Names of famous swords belonging to the Taira, Minamoto, and other families are, “Little Crow,” “Beard-cutter,” “Knee-divider.” The two latter, when tried on sentenced criminals, after severing the heads from the body, cut the beard, and divided the knee respectively. The forging of a sword occupied the smith sixty days, and was often a religious ceremony. No artisans were held in greater honor than the sword-makers, and some of them even rose to honorary rank.
The names of Munechicka, Masamune, Yoshimitsu, and Muramasa, a few out of many noted smiths, are familiar words in the mouths of even Japanese children. The names, or marks and dates, of famous makers were always attached to their blades, and from the ninth to the fifteenth century were sure to be genuine. In later times, the practice of counterfeiting the marks of well-known makers came into vogue. Certain swords considered of good omen in one family were deemed unlucky in others. The ordinary length of a sword was a fraction over two feet for the long and one foot for the short sword. All lengths were, however, made use of, and some of the old warriors on horseback wore swords over six feet long.
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From General Nelson A. Miles
Thrilling Stories of The Russian-Japanese War, 1904
