Everything about Katana

Double edge Katana-Kissaki-Moroha-Zukuri

The kissaki-moroha-zukuri is known as the father of the Japanese sword. It has the shape of a sori, which is common in Japanese swords, but has a double-sided blade, which means that it has the cha...

Does Muramasa katana really represent evil?

According to legend, in ancient Japan there were two very famous Japanese swords, one named Muramasa and the other known as Masamune, if Masamune was the world's number one work of art, Muramasa wa...

Ukiyo-e art of a lone ronin samurai clutching katana beneath twilight, traditional feudal Japanese illustration

Who Is a Ronin? History, Culture and Symbolism of Masterless Samurai

The ronin stand among the most famous figures from feudal Japanese history. These masterless samurai lost their lord and official social standing, forced to wander across Japan. This article explor...

Diagram illustrating the full tamahagane production workflow from iron sand to layered nihonto blade

Tamahagane Katana: The Story of Traditional Japanese Sword Steel

Tamahagane is the traditional steel material that built the reputation of classic Japanese samurai swords. This article walks through the ancient tatara smelting process, sorting of steel materials...

Dragon samurai katana laid flat against faint vintage Japanese ink dragon screen, traditional dragon motif nihonto display photograph

Dragon Samurai Sword: The Cultural Meaning of Dragon Motifs on Japanese Katana

Dragon motifs are one of the most enduring decorative elements found on traditional Japanese samurai swords. This article explores the origin, folklore and symbolic meaning of dragon patterns on ka...

Art ink illustration of Rurouni Kenshin unsheathing sakabato reverse blade katana

Does the Legendary Sakabato Reverse Blade Katana From Rurouni Kenshin Truly Exist?

Popularized by Rurouni Kenshin, the sakabato reverse blade katana is one of the most famous anime swords. This article distinguishes pop-culture fiction from real archaeological finds, examining ra...

Side-by-side comparison photograph of tachi and katana nihonto against solid black background, clean studio shot for historical comparison

Tachi vs Katana: Key Differences Between Two Iconic Nihonto Swords

Tachi and katana are often mistaken for one another, yet these classic Japanese samurai swords carry distinct histories and design rules. This guide breaks down their origin stories, blade characte...

Three-piece samurai sword collection, katana, wakizashi and tantō displayed on multi-tier dark wooden stand inside traditional Japanese room

Complete Guide to Katana Koshirae and Traditional Daisho Sword Sets

The daisho set stands as the iconic samurai sword collection, most commonly recognised as a pair of katana and wakizashi. Many collectors overlook that complete sets can also include a tantō. This ...