Armoury Archive

How were samurai swords crafted traditionally?

The Katana was a feared weapon used by the samurai every day to keep peace and order and for battle. FInd out how the blade is made, folded, and finished to be a symbol of this great

The Complete Guide to Samurai Armor For Collectors

Samurai Armor is a piece of steel armor that covers the samurai’s body. The samurai armor has changed over the centuries in response to different weapon types being introduced to Japan. Ancient armors were relatively light and

Armour

In Japan, the armor was worn as early as the 4th century by foot soldiers. This was called tanko, and was made as a simple iron breastplate. It wasn’t until the Heian period that the armor evolved

Hand Weapons

The tambo (短棒) is a short staff, normally less than 1 meter in length. The tambo is a short staff, normally less than 1 meter in length. It can be used as a walking stick, support for

Firearms

There were 2 types of firearms that samurai’s in japan became most commonly associated with, these were cannons, and tanegashima (Japanese matchlock). Cannon’s were used to protect castle walls from intruders and served as a means of

Pole Weapons

There were 2 types of pole weapons to dominate samurai use in Japan. These were the yari (槍), and the naginata (なぎなた, 薙刀). The yari came in a huge number of varieties, with each having different blade

Yumi

The yumi (弓) was a type of longbow that was used by the samurai for ceremonial, hunting, and sport events, but also extensively during the feudal periods. There were 2 types of yumi. The regular size was

Japanese Swords

It is obvious to make the connection with samurai and samurai swords, but the evolution of the Japanese sword, and its history is in-depth with many different stages of development before the modern method of making the well-known