Katana Sword Techniques
By Beth Bartlett, eHow Contributor
The creation and use of the katana are centuries-old.
The katana is one of the most unique and revered swords in history. It is part of a craftsman's tradition that borders on religion. The unique way that the katana is made gives it amazing properties and leads to a very unique set of techniques for its use. To understand it fully you have to look back at the long history of its use.
The Katana's Beginning
During the later part of the Heian period when the Fujiwara ruled Japan, there was much progress in the manufacture of the sword. The previously primitive, straight untempered sword evolved into a multi-layered refined work of art with a gentle curve. This sword and its techniques were developed in life and death struggles for rule of various parts of the country. The core of the sword was flexible and tough, while the edge was more hard and brittle and made of two different grades of metal.
Use of the Curve
While the katana was used to stab occasionally, the main use was a long sweeping slash with both arms almost fully extended. This, along with the curve of the blade, meant that unlike the chop of an axe or a straight sword, every cut was a long sawing slash. This cut was normally used in a downward motion against the neck joint or shoulder of the foe. This was one of the possible weak spots on Japanese armor.
Unlike European fencing of the same era, the swords were mainly an offensive weapon. If you were to block edge against edge with a katana, you would be striking with the most brittle part and likely you would damage the blade. Some schools taught that there was no need to block as long as you focused on being faster than your opponent. They taught the swordsman to ignore the incoming attack or sidestep it and focus on his own attack to kill the enemy. Far more common was the use of the sides and back of the sword to swat away incoming attacks. A quick sideways twist of the wrist could slap an attack away and put you in a position to strike your opponent.
The Fast Draw
The modern art of Iaido came from the continual focus on speed. The idea was to be able to draw the sword and cut down the enemy in the same single motion. There were many ways to wear the sword in the belt to facilitate different draws of the blade. In Iaido the blade is often facing up so that the drawn sword is already on a path from the sky down onto the head or neck of the opponent. The left hand holds the sheath and the right hand draws the blade and cuts. In this way the left hand could turn the blade to also face either sideways or down before the draw. This made it possible to draw and cut in any direction.
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