The long sword is one of the weapons that appeared during the Warring States period in Japan. However, the gigantic Norimitsu Odachi can be considered a “monster” among legendary swords. It was forged around the 15th century AD, measuring nearly 4 meters in length and weighing up to nearly 15 kg.
History of Odachi
The Japanese are revered worldwide for their exquisite sword-making artistry. Today, the Katana is the most famous type of Japanese sword due to its close association with the image of the samurai. However, there are many other distinctive swords that were invented but have become less popular in later periods. One of them is the Odachi long sword.
The blade of the Odachi typically measures about 100 cm, with some recorded blades reaching nearly 2m in length. Ancient Japanese people were generally of modest height, so a long sword longer than 100 cm could also be classified among long-range weapons. Odachi was often used for various purposes, whether for cavalry to slash from horseback or for infantry units to combat enemy cavalry.
In fact, the Odachi was a favored weapon on the battlefield in Japan during the Nanboku period. However, their length could pose certain difficulties for warriors. Swords were often kept in their scabbards to prevent rust and damage, and Odachi was no exception.
However, during many moments on the battlefield, warriors would find it inconvenient as the Odachi had an excessively long blade, making it difficult to draw the sword from its sheath. This subsequent weapon improvement became a part of the reason why the Tokugawa Shogunate gained an advantage during Japan’s Warring States period. The Odachi gradually fell out of favor in favor of more practical weapons.
Norimitsu Odachi is an unusual sword
Unlike ceremonial swords, the Odachi was primarily crafted for combat purposes. As a result, the gigantic Norimitsu Odachi, measuring up to 4 meters and weighing nearly 15 kg, raises questions about who its owner might be. When looking at Norimitsu Odachi, many people certainly think that this sword was forged for a giant warrior.
Some ancient Japanese texts mention giant warriors using Odachi long swords suitable for their size. The number of these ‘giants’ may be rare, but they are described quite realistically. If a person stood over 2 meters tall with immense muscular strength, he could easily wield a 4-meter-long long sword. The psychological intimidation effect on the enemy and the sheer power of such a combination is perhaps indisputable in an era focused on close combat.
Other Theories
One thing that researchers agree on is the value of the Norimitsu Odachi sword. A sword with a blade length of 4 meters, weighing 15 kg, is indeed very difficult to forge. Besides the amount of iron used to cast it, the blacksmith must also possess highly skilled craftsmanship. The owner who commissioned the sword to be forged must at least be a wealthy individual to afford materials and hire a skilled swordsmith.
If it was not forged for a giant warrior, there are several other hypotheses regarding the utility of Norimitsu Odachi.
Firstly, Norimitsu Odachi could be regarded as a war relic, forged to serve as a symbol of victory for an army that valued combat strength. On each occasion before going into battle, the giant sword would be carried out and placed before the troops to boost morale.
The next hypothesis is that Norimitsu Odachi was a prize in a sword-making competition. Feudal lords organized a contest to select the most impressive sword. After awarding the prize and honoring the winning craftsman, the sword would be placed in Shinto shrines as a gift to the deities. Due to the difficulty of forging a long and heavy sword, the swordsmith decided to choose to forge Norimitsu Odachi to demonstrate their skill.
The third hypothesis relates to similarities found in some ancient Japanese stories. It mentions a land threatened by invading bandits. Knowing they could not defeat the enemy, a cunning hero devised the idea of forging a gigantic sword.
The sword was then placed in a location where the enemy could see it, making them question who would wield such a sword? Ultimately, due to suspicions that the land had giant warriors, the bandits feared and retreated, not daring to return. Norimitsu Odachi became their haunting threat.
Summary