打刀への移行と携帯様式の変容
Rise of the Uchigatana and Changing Sword-Wearing Customs
Between the mid-Muromachi and Sengoku periods, the dominant sword form shifted from the tachi (edge-down, suspended from the belt) to the uchigatana (edge-up, thrust through the belt), fundamentally transforming blade geometry, length, and fighting technique.
Beschreibung
The shift from tachi (edge-down, suspended) to uchigatana (edge-up, thrust through belt) was one of the most consequential transitions in Japanese sword history, occurring from the mid-Muromachi through the Sengoku period. The change reflected a shift in warfare from mounted archery to massed infantry combat. Uchigatana were shorter with shallower curvature and redesigned tangs for faster draw. The practice of carrying both a long sword (uchigatana) and short sword (wakizashi) as a matched pair predated the Edo-period codification of the daisho as a formal samurai symbol. Mino Province smiths such as Kanemoto and Kanesada excelled in producing practical uchigatana for wartime demand.
Merkmale dieser Epoche
- Edge-up (ha-ura outward) carry replacing edge-down tachi suspension
- Shift to chu-zori or saki-zori curvature and medium kissaki
- Shorter blade length (approx. 60–85 cm) with a shorter, straight tang
- Pairing with wakizashi as daisho precursor
- Conversion of large odachi into uchigatana by suriage (shortening the tang/blade)