From the mid-Heian to the late Muromachi period, the tachi was the predominant form of Japanese sword.

Made over many centuries as a blade well suited to mounted warfare, the tachi survives today in numerous masterful examples.

From the Muromachi period onward, however, with the rise of foot soldiers and the introduction of firearms shifting combat to the ground, the uchigatana came to replace the tachi in practical use.

Even so, within warrior society the tachi retained high ceremonial status. It was prized as an object for presentation and as an essential element of formal attire in rituals, and its production continued for roughly a thousand years up to the present day.

This exhibition, titled “In Praise of the Tachi,” traces the sword’s history from the Heian period to today, highlighting the distinctive features and points of interest of each era.

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