The ōdachi (大太刀) or nodachi is a type of traditionally made Japanese sword used by the samurai class of feudal Japan. The Chinese equivalent of this type of sword in terms of weight and length is the miaodao or the earlier zhanmadao, and the Western battlefield equivalent is the Zweihänder.
An ōdachi forged by Sadaie, 14th century, Nanboku-chō period, Important Sword
Magara Naotaka, a retainer of the Asakura clan in the Battle of Anegawa. He was famous as a master of a ōdachi named Taro tachi (太郎太刀) with a length of blade of 7 shaku 3 sun (approx. 221 cm (87 in) or the whole length of 9 shaku 5 sun (approx. 288 cm (113 in)).
Edo period ukiyo-e shows an ōdachi worn on the back of a samurai.
A sheathed ōdachi
A Japanese sword is one of several types of traditionally made swords from Japan. Bronze swords were made as early as the Yayoi period, though most people generally refer to the curved blades made from the Heian period (794–1185) to the present day when speaking of "Japanese swords". There are many types of Japanese swords that differ by size, shape, field of application and method of manufacture. Some of the more commonly known types of Japanese swords are the uchigatana, tachi, ōdachi, wakizashi, and tantō.
Japanese swords. Two tachi with full mountings (middle and bottom right), a sword with a Shirasaya-style tsuka (top right), a wakizashi (top left), and various tsuba (bottom left).
A range of Japanese blade types, from left to right: naginata, ken, tantō, katana (uchigatana) and tachi (not to scale).
Tachi. The blade was made by Masatsune. Blade, 12th century; mounting, 18th century. Tokyo National Museum
A katana forged by Hizen Tadayoshi I. (Saijo Ō Wazamono) Azuchi–Momoyama period. (top) Katana mounting, Late Edo period. (bottom)
