Here at SFC we love everything about samurai and their culture. And, like you, we especially love the samurai's implements of war. From Sai to the legendary and hard to say Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsuru or the Sword of the Gathering Clouds we will love it all! So, let's kick things off with the weapon we have all seen but know little about, that gigantic brother of the Katana known as the Nodachi!
This isn't your typical sword. Possessing great length and weight, the Nodachi was primarily used as an anti-calvary weapon of destruction. And, unlike the spear, the Nodachi could be swung in a cutting motion and brought atop the heads of invaders in the open field as well as stab from distance.
Simply carried by hand, samurai who employed this lengthy cleaver were sometimes seen with an underling hired to help draw it when shit was getting real. Any samurai carrying this giant would be a man of immense intimidation as slow as it was when compared to other swords of the day, the Nodachi held in the hands of strong and competent duelist such as the great Sasaki Kojiro, could be a merciless killing machine.
Kojiro, well known for using the Nodachi in a duel against the famous swordsmen and author Miyamoto Musashi, was a highly regarded Kensei, or master swordsman. Their duel was Musashi's toughest as Kojiro nearly killed him several times before succumbing to Musashi's improvised Nodachi bokken (wooden sword). So tough, in fact, it is widely said that Kojiro nearly took the Top-Knot or chonmage of Musashi with one of his violent strokes.
With a four foot long blade and foot long handle (a "big" Katana) combine to make the Nodachi one of the Sengoku periods more ineresting blades. A long and lean head cleaver for chopp'n fools, I long to hang one on my wall one day.....sigh.
Here is a lulzy video of the sword in action:
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