Very large Odachi

[Jussi Ekholm]

Well I got bit sidetracked on another forum when there was talk about very large twohanded swords of variours cultures with very long blades. I thought I'll post this here, as Odachi are among my favorite types (smaller ones, not the monster swords I'll list here).

 

Odachi 大太刀 (large tachi) is term commonly used when blade is over 90 cm in length.

 

There are few Odachi in Japan that have blade near or over 2 meters. (I'm at my parents for the holidays, and I might have bit more information in my books but can't access them now) Most of these swords are famous artifacts.

 

祢々切丸 - Nenekirimaru (Nambokucho 1332-1394)

Total length: 324 cm

Blade length: I've seen mention c. 215 cm

 

 

太郎丸 - Taroumaru (Kamakura period 1184 - 1332)

Total length: 262 cm

Blade length: 180 cm

Weight: 7,2 kg

 

 

志田の大太刀 - Shida no odachi (dated 1415)

Blade length: 220 cm

 

 

太郎太刀 - Taroutachi (It is described being sword Makara Naotaka used in 1570 at battle of Anegawa)

Blade length: 220 cm

Weight: 4,5 kg

 

 

Odachi made by 三家正吉 Sanie Masayoshi (dated 1843)

Blade length: 224 cm

 

 

備州長船法光 - Bishu Osafune Norimitsu (dated 1447)

Total length: 377 cm

Blade length: 227 cm

Weight: 14,5 kg

 

 

Feel free to share any information you have on odachi. The more "regular" sized odachi are more to my own taste than these monsters. Just thought I'd share this small info on these couple swords (not sure if all my info is correct, so feel free to put corrections).

[Drago]

I'm always inpressed by those. But they are a bit impractical.

 

Here's a page about the Norimitsu (and others) with a nice comparison - a guy holding the sword upright. The page has measurements, photos and some background info if available.

http://japantrip.tripod.com/nodachi/norimitsu.html

 

From what I understand, most of these huge ones are made from multiple parts forged together. But the Norimitsu is made from a single piece. Just imagine the forge and the smith working on it!

[kusunokimasahige]

Probably used a river for Yaki-ire.

 

Were these giant swords not presented to shrines and Temples ?

 

KM

[Ken-Hawaii]

There were a lot of o-dachi made in the Bizen area, Jussi. My wife & I saw several when we visited the Bizen-Osafune Sword Village last year, including one hanging on the entry wall that was 310 cm, as I recall.

 

One of my sword-swinging friends uses an o-dachi in Kage-Ryu that's about 225 cm (http://www.hyoho.com/Nkage2.html), so they're not that uncommon, even today.

 

Ken

[estcrh]

 

Feel free to share any information you have on odachi.

You will find a few more images here.

 

http://www.pinterest.com/nihonnokatchu/ ... -naganata/