Chokutō
The is a straight, single-edged Japanese sword that was mainly produced prior to the 9th century. Its basic style is likely derived from similar swords of ancient China. Chokutō were used on foot for stabbing or slashing and were worn hung from the waist. Until the Heian period such swords were called tachi, distinct from tachi written as, as the latter refers to curved swords.
History
The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods:- Jōkotō
- Kotō
- Shintō
- Shinshintō
- Gendaitō
There are various types of chokutō in the Kofun period, and there are styles originated in China and styles unique to Japan. The is a Chinese style, characterized by a ring-shaped ornament shaped like a dragon or a phoenix on the tip of the handle. The is a unique Japanese style with a fist-like decoration on the tip of the handle. The is also unique to Japan and is decorated with deer antlers. As the name suggests, this style is also applied to tsurugi.
The chokutō in various styles including these styles declined around the end of the Asuka period, and only the style called the hōtō-tachi, in which the decoration on the tip of the handle was rectangular parallelepiped, survived from the Nara period.
Chokutō typically come in hira-zukuri and kiriha-zukuri tsukurikomi which make them very distinct from later tachi and katana which rarely use these forms. Swords of this period are classified as jōkotō and are often referred to in distinction from Japanese swords.
Chokutō as a weapon died out by the middle of the Heian period, in the 10th century. And as a weapon, it was completely replaced by the Japanese sword, which is known today for its deep and graceful curves. The first sword with this curve was called Kenukigata-tachi, which was made by improving Warabitetō used by Emishi in Tohoku region. And Kenukigata-tachi evolved into tachi, which became the mainstream of Japanese swords for a long time.