Ōdachi
The ōdachi (大太刀) (large/great sword) or nodachi (野太刀, field sword) is a type of traditionally made Japanese sword (日本刀, nihontō) used by the samurai class of feudal Japan. The Chinese equivalent of this type of sword in terms of weight and length is the miaodao or the earlier zhanmadao, and the Western battlefield equivalent (though less similar) is the Zweihänder.
| Ōdachi (大太刀) | |
|---|---|
An ōdachi forged by Sadaie, 14th century, Nanboku-chō period, Important Sword. | |
| Type | Sword |
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Samurai, Kenjutsu, Iaido practitioners |
| Production history | |
| Produced | Kamakura period (1185－1333) to present |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 2.2–14.5 kg (4.9–32.0 lb) |
| Blade length | approx. 90.9 cm (35.8 in) (3 shaku)–377 cm (148 in) (12.4 shaku) |
| Blade type | Curved, single-edged |
| Hilt type | Two-handed swept, with circular or squared guard. Material: wood, metal, ivory, fish skin, silk |
| Scabbard/sheath | Lacquered wood |
To qualify as an ōdachi, the sword in question would have a blade length of around 3 shaku (90.9 cm (35.8 in)). However, as with most terms in Japanese sword arts, there is no exact definition of the size of an ōdachi.
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