History and parts of the Katana

The history of Japanese sword making can be divided into three main periods. These are the Kotō (Old Sword), Shintō (New Sword), and Shinshintō (New-New Sword) periods (Satō 23-4). Swords made before the Kotō period, a period of time known as jōkotō, lacked the curve associated with most Japanese swords. Swords from this time were straight, with the majority measuring 60-70 centimeters in length (Satō 28). The Kotō period extended from the Heian period until the beginning of the Edo period at the start of the seventeenth century (Satō 198). During this era, which overlapped with the Heian period, curved swords came into widespread use. There were five main traditions of sword making that came into being during this period: Yamashiro, Sagami, Bizen, Yamato, and Mino. The name of each tradition corresponded to its province of origin (Satō 24-6). The Shintō period was marked by a departure from the use of tachi, with samurai instead favoring daishō, a pair of long and short swords. This term typically consisted of a katana and a wakizashi, though could also refer to other types of swords (Satō 68). The three most popular traditions during this era were the Sagami, Binzen, and Mino (Satō 70). The Shinshintō period extended from the end of the eighteenth century until 1876, when sword wearing was abolished. During this time there was a resurgence of sword making styles from the Kamakura era (Satō 24, 200). Samurai were forbidden from wearing swords during the Meiji Restoration, and as a result there was a significant decrease in their creation. By the end of the nineteenth century this changed, and production of swords resumed. These modern swords are referred to using the term gentaitō (Satō 72).

Satō, Kanzan, and Joe. Earle. The Japanese Sword. 1st ed., Kodansha International, 1983.