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A tachi (太刀) was a type of Japanese sword worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. The tachi style of swords preceded the development of the katana.^{[citation needed]}

History and description

The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods; Jokoto (Ancient swords, until around 900 A.D.), koto (old swords from around 900-1596), shinto (new swords 1596-1780), shinshinto (new new swords 1781-1876), gendaito (modern swords 1876-1945).^[1] and shinsakuto (newly made swords 1953–present).^[2]

Authentic tachi were forged during the Koto period, before 1596.^[3] With a few exceptions katana and tachi can be distinguished from each other if signed, by the location of the signature (mei) on the tang (nakago). In general the mei should be carved into the side of the nakago that would face outward when the sword was worn. Since a tachi was worn cutting edge down, and the katana was worn cutting edge up the mei would be in opposite locations on the nakago of both types of swords.^[4]

An authentic tachi that was manufactured in the correct time period averaged 70–80 centimeters (27 9/16 - 31 1/2 inches)in cutting edge length (nagasa) and compared to a katana was generally lighter in weight in proportion to its length, had a greater taper from hilt to point, was more curved with a smaller point area.^[5]

Unlike the traditional manner of wearing the katana, the tachi was worn hung from the belt with the cutting-edge down,^[6] and was most effective when used by cavalry.^[7] Deviations from the average length of tachi have the prefixes ko- for "short" and ō- for "great or large" attached. For instance, tachi that were shōtō and closer in size to a wakizashi were called kodachi. The longest tachi (considered a 15th century ōdachi) in existence is more than 3.7 meters in total length (2.2m blade) but believed to be ceremonial. In the late 1500s and early 1600s many old surviving tachi blades were converted into katana by having their original tangs cut (o-suriage), the signature (mei) would be lost in this process.^[8]

For a sword to be worn in "tachi style" it needed to be mounted in a tachi koshirae. The tachi koshirae had two hangers (ashi) which allowed the tachi to be worn in a horizontal position with the cutting edge down.^[9] A sword not mounted in a tachi koshirae could be worn tachi style by use of a koshiate, a leather device which would allow any sword to be worn in the tachi style.^[10]

Use

Tachi forged by Bizen Osafune Sukesada, 12th year of the Eishô era (1515). Saya in aogai-nashiji laquer, gold decorations.

According to author Karl F. Friday, before the 13th century there are no written references or drawings etc that show swords of any kind were actually used while on horseback.^[11]

The uchigatana was derived from the tachi and was the predecessor to the katana as the battle-blade of feudal Japan's bushi (warrior class), and as it evolved into the later design, the tachi and the uchigatana were often differentiated from each other only by how they were worn, the fittings for the blades, and the location of the signature (mei).

As a result of the first Mongol invasion (1274) tachi started to be made thicker and wider.^[12]

In later Japanese feudal history, during the Sengoku and Edo periods, certain high-ranking warriors of what became the ruling class would wear their sword tachi-style (edge-downward), rather than with the saya (scabbard) thrust through the belt with the edge upward.^[13]

With the rising of militarism during the Shōwa era, the Imperial Japanese Army and the Imperial Japanese Navy implemented swords called Shin guntō and Kai guntō which were worn tachi style (cutting edge down).^[14]

Gallery

Close up view of an antique tachi tsuka (handle), one of the "ashi" (sword hanger) can be seen.
Antique tachi and koshirae, British museum.
Tachi "kissaki" (blade tip), Bizen school, signed "Tachimei, Bizen no Kuni Osafune Yoshigake"; Nambokusho era (14th century).
Tachi forged in 1997 by Matsuda Tsuguyasu, tachi koshirae made in 1999 by Takeyama. Copy of a tachi blade from the end of the Heian era (11th century). Galley Duno, Geneva.
Various types of "koshiate", a device used to carry a sword in the tachi style (cutting edge down).
Line drawing showing the correct method of wearing a tachi while in armour.

References

^ Samurai: The Weapons And Spirit Of The Japanese Warrior, Author Clive Sinclaire, Publisher Globe Pequot, 2004, ISBN 1-59228-720-4, ISBN 978-1-59228-720-8 P.40-58
^ The Yasukuni Swords: Rare Weapons of Japan, 1933-1945, Authors Tom Kishida, Kenji Mishina, Publisher Kodansha International, 2004, ISBN 4-7700-2754-0, ISBN 978-4-7700-2754-2 P.42
^ The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords, Author Kōkan Nagayama, Publisher Kodansha International, 1997, ISBN 4-7700-2071-6, ISBN 978-4-7700-2071-0 P.48
^ The new generation of Japanese swordsmiths, Tamio Tsuchiko, Kenji Mishina, Kodansha International, 2002 P.30
^ The Japanese sword, Volume 12 of Japanese arts library, Author Kanzan Satō, Photographs by Joe Earle, Translated by Joe Earle, Contributor Joe Earle, Edition illustrated, Publisher Kodansha International, 1983, ISBN 0-87011-562-6, ISBN 978-0-87011-562-2 P.15
^ Nippon-tô: the Japanese sword, Author Inami Hakusui, Publisher Cosmo, 1948, Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized May 27, 2009 P.160
^ A distinguished collection of arms and armor on permanent display, Issue 4 of Bulletin, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History History Division, Issue 4 of Bulletin, Author Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, History Division, Publisher Ward Ritchie Press, 1969 Original from the University of Virginia, Digitized Aug 13, 2010 P.120
^ The connoisseur's book of Japanese swords, Author Kōkan Nagayama, Edition illustrated, Publisher Kodansha International, 1998, ISBN 4-7700-2071-6, ISBN 978-4-7700-2071-0 P.48
^ Art of the samurai: Japanese arms and armor, 1156-1868, Authors Morihiro Ogawa, Kazutoshi Harada, Publisher Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009, ISBN 1-58839-345-3, ISBN 978-1-58839-345-6 P.193
^ Pauley's Guide - A Dictionary of Japanese Martial Arts and Culture, Author Daniel C. Pauley, Publisher Samantha Pauley, 2009, ISBN 0-615-23356-2, ISBN 978-0-615-23356-7 P.91
^ P.84
^ The Japanese Sword, Author Kanzan Satō, PublisherKodansha International, 1983, ISBN 0-87011-562-6, ISBN 978-0-87011-562-2 P.54
^ Kapp, Leon (1987). The Craft of the Japanese Sword. Japan: Kodansha International. p. 168. ISBN 978-0-87011-798-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^ The Japanese Army 1931-42, Volume 1 of The Japanese Army, 1931-45, Author Philip S. Jowett, Publisher Osprey Publishing, 2002, ISBN 1-84176-353-5, ISBN 978-1-84176-353-8 P.41

External links

[1] Samurai: The Weapons And Spirit Of The Japanese Warrior, Author Clive Sinclaire, Publisher Globe Pequot, 2004, ISBN 1-59228-720-4, ISBN 978-1-59228-720-8 P.40-58

[2] The Yasukuni Swords: Rare Weapons of Japan, 1933-1945, Authors Tom Kishida, Kenji Mishina, Publisher Kodansha International, 2004, ISBN 4-7700-2754-0, ISBN 978-4-7700-2754-2 P.42

[3] The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords, Author Kōkan Nagayama, Publisher Kodansha International, 1997, ISBN 4-7700-2071-6, ISBN 978-4-7700-2071-0 P.48

[4] The new generation of Japanese swordsmiths, Tamio Tsuchiko, Kenji Mishina, Kodansha International, 2002 P.30

[5] The Japanese sword, Volume 12 of Japanese arts library, Author Kanzan Satō, Photographs by Joe Earle, Translated by Joe Earle, Contributor Joe Earle, Edition illustrated, Publisher Kodansha International, 1983, ISBN 0-87011-562-6, ISBN 978-0-87011-562-2 P.15

[6] Nippon-tô: the Japanese sword, Author Inami Hakusui, Publisher Cosmo, 1948, Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized May 27, 2009 P.160

[7] A distinguished collection of arms and armor on permanent display, Issue 4 of Bulletin, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History History Division, Issue 4 of Bulletin, Author Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, History Division, Publisher Ward Ritchie Press, 1969 Original from the University of Virginia, Digitized Aug 13, 2010 P.120

[8] The connoisseur's book of Japanese swords, Author Kōkan Nagayama, Edition illustrated, Publisher Kodansha International, 1998, ISBN 4-7700-2071-6, ISBN 978-4-7700-2071-0 P.48

[9] Art of the samurai: Japanese arms and armor, 1156-1868, Authors Morihiro Ogawa, Kazutoshi Harada, Publisher Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009, ISBN 1-58839-345-3, ISBN 978-1-58839-345-6 P.193

[10] Pauley's Guide - A Dictionary of Japanese Martial Arts and Culture, Author Daniel C. Pauley, Publisher Samantha Pauley, 2009, ISBN 0-615-23356-2, ISBN 978-0-615-23356-7 P.91

[11] P.84

[12] The Japanese Sword, Author Kanzan Satō, PublisherKodansha International, 1983, ISBN 0-87011-562-6, ISBN 978-0-87011-562-2 P.54

[Kapp-13] Kapp, Leon (1987). The Craft of the Japanese Sword. Japan: Kodansha International. p. 168. ISBN 978-0-87011-798-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

[14] The Japanese Army 1931-42, Volume 1 of The Japanese Army, 1931-45, Author Philip S. Jowett, Publisher Osprey Publishing, 2002, ISBN 1-84176-353-5, ISBN 978-1-84176-353-8 P.41

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 {{other uses}}
 [[File:Kuniyoshi - 6 Select Heroes (S81.5), A back view of Onikojima Yatarô Kazutada in armor holding a spear and a severed head.jpg|thumb|200px|A back view of a samurai with a ''tachi'' in armor wearing a ''sashimono, holding a spear and a severed head.]]
+A {{Nihongo|'''tachi'''|太刀}} was a type of [[Japanese sword]] worn by the [[samurai]] class of feudal Japan. The tachi style of swords preceded the development of the [[katana]].{{citation needed|date=April 2013}}
-The {{Nihongo|'''tachi'''}} is one type of traditionally made [[Japanese sword]]s (''nihonto'')<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=PtBci2GslUkC&pg=PA150&dq=nihonto+refers+to&hl=en&sa=X&ei=RXWIT9_MEo2C8QT4_a3dCQ&ved=0CEkQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=nihonto%20refers%20to&f=false ''The Development of Controversies: From the Early Modern Period to Online Discussion Forums, Volume 91 of Linguistic Insights. Studies in Language and Communication'', Author Manouchehr Moshtagh Khorasani, Publisher Peter Lang, 2008, ISBN 3-03911-711-4, ISBN 978-3-03911-711-6 P.150]</ref><ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=f-RsCs5dJRwC&pg=PA144&dq=traditionally+made+a+Japanese+sword+nihonto&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Sb-KT_X-MYX6tgeLnZDGCQ&ved=0CG4Q6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=traditionally%20made%20a%20Japanese%20sword%20nihonto&f=false ''The Complete Idiot's Guide to World Mythology, Complete Idiot's Guides'', Authors Evans Lansing Smith, Nathan Robert Brown, Publisher	Penguin, 2008, ISBN 1-59257-764-4, ISBN 978-1-59257-764-4 P.144]</ref> worn by the [[samurai]] class of feudal Japan. The tachi style of swords preceded the development of the [[katana]].
 ==History and description==

Revision as of 09:17, 20 April 2013

History and description

Use

Gallery

See also

References

External links