The Samurai were the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan who, as opposed to the Bushi class combat personnel, followed the Daimyo who were the most powerful Japanese rulers from the 12th to 19th century. The Samurai have a long and varied history of development, through barbarian mercenary status in the beginnings of the Heian Period (794-1185), to aristocracy as powerful nobility in the Kamakura Period (1185-1392) to impoverishment toward the end of the Edo period (1603-1867). The Samurai are one of history's most intriguing and exciting Classes and today, the lure of this fascinating culture endures through multitudes of dedicated students of the Martial Arts, through Hollywood, and through the inspired imaginations of prestigious collectors, and museum collections of Samurai swords worldwide. The Samurai used many weapons and many variations throughout their reign, but today, Samurai swords are generally considered to be the daito (long sword or backsword) and shoto (short sword) together making up the daisho. One of the most popular swords for sale today, the Japanese katana, is a version of the longsword designed for cutting in open combat. The wakizashi is considered the companion of the katana in the daisho, and the tanto, although many consider it a "short wakizashi", differs from both the katana and wakizashi as it was designed primarily for thrusting maneuvers.
Swords of the East is proud to offer today's finest martial arts weapons for modern Samurai and collectors. We pride ourselves on bringing our customers fully functional weapons for training and competition with a guaranteed lowest price. We would be happy to offer any assistance in the selection of your Samurai sword, so feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. We at SOTE thank you for your interest in our premium Samurai weapons, and hope to serve you well.
