The Sakabatō is designed as a simple katana with its blade forged on the opposite side than normal, making it a sword ill-fit for killing. Features of the blade have it depicted as a shinto era katana, and its hamon in an extremely rare recreated hitatsura notare midare on both sides of the blade, making it hard to differentiate the cutting edge from afar. Its fittings are humble and simple, but vary upon depictions throughout.
Forged as a holy sword, the last of Arai Shakkū's blades were made in offering to honor the new peace that the Meiji Era would bring, and for him and its wielder, the end of his career of creating weapons for violence and death, and for Kenshin, the end of his days as a hitokiri, and the promise to never take another human life again.
I give it 5 stars. I wish I had gotten one with the square guard on the blade. However I will buy another one not send this one back. It just seems more heavy duty than fancy. I'm talking fast shipping. Thanks tk.
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Handmade Japanese Ninjato Sword Full Tang With Black Leather Scabbard |
I received my order of a high quality katana blade and I have to say that I'm impressed with the way the sword is crafted. When I received the sword I opened it up and it's definitely seems protected with much wrappings and a box that contains it. I saw the blade and I did read from other customer reviews that there's oil/lubricant on the blade for it's maintenance.
I did read on the website that depending on the sword you order it does take some time to receive it. In my case it took 2 weeks. You can track your order when you log in notifying the locations your order is coming from so you don't freak out.
Other than that, I will make another order with this company again.
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High-performance Japanese Katana Sword Real Hamon Full Tang |
Fast delivery good communication and product is exactly as advertised
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Authentic Japanese Katana Sword Damascus Steel Real Hamon |
Bought this for my grandson. He just loves it! Didn't know it was coming from China, but it arrived fairly quickly. Thank you!
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Handmade Chokuto Ninjato Sword High Manganese Steel With Blue Lightning Blade |
This actually cut a piece of fruit quite easily. Extremely happy, it's beautiful.
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Yama Enma Sword, Roronoa Zoro Katana, Trafalgar D Water Law Anime Sword |
Very nice sword and very comfortable service!
Thank you.
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Handmade Shirasaya Wakizashi Sword T10 Carbon Steel Without Tsuba |
First time order, heard about the website from a friend and got my first katana. I love it, it’s in great shape and looks beautiful.
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Handmade Japanese Katana Sword With Blue Blade And Silver Scabbard |
Nice crafted blade, came in good condition and fast. This is my third sword from True Katana and I’ll say it won’t be my last :)
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Handmade Chinese Straight Double Edged Sword Han Dynasty With Black Scabbard |
So beautiful and fast shipping, my grandson will love it!
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One Piece Roronoa Zoro Yubashiri Katana Samurai Sword Replica With Black Scabbard |
Amazing company. This was my second order. My first was a red Damascus Katana. After a few days I heard nothing so I got into contact. Yh Carrier lost it Amazing customer service, the issue was resolved that day and another katana was sent and will be delivered in a few days. My son is gonna love it. True Katana is my new go to!! This is truly a great business and I’m so glad I found them
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Handmade Japanese Short Tanto Sword 1045 Carbon Steel With Black Scabbard |
The sakabatō (reverse-edged sword) is a type of strange katana sword which has an upside down blade - the sharpened (edge) and unsharpened (back) sides of the blade are transposed.
The sakabatō seems to be a weapon of peace. On the normal katana, the outward curved side of the blade is sharpened, while the inward curved side of the blade is blunt. In contrast, the sakabatō is designed as a simple katana with its blade forged on the opposite side than normal, making it a sword ill-fit for killing. The sharpened edge is the inward curved, longer side of the blade, making it hard to differentiate the cutting edge from afar. It generally knocks the wielder's enemies "senseless" rather than killing them, which is used normally would only inflict blunt force trauma which can't cut or kill. The only way for the sakabatō to cut is to rotate the hilt by 180 degrees within the hand, thus holding the sword backwards. Its fittings are humble and simple, but vary upon depictions throughout.
This reverse bladed sword is used by a fictional character- Himura Kenshin who wields a sakabato to uphold his vow never to kill, yet still protect his friends with his sword. Sakabatou may not be able to kill you, but he can still beat the shit out of you.
The Sakabatō (Reverse-Blade Sword) is the last of the strange swords forged by master swordsmith Arai Shakkū and the main weapon used by Himura Kenshin in the series.
However, unlike all his previous known works, whose designs all contain elements that make them tools not of combat, but of gruesome death, the Sakabatō is designed as a simple katana with its blade forged on the opposite side than normal, making it a sword ill-fit for killing. Features of the blade have it depicted as a shinto era katana, and its hamon in an extremely rare recreated hitatsura notare midare on both sides of the blade, making it hard to differentiate the cutting edge from afar. Its fittings are humble and simple, but vary upon depictions throughout.
Forged as a holy sword, the last of Arai Shakkū's blades were made in offering to honor the new peace that the Meiji Era would bring, and for him and its wielder, the end of his career of creating weapons for violence and death, and for Kenshin, the end of his days as a hitokiri, and the promise to never take another human life again.
Like with all manufacture of holy swords, two copies of the Sakabatō were made, a kageuchi (Shadow Performer) and a shinuchi (Star Performer), as was the custom. However, each copy eventually makes its way into the hands of Himura Kenshin.
Sakabatō Kageuchi
Given to Himura by Arai Shakkū immediately after the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, Sakabatō Kageuchi served as the rurouni's trusted sword for ten years afterward. Its hilt is without decoration and set in a simple, oval handguard and the sword itself is worn in a black steel sheath. The sword was broken in May of 1878 when Kenshin dueled Seta Sōjirō in Shingetsu Village.
Despite only being the kageuchi or shadow of the true sakabatō, this sword possessed superior quality than a normal Japanese sword, having easily broken one used by Saitō.
Sakabatō Shinuchi
While the kageuchi was given away, the Sakabatō Shinuchi was prepared for and given to the Hakusan Shrine in Kyoto as the temple's holy sword. Of stronger forge than Kageuchi, the shinuchi was hilted and sheathed in a shirasaya mount for storage and adorned with paper charms. After Himura took possession of Sakabatō Shinuchi with the permission of Shakkū's son Arai Seikū, using it against Sawagejō Chō of the Juppongatana, the wooden hilt is unable to withstand being used for Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū: Ryūkansen Tsumuji and crumbles, revealing a hidden engraving. On the steel inside the hilt, Shakkū had engraved a short poem reading "Slashing myself, I have trained countless blades. My son reviles, but for my grandson, I bleed." After transferring shinuchi into kageuchi's old hilt and a new steel sheath, it becomes Kenshin's new sakabatō until 1882 when he passes it on to Myōjin Yahiko as a genpuku gift. In the non-canon OVA Samurai X: Reflection, Yahiko in turn passes the sword on to as his own genpuku gift.
As a testament of its quality, when this sword clashed with Sojiro's Kikuichimonji Norimune, which was far superior to the Nagasoni Kotetsu which snapped the Kageuchi Sakabatō, on an even battoujutsu, it wasn't even scratched while landing a crack on Sojiro's sword.
In the Rurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc, Yahiko gave the sakabato back to Kenshin. Kenshin then takes and uses the sword while in Hokkaido.