Uploaded June 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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There is no exact recorded year that the first sword of each type was made, since there were many smiths working in many areas with different ways of making even the same kind of sword. As such, this is a general progression of how the swords evolved. Lots of overlap since a new type of sword didn't make the old one immediately obsolete, especially not nationwide.

General Timeline

Tsurugi: 200BC to present
Chokuto: Kofun (300CE) to Heian
Warabite: 6th to 8th century
Tanto: Mid-Heian to present
Kogarasu Maru: 8th century to ???
Tachi: Heian to present
Nodachi: Heian to present
Nagamaki: Kamakura to present
Uchigatana: Muromachi
Wakizashi: Muromachi to present
Katana: Early muromachi to present

Ancient: Pre 710
Nara: 710 to 794
Heian: 794 to 1192
Kamakura: 1192 to 1333
Muromachi: 1336 to 1573
Azuchi-Momoyama: 1573 to 1603


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