Daikatana (sword)
| Katana (刀) | |
|---|---|
Katana signed by Masamune with an inscription (城和泉守所持) in gold inlay, Kamakura period, 14th century, blade length: 70.6 cm
|
|
| Type | Sword |
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Production history | |
| Produced | Muromachi period (1392–1573) to present |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 1.1–1.3 kg |
| Blade length | approx. 60–73 cm ( 23 5⁄8– 28 3⁄4 in) |
|
|
|
| Blade type | Curved, single-edged |
| Hilt type | Two-handed swept, with circular or squared guard |
| Scabbard/sheath | Lacquered wood |
Historically, katana (刀) were one of the traditionally made Japanese swords (日本刀 ) that were used by the samurai of ancient and feudal Japan. The katana is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands.
"Katana" is the term now used to describe the family of swords known as nihontō that are 2 shaku (606 mm / 23.9 in) in-length or longer.
Katana can also be known as dai or daitō among Western sword enthusiasts although daitō is a generic name for any Japanese long sword.
As Japanese does not have separate plural and singular forms, both katanas and katana are considered acceptable forms in English.
Pronounced [katana], the kun'yomi (Japanese reading) of the kanji 刀, originally meaning dao or knife/saber in Chinese, the word has been adopted as a loanword by the Portuguese language. In Portuguese the designation (spelled catana) means "large knife" or machete.
The katana is generally defined as the standard sized, moderately curved (as opposed to the older tachi featuring more curvature) Japanese sword with a blade length greater than 60 cm ( 23 1⁄2 inches). It is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, slender, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard (tsuba) and long grip to accommodate two hands.
...
Wikipedia