What Weapons Did The Samurai Use In Battle?

Samurai warriors are known as some of the fiercest fighters in history, with the class holding power over feudal Japan for nearly 700 years.
During their reign, Samurai utilised a variety of hand-held weapons on the battlefield. Most notable was the long sword, commonly represented by the Katana. These would be complimented by a companion short sword, such as the Wakizashi. Referred to as ‘daisho’, meaning ‘big and small’, this combination was a trademark symbol of a Samurai. Fascinatingly, Samurai also used chain weapons during their era. In addition, these ancient warriors used highly effective ranged weaponry. During the early period longbows would be indispensable in battle, the Yumi composite bow having an effective range of up to 100 metres. Asymmetric, these bows could also be utilised on horseback. By the far the most dominant weapon in the later period was the Tanegashima, introduced in 1543 by the Portuguese. Following mass production, Japan would have the same number of firearms as Europe by the 16th century.

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