Samurai Weapons

Samurai were skilled warriors in old Japan. They lived and fought from about 800 years ago until the 1800s. Samurai used many kinds of weapons in battle. Their weapons were made with great care by master craftsmen. The samurai were known for their honor and skill in using them.

The Katana Sword

The most famous samurai weapon was the katana. This was a long, curved sword with a very sharp blade. It was made by folding steel many times to make it strong. A samurai's katana was so important that he kept it with him all the time. Making one katana could take months of hard work.

Other Weapons

Samurai used many other weapons besides the katana. The yumi was a tall bow used for shooting arrows from horses. The naginata was a long pole with a curved blade at the end. Samurai also used spears called yari. They trained with each weapon for many years to become experts.

Fun Facts

• A samurai often carried two swords together, a long one and a short one.
• The short sword was called a wakizashi.
• Some katanas from old times are still sharp and can be worth millions of dollars.

Did You Know?

A skilled samurai sword maker might spend over six months creating a single katana, folding the steel thousands of times to make it strong.