The Muramasa Sword is a Japanese Katana sword known as cursed and demonic. It is a real historical sword surrounded by terrifying legends and stories.
In this article, we will go over its most visual and unique characteristics and compare it to the regular Katana. Then we will see how it is mostly used. We will finish by revealing its real history, as well as its most famous scary legends and stories.
Blade[]
The blade of the Muramasa is like any other Japanese blade, just much sharper. It can be from 9.8 to 35-39 inches (25 to 90-100 cm) long, depending on what type of sword it is (Katana, Wakizashi). It is made using the same process as the regular Katana by utilizing tamahagane steel and folding it.
It has a distinct Japanese curve with a one-edged full tang blade and a sharp tip point at the end. It can cut just as strong as any other Katana sword.
If you look at the legendary myths created by ordinary people in Japan at the time, it was said that this blade could cut through anything and anyone. It also had a special ability to wash the blood off the blade by running water from the guard.
Wave Shaped Appearance[]
This is sometimes called the Muramasa edge. A common characteristic of the Muramasa blades is their wave-shaped structure. Also, the blade’s front and back patterns usually look alike.
The fascinating thing about it is that every sword made by Muramasa contained symmetrical patterns that are exact duplicates of each other.
Guard[]
The guard of the Muramasa is just like any other Japanese sword too. It is made in a circular fashion and isn’t that big. It protects the user’s hands and offers a good and stable grip.
If seen from the legendary aspect, though, the guard could have been with spikes or even flaming with a very dark aura surrounding it. Usually, the modern types of Muramasa that you’ll find on the market will have an interesting fictional guard too.
Handle[]
The handle of the Muramasa sword can go from 3.9 to 9.8 – 11 inches (10 to 25 – 30 cm ) long, depending on what type of sword it is since Muramasa can be anything from Wakizashi to a Katana. It is the typical type of Japanese wooden handle wrapped to provide a better and firmer grip.
Engraving[]
The Muramasa’s biggest and most unique aspect is the engraving under the handle or on the blade itself. You can notice the engraving, or the writing, from the Japanese swordsmith Muramasa. It is written as 村正 in Japanese and called Tanagobara, which resembles a fish belly.
Scabbard[]
The scabbard for the Muramasa is made of wood and is very similar to the scabbard, or Saya, used for all other types of Japanese Katanas. It usually has a tie on its lower half, which is visually appealing and possibly used for wearing on the shoulder or the back.
Weight[]
The weight of the Muramasa sword can be around 1.5 to 2.8 lbs (700 grams to 1.3 kg) depending, of course, on the type of Muramasa sword. The weight of the Muramasa Katana is the same as a regular Katana, somewhere between 2.4 and 2.8 lbs (1.1 and 1.3 kg).
It is very lightweight, and legends state that it was as light as a feather and could cut clean to the bone through all types of armor.
Length & Size[]
The length of the Muramasa sword can be around 11.8 to 39 inches (30 cm to 1 meter) long. This is typical for the Japanese samurai swords, especially for the Katana and Wakizashi. However, most of the discovered Muramasa swords are actually shorter and around 27 inches (70 cm) in overall length.
It is a perfect size for both having the ability to be used in close-quarter combat and long-range melee fights. This length is also very good in combination with the curved sword, making it an excellent weapon for slashing and thrusting.