Kenjutsu Schools and Sword Evolution

The shape of Japanese swords was not determined solely by the smith's aesthetic sense and the properties of the material. Changes in the practice of swordsmanship (the precursor of kendō) also influenced the appearance of the blade. However, although there were cases in which martial artists had smiths forge swords specially ordered to suit their school, these were very few.

In the late Muromachi to Sengoku periods, the systematization of swordsmanship advanced rapidly. Early schools such as Nen-ryū, Kage-ryū, and Tomita-ryū took shape and became the sources of the later major schools. Swords of this era, reflecting the realities of Sengoku combat, were often designed purely for practical use.

Ittō-ryū, whose systematization was completed in the early Edo period (Itō Itōsai → Ono Tadaaki), held as its core the concept of "kiri-otoshi" (cutting down). It flourished when Ono Tadaaki became swordsmanship instructor to the Tokugawa shogunal house. Meanwhile, Jigen-ryū (Satsuma) was known for its unique "tonbo no kamae" (dragonfly stance) and a technique that staked everything on a single first strike. In the Satsuma domain, the distinctive long-hilted "Satsuma-goshirae" were widely used.

Shinkage-ryū (the Yagyū family), by serving as martial arts instructors to the Tokugawa shogunal house in Edo, exerted a major influence on swordsmanship in Edo. From around the Kanbun era, as swordsmanship came to center on shinai practice, swords close to the shinai, with shallow curvature and compact kissaki, were demanded. The rugged appearance of these "Kanbun shintō" was favored by martial artists.

In the late Edo period, many schools, including Hokushin Ittō-ryū (Chiba Shūsaku) and Kyōshin Meichi-ryū, conducted practical training in their dōjō. As shinai and bokutō training spread, demand for the design of real swords also diversified. Hokushin Ittō-ryū, in which Sakamoto Ryōma trained at the Chiba dōjō, is known for placing importance on practical and mobile technique. Then, with the decline of swordsmanship following the Haitō-rei (the 1876 edict banning the wearing of swords), the era of wearing swords came to an end.