A good number of sword enthusiasts will tell you that no culture produced finer swords than the Japanese, whose weapons were both some of the most effective swords ever produced, and some of the most visually stunning pieces to ever grace the world. Much of the history of Japanese swords revolves around the lore of the samurai, which is every bit as fascinating as the weapons that we still get to enjoy to this day.

As you’ll see, each of these gorgeous weapons is deserving of a spot in your collection.

The Swords of the Samurai

Many of us romanticize the ancient samurai prototype, who was calm, cool and collected, and equipped with profoundly beautiful, handcrafted swords. The Samurai belonged to the elite class of Japanese society and were treated with respect often associated with members of the aristocracy.

The samurai always carried two swords: a traditional samurai sword and a katana. These swords were carried in the belt, and enormous care went into seeking out the finest craftsman to produce them. It was far from uncommon for a sword to take months before it found the hands of the samurai, and the swords were prized possessions, symbolizing status, wealth, and abilities.

Samurais vs. Ninjas

While samurais were members of the upper class, ninjas were lower-class warriors who were essentially mercenaries. Most of us are familiar with the differences in dress between the samurais and the ninjas of Japanese history. Samurais typically wore elaborate kimonos, which served as yet another status symbol, boasting beautifully woven colors and textures that caught the eye. Their use of weapons was encouraged by society, and so being conspicuous was never an issue.

Ninjas, on the other hand, were not treated with respect by society. They wore tight black clothing in order to do their work unnoticed. To this day, these two opposing images are still alive in our imaginations.

Samurai Swords (Katanas)

The katana was a massive achievement in samurai culture, and changed the way in which Japanese weapons were produced forever. Aside from its practical usefulness, the method of making one is pretty awe-inspiring. To this day, it’s widely considered the finest sword to ever be invented.

The katana utilizes advanced craftsmanship techniques that add to its aesthetic beauty as well as its phenomenal strength. Prior to its development, samurais were using swords with straight blades. Then came along the katana, and Japanese history has not been the same ever since.

The process of creating a katana is highly involved, and only done by the most expert blacksmiths. First is the casting process, which uses fine iron sand converted into carbon through intensive oxygen removal. This creates a highly durable blade, and requires a slow heating of the steel.

From there, the extremely tedious folding process begins, which is performed by hand. When the metal is hot enough to manipulate, it’s hammered until it’s very thin, and then cooled with water. Next, the metal is folded over itself. This process is repeated at least 13 times.

After that, a unique tempering process is employed which strengthens the blade profusely while ensuring maximum flexibility. Then, finally, the metal is polished and the blade is complete.

Now, let’s get into the individual weapons. First, we have a traditional samurai katana sword. This is one of two swords carried by a samurai. A traditional samurai katana sword was about three feet long, with a curved edge. The name “katana” refers to any sword with this type of edge. The sword was used for distance fighting, and was renowned for its ability to cut through armor.

Other Katana Swords

Then, we have the secondary katana swords that were worn alongside the traditional katana. The most commonly used secondary katana sword was the wakizashi, and is far shorter in length. Then, there’s the tanto which is essentially a dagger, and was largely ornamental due to how infrequently it had to be used compared to longer swords.

The nodachi sword was much taller and larger than the standard katana sword, and was really only used by foot soldiers due to its heaviness and impracticality in terms of wearing it. It was not used for fighting in small spaces, but rather striking from a distance.

Finally, there’s the tachi, which is the predecessor to the katana. It also boasts a curved blade design, and was primarily used for combat on horseback.

Ninja Swords

Now, let’s get into ninja swords. The most commonly used ninja sword was the ninjato, which is still easily recognizable today. It’s a long and thin blade, and unlike the more refined katana, does not have a curved edge, being completely straight. The ninjato is typically two feet in length, but could be customized to be shorter or taller depending on the ninja’s stature and preferences.

Another thing to point out is that the ninjato was not produced using the same high level of craftsmanship as a katana. For one thing, ninjas simply could not afford such a finely crafted blade. Secondly, katanas were status symbols as much as they were weapons, while ninjatos are solely about functionality and durability. Therefore, traditionally speaking, ninjatos were not made with the finest metal materials.

Not only was a ninjato an effective weapon against fighters, but ninjas also used them for all kinds of purposes, including climbing, cutting materials like cloth and wood, and digging into the ground. These weapons arguably saw more frequent usage than the katanas worn primarily by the elite in society, and so ninjas tended to go through them more often.

Which One is Better from a Collector’s Standpoint?

We try to avoid making objective statements regarding the comparative value of two different types of swords. But, it’s hard to deny that a katana is a more impressive object to own than a ninjato in terms of craftsmanship. Still, any serious sword enthusiast, and especially one who is fascinated by Japanese feudal culture, will undoubtedly want to have as many of these weapons in their collection as possible, seeing each one as an equally valuable piece of cultural history.

All of the swords used by ninjas and samurais have fascinating stories behind them and serve their own unique purposes. At Sword ‘N’ Armory, we have a generous array of all kinds of Japanese swords made with the finest materials and techniques around today.