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Tachi

Type Object Region Japan Time 1171–1180

The tachi was the curved sword worn by samurai in the late Heian period, longer with the edge hung downward at the waist or back, unlike the later ed…

Timeline

  1. c. 1171–1175Heian-kyō · KinkiIn the middle and later Heian period the rise of the samurai class drove the evolution of sword forms. The tachi, worn edge-down for easy drawing while mounted, had a curve and length suited to slashing tactics, gradually replacing straight-bladed great swords as the samurai's standard sidearm and carrying the symbolic weight of family honor and imperial favor.
  2. c. 1175–1180Kinai and the Tōkaidō · Central HonshuGenji and Taira samurai used the tachi for close-quarters fighting after mounted charges and in foot combat during estate campaigns and military clashes. Fine blades were treasured as family heirlooms; forging centers such as Bizen supplied weapons to samurai groups, and the tachi form matured in this period, laying the foundation for later Japanese swords.

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