Archaeological
evidence indicates that swords have existed
in Japan for its entire historical period.
Short straight swords imported from China
and Korea are among the earliest weapons
found in historical sites around Japan.
After 2000 B.C., when these swords first
appeared, the Japanese began making their
own swords. Around 700 A.D., Japanese
swordsmiths forged the first of what are now
considered the finest swords ever made.
The person considered responsible for vastly
improving Japanese sword design and
manufacture was a smith named Amakuni. Like
others in his profession, he was responding
to the huge demand for weapons made by
local, provincial, and national leaders.
Regional conflicts over land rights and
issues of power continuously erupted, and,
when not warring among themselves, the early
Japanese were invading the Korean peninsula
or China, or defending themselves against
Korean and Chinese 
invaders.
Any leader with a supply of superior
weapons was at a great advantage, so a
constant, long-term effort to find
swordmakers improving the craft ensued. The
most devoted smiths made the quest for the
perfect blade into a lifetime pursuit, and
men exist today who devote their lives to
the art of swordmaking.
The long sword in Japan has seen three major
incarnations, and for each type of sword
exists a fighting style to match the blade's
shape. The early blades, called chokuto or
“straight swords,” tended to get longer
as metallurgy techniques improved.
Though not much is known about how these
weapons were wielded, the extra length -
without any significant increase in weight -
certainly gave the fighter more reach. The
handle size of these blades suggests that
they were held in one hand. The two-edged
blade suggests a thrusting and hacking style
of fighting.
The first major change in the shape of the
sword came during Amakuni’s time, a style
perhaps created by Amakuni himself. Warriors
found that, compared to a straight blade, a
curved sword can be drawn from the scabbard
more quickly and can provide a more
effective cutting angle. 
Consequently, swordsmiths developed forging
techniques to make a curved blade at least
as strong as the earlier straight
ones.
These swords, called tachi, were
extremely long, some nearly four feet, and
were generally used by soldiers on
horseback. The long, curved blade was ideal
for a sweeping draw and slash against
opponents on the ground or mounted upon
other horses.
Later in Japanese history, most soldiers
found themselves doing battle on foot, or
engaging in individual combat against one
another. For such men, the tachi were too
long to be drawn or wielded comfortably, so
a shorter sword was developed. This sword
was the katana, and the katana is the sword
that most practicianers of Iaן-Do
systems use today.
Katana are generally between two and four
feet in length and, though curved, have a
less pronounced arc than the tachi. They can
be efficiently drawn from the scabbard into
position for a horizontal, diagonal, or
vertical cut, and the curve of the blade
lends itself well to the efficient slashing
cut characteristic of Iaן-Do.
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