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| Tsurugi/Ken (剣) | |
|---|---|
&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:Ken_double_edge_straight_sword_Kofun_period_5th_century.jpg) A tsurugi double-edged straight sword from the Kofun period (5th century) | |
| Type | Sword |
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Samurai, Onna-musha |
| Production history | |
| Produced | approx. 200 B.C. Yayoi period (1,000 BC–300 AD) to present. |
| Specifications | |
| Blade length | approx. 100 cm (39 in) |
| Blade type | Straight, double-edged |
| Hilt type | Metal, wood |
| Scabbard/sheath | Lacquered wood |
A tsurugi (剣) or ken (剣) is a Japanese sword. The word is used in the West to refer to a specific type of Japanese straight, double-edged sword used in antiquity (as opposed to curved, single-edged swords such as the katana).[1] In Japanese the term tsurugi or ken (ja:剣) is used as a term for all sorts of international long, double-edged swords.
- ^ Tanaka, Fumon (2003). Samurai Fighting Arts: The Spirit and the Practice. Kodansha International. ISBN 9784770028983.