A katana is a traditional Japanese samurai sword known for its curved, single-edged blade and exceptional cutting performance. For centuries, handmade katana have been revered not just as weapons, but as artworks — often called "the soul of the samurai." Over time, katana evolved into many types: tachi, odachi, wakizashi, tanto, naginata, and more. All our samurai swords are hand forged in Longquan using traditional techniques including clay tempering and full tang construction.

The hamon is the visible temper line on a katana blade, created during the clay tempering process. Swordsmiths coat the spine of the blade with clay before quenching in water. The exposed edge cools rapidly and hardens, while the clay-covered spine cools slowly and stays flexible. This creates the distinctive wavy line (hamon) along the blade, balancing hardness and toughness. Every handmade katana has a unique hamon pattern.

Full tang means the steel blade extends all the way through the handle, from tip to pommel, rather than being a short rat-tail tang inserted into a hollow handle. This construction makes the katana much stronger and more durable for cutting practice. All our samurai swords feature full tang construction, secured with traditional mekugi (bamboo pegs) — just like authentic Japanese swords.

A traditional Japanese katana typically has a total length of about 40 inches (102 cm), with a blade length (nagasa) of around 28 inches (72 cm) and a handle length (tsuka) of about 10-11 inches. However, the ideal katana size depends on your height and arm length. We offer standard sizes that fit most users, and you can also customize your katana to get the perfect fit for your body type.

Yes, all our samurai swords are battle-ready and fully functional. Every katana is hand forged and sharpened by experienced swordsmiths using traditional methods — forging, quenching, clay tempering, polishing, and grinding. The blades are sharp enough for tameshigiri (test cutting) and martial arts practice. Higher-end katana feature advanced polishing that reveals beautiful hamon patterns and forged textures on the blade.

Generally speaking, our katana is already sharpen. But when you made the purchase, for some reason, you chose not to sharpen it. If you want to sharpen it yourself later, we will provide the following simple sharpening methods.

There are 4 main steps to sharpening a Katana:
Shaping work using an uchigumori stone to remove rust and scratches.
The blade is then passed over progressively smaller and finer stones in an effort to remove the marks from the uchigumori stone.
Hazuya stones glued to traditional Japanese paper are then used in order to remove the microscopic scratches that are left from the previous polishing.
Finally a Jizuya stone is used and rubbed on the surface of the blade, this is a long process done until the stone wears out.

The various parts of a real katana have professional terminology, and you can distinguish whether the purchased product is a real katana or a simple katana shaped sword based on the completeness of these parts.

Terminology and Parts of a Katana

The purpose of using oil to maintain the blade is to form an oil film on the surface of the blade to isolate the oxygen in the air and prevent the daily storage from oxidizing and rusting the blade.So it is not recommended that you erase. Additionally, Katana should not be placed in direct sunlight or in damp or excessively dry areas. If you touch the back of the katana with your hand, or if you have dripped acidic liquid on the blade, you need to wipe it clean with a clean cotton cloth before spraying maintenance oil again.

katana maintenance

Katana is considered a cutting tool and is subject to legal jurisdiction. Therefore, its complete legality depends on your country and local laws. In the United States, you must be at least 18 years old or obtain explicit permission from your parents to own a katana.

Whether you can carry a samurai sword outdoors depends on your state of residence, and we suggest that you check the laws of your state yourself. Generally speaking, carrying swords in public is prohibited and must be carried in dedicated bags or safe boxes.

Note: Laws vary by country and region. We recommend checking your local regulations before purchasing.

Yes, we ship worldwide! We offer free shipping to the USA on all orders. For other countries, shipping costs and delivery times vary by location.

Please note: Katana is considered a weapon in some countries. We recommend checking your country's import regulations and customs laws before placing an order. We will always comply with local regulations and cannot ship to countries where samurai swords are prohibited.

Looking to buy a real handmade katana? You're in the right place! Authentic Japanese katana from Japan typically cost $5000-$15000+, but at Xingyu Sword, you can get a real, functional, full-tang samurai sword starting from just $200.

All our swords are 100% hand forged in Longquan, China using traditional techniques — clay tempered, sharpened, and battle-ready. Browse our collection to find the perfect katana for your budget and needs.