Japanese tachi

Timeline

1. 900–1000Kinai swordsmithing district · KinkiJapanese swordsmiths increased the sori (curvature) of earlier straight swords, developing the tachi form suited to slashing from horseback in tandem with mounted-archery tactics; hamon tempering techniques gradually matured, marking the formation of Japan's distinctive sword-making tradition.
2. 1050–1107Heian-kyō · KinkiIn the 11th century, smiths of the Sanjō and Awataguchi schools were active, and the tachi became standard samurai equipment; blade inscriptions and mountings (tachi koshirae) grew ever more exquisite, with famous blades serving as symbols of power and as shrine offerings beyond combat use.
3. 1185–1333Japanese archipelago · JapanTachi craftsmanship reached its height in the Kamakura period, with works by masters such as Munemitsu and Masamune surviving; as infantry tactics rose, the shorter katana, better suited to fighting on foot, spread, while the tachi was worn slung and preserved in ceremonial and collecting traditions.