The nihontō, more commonly known in the West as katana, is the weapon most closely associated with the samurai, and was even considered "the soul of the samurai" during the Edo period. A samurai never abandoned his sword, even in times of peace. The best gift a samurai could receive from his daimyō was a sword forged by a renowned master.
The katana (in Japanese 日本刀 nihontō) is a Japanese single-edged, curved sword, traditionally used by samurai. The origin of the Japanese katana dates back to the 10th-12th centuries.
The samurai warrior carried the katana with the blade facing downwards to wield it with both hands. Samurai did not use any shield for protection, as the katana was both a defensive and offensive weapon.
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