There are really six periods where the samurai sword morphed to better accommodate a changing world, but there are three that really encompass the importance of the samurai sword.
During this time the tachi was the weapon of choice. This particular sword came onto the scene way before the katana was crafted and it was a weapon only to be utilized by the samurai of that time period.
This lightweight samurai sword was usually an average of thirty inches and it would be hung from the belt facing downward, unlike traditional katana swords. This method of hanging the sword on the belt also created a unique style which came to be known as the taichi style.
Also, similarly to a katana this weapon is distinguished by the crafters signature and particularly if it was signed on the base of the sword, or the tang. Ideally this weapon would have been great for fighting on horseback.
The tantou was also introduced during the Jokoto period, presented as a tactical knife this blade was short and useful for quick hits. This samurai sword is made for the agile it’s smaller size ideal for discreteness and although it is no longer rivaled as the perfect tool it stands as a testimony to ancient craft.
To many this period was when sword making was at its best and the samurai swords crafted during this period have gone on to be remembered as some of the most iconic. This includes the wakizashi and the katana which are two of the more popular samurai swords.
The wakizashi comes in two versions, both a larger and a shorter variety. The smaller wakizashi, also known as a ko-wakizashi is noted for its traditional purpose of beheading an enemy and committing ritual suicide or seppuku. Another interesting note about the wakizashi samurai sword is that it could be worn by individuals who were not samurai.
Then there is the katana, the samurai sword that is commonly thought of when you think of traditional samurai swords. A later evolved model morphed from the taichi style, this was the sword that began the fashion of sheathing the sword face up and placing it in the obi making it easily drawn and the samurai ready for battle.
During this period samurai swords were revamped with the use of more advanced technology and more capable material, resulting in a newer sword. The uniformity and the improvement in quality was apparent.
However, it also came to be a time where the samurai began to disappear simply because the importance of money began to overshadow swordsman capability.
Despite the time the samurai sword didn’t stop at the Shinto Period. Japanese samurai swords have continued to prosper and although the way of the samurai may be out of practice the samurai sword still exists as a traditional means of looking back in time into Japanese culture and craftsmanship.