History of Katana

	Revision 17 . . (edit) December 2, 2001 1:46 am by (logged).202.86.xxx
	Revision 16 . . (edit) December 2, 2001 1:39 am by The Epopt
	Revision 15 . . December 2, 2001 1:28 am by The Epopt [cleaned up gibberish]
	Revision 14 . . (edit) December 2, 2001 12:43 am by SimonW11
	Revision 13 . . December 2, 2001 12:37 am by SimonW11 [* Disinguuished between straight swords and curved.]
	Revision 12 . . (edit) November 22, 2001 3:09 am by (logged).192.137.xxx
	Revision 11 . . (edit) October 17, 2001 7:41 pm by NickelKnowledge [is/are]

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Difference (from prior major revision) (minor diff, author diff)

Changed: 1,10c1

Japanese (刀) for sword. Can also refer to a specific long sword used by the Japanese Samurai, sometimes accompanied by a shorter sword or wakisashi. The Katana is a "to" Pronounced TOE that a sword that is is slightly curved with a sharp edge in only one side. it also tends to be used loosly for Tsugari that is "Ken" straight double edged blades such as the broadsword. there is properly no word that encompasses both weapon types. It is primarily used for slashing, and can be wielded one or two handed (the second being the most common mode). The art of drawing the katana is most frequently called iaido?, and other martial art principly related to the katana are kendo, and kenjutsu?. However as one of the principle weapon of the samuraipractically all japaneses arts concern themselves with it to a greater or lesser extent.

"Katana" (pronounced KAH TAH NAH) is the kun-yomi? (Japanese reading) of the kanji? 刀; the on-yomi? (Chinese reading) is "to" (pronounced (TOH). It refers to a specific type of curved, single-edged sword traditionally used by the Japanese samurai.

Added: 11a3

It is primarily used for slashing, and can be wielded one- or two-handed (the second being the most common mode). The art of drawing the katana is iaido?, and other martial arts related to the katana are kendo and kenjutsu?.

Added: 12a5

See also tsurugi, tachi?, wakizashi.