View source for Katana

A '''Katana''' is a [[Japan]]ese [[sword]] derived from the ''[[uchigatana]]''.  It is primarily a long slashing weapon with a single cutting edge.  The handle may be bound with a fabric strip and rayskin or [[leather]] instead of [[wire]] but these wrappings differ with personal preference and time frame.  Often (but not always) a katana is [[hilt]]ed with a disc called a ''[[tsuba]]''; these can vary from extremely plain to highly artistic.

The [[blade]] is made by a [[smith|swordsmith]] using the folding method, in an attempt to remove the impurities present in the poor quality raw materials available to Japanese smiths.  However, they were ''not'' folded hundreds of times, as popular myth has it. After being folded about 20 times, folding ceases to add at all to the sword's quality, and will actually cause the steel to lose too much carbon and become iron. Most commonly katana were folded 12 times (''san mai''). 

Katana were produced in their thousands and at least 200,000 were made for export during the [[medieval]] period.  Most modern people refer to the exceptional quality blades rather than the more common blades.

Debate rages as to whether katana are truly superior to [[Europe]]an swords, as is often believed, or if it's more to do with situation or preference.  

Katana are [[mundane]]ly referred to as ''samurai swords''. The ''ninja swords'' (ninja-to) of modern Hollywood myth are an adaptation of a late Edo period katana. However, there is no evidence that this type of sword was used prior to this time. Historical records indicate that the 'ninja' used the same weapons as other bushi.  

[[category:weapons]]
[[category:swords]]
[[category:Japanese weapons]]
[[category:14th century]]
[[category:japan]]