Differences between Tachi and Katana

[haizul]

I am a little curious. Anyone here knows what the differences between Tachi and a katana? or there are no differences at all?

[mystic_kendoka]

i think tachi is an art...

[mystic_kendoka]

sorry my mistake.. i was thinking taIchia... tachi is a sort of ceremonial katana.. it is a katana but more decorative than usual... not meant for war/fighting purposes... more for decoration..

[Natsu]

The taichi is usually much bigger than a katana. Katana can technicly be from 2 to 4 feet in length, taichi are 4 to 6 feet in length. Taichi also were made before
katana. They were the first japannesse sword to incorperate the slight curve, this made it eaiser for men on horses to draw the weapon.

[R A Sosnowski]

I am a little curious. Anyone here knows what the differences between Tachi and a katana? or there are no differences at all?

A Tachi is a true cavalry saber from the times that samurai, at least the upper-level, fought from a horse. The primary weapon was the Yumi (Japanese long bow). The Tachi had more curvature than a Katana, and was carried very low across the back with the edge down. It was drawn down then up, or "ground-to-sky."

When the standing cavalries were disbanded at the beginning of the Tokugawa Shogunate, samurai had to walk. The Katana replaced the Tachi. Katana were thrust through the Obi with the edge up. The draw was "sky-to-ground." The deep curvature of the Tachi was not as necessary for standing techniques (as opposed to mounted techniques), so a Katana is not as deeply curved.

During the transition, many old Tachi blades were "reworked" into Katana. In particular, they were typically shortened (that is why it is difficult to find an original Tachi). New Saya were made for them to accomodate the new method of wearing the sword.

HTH.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Tachi just means sword. Like the sides of the kata, shi-dachi and uchi-dachi (dachi is the same character, first letter softened for the compound). Katana also means sword, except that katana always refers to a particular style of sword. IIRC tachi and ken are the same character, katana and to are the same character but I may be wrong there.

Sometimes tachi is used to mean an old style calvary sword as Raymond describes. The previous two posts about length and decoration are wrong. The difference between a tachi (calvary sword) and a katana (sword worn through the belt) is mainly in the fittings. Tachi were normally worn slung on cords, so there were mounts on the saya for the cords. The furniture was also a little different. Tachi were commonly a little longer and more curved than katana but there is no hard and fast rule. Sometimes longer tachi were cut down and remounted for use as a katana. You can tell which was originally which by looking at the tang - the smith's signature goes on the side of the tang which was meant to be away from the body when worn.

[James]

Am I right in thinking that in a museum you can tell the difference as one is displayed cutting edge up, and the other cutting edge down? Or is that something else I'm thinking of?

[walruz]

Am I right in thinking that in a museum you can tell the difference as one is displayed cutting edge up, and the other cutting edge down? Or is that something else I'm thinking of?You display a katana with the cutting edge upwards, you display a tachi with the cutting edge down (or in a tachi-kake (http://www.bugei.com/images/Tachi_Stand_medium.jpg)).