Tachi

• The tachi is a sword used by the samurai and was developed prior to the katana. This sword has more of a dramatic curve and is heavier than the katana and longer by a few inches. The tachi is often confused with the katana, though the tachi sword is worn suspended by a rope at the belt or sash with the blade edge facing down, rather than the traditional katana style. These swords were predominantly worn by samurai on horseback.
  
  

Katana

• The katana blade is the most recognizable of all the samurai swords, and is often referred to as the "samurai sword." The blade is generally 60 cm long or longer, and has a slight but distinct curve, enabling a swordsman to quickly draw the blade and cut in one swift motion. The katana is worn slipped through a belt/sash known as an "obi" with the blade edge facing upward. These were first used by the samurai during the 1400's and throughout the feudal Japan era.
  
  

Wakizashi

• The wakizashi sword is much shorter than the katana, being anywhere between 30 and 50 cm, resembling a long dagger. The wakizashi was often worn along with the katana by the samurai warrior as a companion weapon. The word "wakizashi" is translated to mean "side sword." This weapon was often used when the katana was damaged or in the case of ritual suicides.
  
  

Naginata

• The naginata is a weapon that predates the katana and earlier tachi swords. The earliest reference to the naginata is during the late Heian period in 1146. This weapon is a staff and sword combination. It was customized to suit the owner. The staff typically measured the length of the owner's body, and the sword was usually 3 feet long. The staff also has a sword handle directly under the blade, as if the sword were glued to a long pole. This was often used by samurai to attack cavalry on horseback because of its long reach. The weapon became less useful for samurai during the Edo period, and then became a status symbol for samurai-class women.