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Curated by: Augustus Roe (109 videos)
#Katana #Samurai #MartialArts For centuries, the ōdachi (nodachi) was one of the largest and most powerful Japanese swords ever carried into battle. With its enormous reach and devastating cutting power, it became one of the most iconic weapons of the samurai warriors. Yet despite its battlefield reputation, Japan gradually abandoned the ōdachi in favour of the katana. At almost exactly the same time, Ming China was developing the miaodao—a longer two-handed sword inspired by Japanese swordsmanship. So why did Japan abandon one of its greatest weapons while its neighbours embraced it? In this video, I investigate the real history of the ōdachi, test the most common theories behind its disappearance, compare it with the Chinese miaodao, and explore how changes in warfare, politics and everyday life transformed the Japanese sword forever. Timestamps 00:00 – Japan's forgotten giant sword 00:50 – Was the ōdachi really impractical? 02:54 – Why China adopted even longer swords 05:09 – How peace changed the samurai 07:00 – The Tokugawa sword regulations 07:18 – The verdict 08:04 – Was the ōdachi one of Japan's greatest weapons? #samurai #japan #katana #odachi #nodachi #miaodao #history #martialarts #japanhistory #swordartonline FREE Companion Guide to the Channel: augustus-roe-martial-arts.kit.com/dbf257e886 📚 Books & Resources (Affiliate Links) 📘 My Books Legendary Masters of the Martial Arts eBook: https://amzn.to/47DBD4g Hardback: https://amzn.to/47SzcJU Paperback: https://amzn.to/47DBIF6 The Martial Arts of Vietnam: An Overview of History and Styles eBook: https://amzn.to/41bESMq Paperback: https://amzn.to/48jTgWz Top 10 Techniques Every Fighter Should Know Kicks eBook: https://amzn.to/4cdrOMM Paperback: https://amzn.to/3Qc5732 Elbows and Knees eBook: https://amzn.to/4mzYOlT Paperback: https://amzn.to/4taBuO2 📙 Related Reading Samurai Weapons: Tools of the Warrior – Don Cunningham eBook: https://amzn.to/4pDpW4U Paperback: https://amzn.to/3Ru0O47 Japanese Swords and Armor: Masterpieces from Thirty of Japan's Most Famous Samurai Warriors – Paul Martin eBook: https://amzn.to/4hzOee1 Hardback: https://amzn.to/4hz3GqQ ▶️ Watch Next https://youtu.be/UD5_VMSMGBU 🔔 Subscribe For more investigations into martial arts history, legendary weapons, historical myths and their real-world effectiveness, subscribe for new videos every week.