The Evolution Of The Samurai Sword

The samurai, or bushi (warrior), are well-trained cavalrymen that serve a particular lord. The first recorded history of the samurai was about the 9th century A.D. At that time the capitol of Japan was Kamakura, a military installation. Japan was ruled by an emperor who controlled his empire through the use of shoguns. Shoguns were generals that ruled over

First of all, the knights and samurai were similar because of their codes. The knights had a code they called chivalry, the samurai used the code of bushido. (Doc.E) The code of chivalry involved staying loyal to your lord and also to never give up.(Doc. E) The samurai’s code consisted of staying loyal like the knights, but to always be ready to fight.(Doc. E) The code of chivalry was actually created first by about 130 years.(OI) These codes could help or hurt the people following it. Next, is how they prepared for war.

Samurai and knights, the age old question of who would win in a battle. Both warriors have been looked at as some of the best warriors to ever grace this earth. There is good evidence for both sides such as training, weapons, and armor. The knights may have good features but in battle the samurai would come out in triumph over the knights because of mental readiness and the will to fight.

The samurai got there first sword when they were born and was taught buddhism at a young age and went to samurai training school. Like the knights they would learn under a master which would teach them a number of strengths. Then in the following years they endured many hardships to test their strengths. “To help them learn to endure pain and suffering, young samurai boys were subjected to physical hardships such as fasting, marching barefoot in the snow and maintaining rigid postures for long periods.”(Source 4). Then finally at age 13 they were taught to use a sword and truly become a samurai. Though you could argue that the knights method of training was just as efficient. The samurai training method really tested the strength of the warrior and prepared him for the hardships of the

“warriors “ by terry schoppent, quotes “slight curve and the blade makes it ideal for cutting and slashing…”the Samurai had other weapons but none other than the Katana, the built and shape of the Katana helped the samurai cut and slash deeply into the opponent with great speed, even known to decapitate its victims. “warriors “ by terry schoppent, quotes “the top five inches of his blade are razor sharp and all moving with the sword is designed to optimize that portion of the blade.” the sharpness of the first few inches allows the sword to cut or slash deeply with great speed which could be deadly to someone with few protection or is not moving too quickly to deflect the attack. Another great asset of a Samurai’s abilities other than his or her training or weapon can be found in their moral

The samurai’s and knights were two warriors from two different civilizations from across the world, yet they had many similarities, as well as differences. To start, they both started training in their childhood and participated in spiritual practice. One difference about their training is knights learned how to ride horses and acquired great horse skills. In Document B it states, “A prospective knight’s training began at age four or five with learning to ride a pony.” Similarities in armor between the two warrior classes include the fact that both had very heavy armor. One unique difference was that samurai had their right arm without armor for flexibility while handling a bow. According to Document C, “Samurai did not wear armor on their

To start, the samurai’s light armor made him very quick on the battlefield. His armor, “provided both mobility and protection,” (Source 3), as opposed to a knight’s armor which was very heavy and only provided protection. If the two warriors were fighting from horseback, all the samurai would have to do is find a way to get the knight to the ground. Once on the ground, knights were very vulnerable, especially to those as quick on foot as the samurai. The light weight of the samurai's armor was not the only advantage he had over the knight. The many perfectly placed attached guards, (in contrast to the knights few parts) made moving naturally smooth. There was only one disadvantage to

The first strength of the samurai is that its sword. It is long but light, and the hilt is firm with an untraditional grip to hold. From the history canals warrior series, one of the researches was testing blades and said it was 23 inches, longer than any average blade that a knight would use. The tipp is the sharpest point in the entire sword, being effective for slicing

He often makes use of a strange long sword that appears to be a combination of a sai and a katana, two traditional Japanese weapons that were used during the Edo Period. However, the sai was only used within the Okinawa island chain to the South of Japan during the Edo Period and thus was unlikely to have made its way to mainland Japan during the time that the series takes place in, which is approximately between 1650 AD and 1690 AD, or the early Edo Period. Even if the sai did indeed make it to Japan in the early Edo Period it’s unlikely that a blacksmith would have known how to combine the two weapons together. Without records of these combination swords being produced during the Edo Period, we can only assume that it’s indeed an

Such legendary sword makers such as Goro Nyudo Masamune may not have made a sword for a lowly Japanese foot soldier such as the Humongous 66 Inch Full Tang Nodachi Sword, but his contributions to Japanese sword making changed the way swords were made and he introduced double quenching increasing the tensile strength of the swords he made. Such swords were works of art as the Samurai demanded beauty as well as practicality. Swords made after his innovations were stronger, more deadly and less likely to rust.

Throughout History, there have been many different groups or events that are still widely known today. Groups of people such as the Indians or Vikings are popular groups which are referenced constantly in today’s society. However, none of these groups is more known or referenced than the Japanese Samurai. Originating in 646 AD, these Japanese warriors developed from a loose organization of farmers to the dominant social class in Feudal Japan. Along with their dominant military and political standing, the samurai brought with them a unique code or moral belief that became the core of Samurai culture. Because of this, the Samurai and their principles still affect modern day Japanese society with social customs today

The Katana was the Samurai’s main blade. The Katana was constructed to kill. The Katana was forged with a double edged sword and was built to curve so it could slice deeper into their opponent, as well as being an extension of the Samurai's soul.

The Samurai warriors wielded a large variety of weapons but they became famous for their symbol, the katana (samurai sword). From birth, the Samurai were to undergo brutal training to ensure their success as warriors. They could be tested by running barefoot in the snow, enduring a freezing cold waterfall, or fasting for days on end. However, many of these early Japanese-made weapons were not practical; they were used for religious ceremonies and rituals, indicating a relatively peaceful island nation during its early years. Japan’s most famous weapon needs little introduction.. Strong enough to be used defensively but sharp enough to cut through limbs, the katana earned the reputation as the soul of the samurai – a reputation that lasted long after the samurai abandoned the sword for the pen. After destroying the forces responsible for Nobunaga's death, Hideyoshi was rewarded with a joint guardianship of Nobunaga's heir, who was a minor. By 1584 Hideyoshi had eliminated the three other guardians, taken complete control of Kyoto, and become the undisputed successor of his late overlord.. In 1590, with an army of 200,000 troops,

Samurai - The footsoldiers of the Imperial army, samurai fight with utter dedication and courage. Most will go into battle armed with the daisho and other hand to hand weapon.

Samurai fought bravely but what helped them get through these battles were their tools. Samurai armor was part of their coat of there arms. Their armor was made out of all sorts of material such as monkey skin, leather, steel, and wood for their protection plating. They had small sections of armor that were laced together by silk string. Samurai had two swords, a katana that was 70cm long and a wakizashi which was 45 cm