An Interesting Irony of Japanese Swords

Japanese swords, more commonly known to Westerners as 'samurai swords' because of the iconic warriors who, for hundreds of years wielded them in battle, are renowned not just because of samurai; they are renowned for their craftsmanship which employed sophisticated techniques to create arguably the most effective and well-made sword of all time. However, throughout its history - particularly through certain periods - something interesting can be observed in the manufacture of Japanese swords: many were of inferior quality; and most often during the times when they needed to be the best quality. Strange, you may think, but true nonetheless.

Japan has a notoriously feudal history. Going back in time to the days before guns overtook the sword as the primary weapon, when smiths were the key armorers, during the most turbulent times, the swords created during these times were often the worst quality swords. Strange, you may think, that I should say this but it's true: when swords were needed the most in mass amounts, they were usually of inferior quality to the ones created during less turbulent times.

The fact is, many smiths sacrificed quality greatly in order to mass produce swords for war.

One of the worst periods for Japanese swords came after the Meiji period when blades were produced in huge numbers for the Imperial Japanese Army. These swords bore hardly any resemblance to the quality blades which came before - even lacking key technological features like the hardened edge. In fact, the Japanese government refused to allow the registration (when it became compulsory to register swords with the police in Japan) of swords made for the imperial army, and even went so far as to order the destruction of any found still in existence.

Even smiths of some renown are known to have created inferior blades as weapons, so if you are looking for a Japanese sword which isn't just a presentation piece, relying on well-known names isn't always a surefire way to safeguard against purchasing a blade which, although it may look the part, is in fact an inferior weapon. Research about the smith and the times during which the blades were created will go a long way to ensuring you get a blade which is, every inch the perfect weapon and showpiece.