The nihontÅ, more commonly known in the West as a katana, is the weapon most closely related to the samurai and was even considered during the Edo period as "the soul of the samurai". A samurai never gave up his sword, even in times of peace. The best gift a samurai could receive from sudaimyÅ was a sword forged by a famous master. The katana or katana (Japanese æ¥æ¬å nihontÅ) is a single-edged, curved Japanese saber traditionally used by samurai.
The origin of the Japanese katana dates back to the 10th-12th centuries, The samurai warrior carried the katana with the blade down to wield it with both hands, The samurai did not use any shield for their protection, since the katana was a defensive weapon and offensive at the same time.