusting bladed weapon similar in appearance to a trident. Most often, Sai was used as a dual weapon. Has tremendous potential for concealed carry. There is a version that Sai was created from an agricultural tool by peasants who wanted to protect themselves. However, this version is actively contested in our time. It is known that Sai was widely used by the Japanese militia in cities.

11. Yawara

Simple and terribly effective wooden brass knuckles, which were known in Japan and China even before the onset of the Middle Ages. It is noteworthy that Yavara became very widespread in Asian countries, and in the 17th century it even came to the territory of Europe.

12. Jari

The term "Yari" is used to refer to the entire variety of Japanese spears, polearms, which have become the most widespread since the 11th century. There are various modifications of Japanese copies. Among them there are both very long, resembling pikes, and short throwing ones, which have much in common with European darts.

13. Naginata

A Japanese polearm that is neither a spear nor a halberd (with which Naginata is most often associated). The closest European analogue of the naginata is the glaive. The Japanese weapon differs from it, first of all, by its much lower weight. The first evidence of the use of this type of weapon dates back to the 7th century AD. The shaft of the Naginata could reach 1.5 meters, while a curved blade with a length of 60 to 120 cm was attached to it. Subsequently, the tips decreased to 30-70 cm.

14. Nagamaki

A Japanese polearm that is often confused with a saber. In fact, it is a type of glaive that was used (apparently) in the fight against cavalry. For the first time, Nagamaki began to be used in the XII century. The length of the weapon was 180-210 cm, which, together with a large handle, made it possible to use it as a short spear.

15. Yumi

A Japanese longbow with an uncharacteristic shape (for most bows of other cultures and military traditions). The main difference between Yumi and its continental counterparts is the asymmetrical arrangement of the handle. Most often, bows were made from bamboo and leather. When the bowstring is removed, it bends in the opposite direction.