14. The Katana was more than just a weapon to a skilled Samurai, it was a symbol of his social class and his unshakable moral code
The katana became popular from 1100 onward as men began fighting at increasingly close quarters. This meant that the slightest delay in drawing your weapon could prove fatal. The katana could be worn on a special sash, with the blade pointing away, and a skilled samurai could both draw it and attack an opponent in a single move. While the length varied over the ensuing centuries, the katana largely remained the signature weapon of the samurai – until, that is, an 1876 law ruled that only former samurai lords and police officers could wear the weapon in public.
The katana continued to be worn and wielded by officers in the Japanese Imperial Army well into the 20th century. Far from being merely a ceremonial piece, it was used in battle for close-quarters fighting in the Second World War. Above all, the sword was respected and feared due to the sharpness of the blade. Indeed, military historians often credit the katana as being among the most devastating weapons ever forged. Perhaps that’s why it was banned in Japan in the post-war years and even martial arts that had traditionally been used to train swordsmen were forbidden between 1945 and 1953.