Japanese broadswords?

alright, acourding to some Research I was doing on legendary Weapons, the Famous Japanese Kusanagi is a Tsurugi, a Straight, two-sided sword simular to the Chinese Jian, rather than the sterotypical Katana.
eventualy Japanese Swordsmiths moved away from the Tsurugi and Chokuto (a Dao-like sword) to the Katanas we know, and love (or hate in some cases ;))

is there a way to keep the Tsurugi and Chokuto as the main sword of Japan?
 

Michael Busch

Eventually Japanese Swordsmiths moved away from the Tsurugi and Chokuto (a Dao-like sword) to the Katana.

Is there a way to keep the Tsurugi and Chokuto as the main sword of Japan?

My kenjutsu teacher propounds that the katana design is a compromise between a purely stabbing weapon (like the foil, jian or tsurugi) and one designed solely for slashing (like the dao). Given this evolution, it seems that you'd have to change Japanese armor to make one or the other preferable, or provide some cultural reason for slashing someone to be excluded from combat. If I recall correctly, the jian is considered 'a gentleman's weapon' in the Chinese martial arts, while the rapier evolved as a self-defense and dueling weapon.

Perhaps some idea of a less-than-lethal weapon? The cuts are far more likely to kill or permanently cripple than a thrust (unless very precisely aimed).
 
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I thought Japan didn't have a lot of indigenous iron and thus the choice was not "few good swords or many bad swords" but "few good swords or few bad swords."

This is not to say broadswords are innately bad, but they do require a lot of additional iron, particularly the big ones like the Claymore.
 

Michael Busch

I thought Japan didn't have a lot of indigenous iron and thus the choice was not "few good swords or many bad swords" but "few good swords or few bad swords."

This is not to say broadswords are innately bad, but they do require a lot of additional iron, particularly the big ones like the Claymore.

This is true. The thread may be a bit mis-named: the jian at least is far lighter than a European broadsword, although that has varied a lot over time.
 
Perhaps ramp up Japanese trade connections to China or the Korean kingdoms? They could import loads more iron than they would have normally had.
 
I thought Japan didn't have a lot of indigenous iron and thus the choice was not "few good swords or many bad swords" but "few good swords or few bad swords."

true.

This is not to say broadswords are innately bad, but they do require a lot of additional iron, particularly the big ones like the Claymore.

Jians are much lighter and one-handed if I remember correctly.
it won't take up as much as a Claymore, but it probably will take about the same amount as a Katana.

This is true. The thread may be a bit mis-named: the jian at least is far lighter than a European broadsword, although that has varied a lot over time.

Sorry. that was a mistake on my part.
 
is there a way to keep the Tsurugi and Chokuto as the main sword of Japan?
According to Wikipedia :rolleyes: , curved blades were favored because they were better suited to cavalry use which was the "predominant fighting unit" in Japan.

Maybe the Tsurugi (or a version thereof) could become common as a backup weapon for pikemen or the like.
 
My Dad used to have several Japanese Broadswords in his Collection, usually used for Shipboard fighting.
He also had several Foils, but they were more used for Concealed [Cane,etc.] Weapons.
The Japanese also had a more extensive variety of Pole arms than the Europeans.
 
According to Wikipedia :rolleyes: , curved blades were favored because they were better suited to cavalry use which was the "predominant fighting unit" in Japan.

Calvary? Really?

Maybe the Tsurugi (or a version thereof) could become common as a backup weapon for pikemen or the like.

Maybe As a Back up for Archers and, eventually, Musketmen.


My Dad used to have several Japanese Broadswords in his Collection, usually used for Shipboard fighting.
He also had several Foils, but they were more used for Concealed [Cane,etc.] Weapons.
The Japanese also had a more extensive variety of Pole arms than the Europeans.

Can you show us any pictures?
 
Perhaps ramp up Japanese trade connections to China or the Korean kingdoms? They could import loads more iron than they would have normally had.

And just how much iron is that compared to what would be needed to supply the whole Japanese economy with the iron it needs for domestic use? You know stuff like plows, farm tools, the tools of the builder, joiner and carpenter
 
That's what Wikipedia says.

Hm, I need to check one of My books then


From archers, i wonder if it could displace the wakizashi as companion sword.

It would make sense.

As as a companion sword, It would be like a Smallsword.
the Katana Replacement would be like a Side sword.

Claymores are out as an Alternative, due to the before mentioned Lack of Metal.
 
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