Did the Japanese have greatswords?

Absolutely, the Japanese used great swords just like the Europeans. They're called odachi and mostly look like huge katanas. They were used differently than European great swords because they're still single edged cutting swords rather than a double edged cut and thrust sword, but the idea is very similar.
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What is the Japanese equivalent of a greatsword?

Abnormally long blades (longer than 3 shaku), usually carried across the back, are called ōdachi or nodachi. The word ōdachi is also sometimes used as a synonym for Japanese swords. Odachi means "great sword", and Nodachi translates to "field sword".
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What is the Japanese greatsword?

The ōdachi (大太刀) (large/great sword) or nodachi (野太刀, field sword) is a type of traditionally made Japanese sword (日本刀, nihontō) used by the samurai class of feudal Japan.
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Did WWII Japanese soldiers carry swords?

A vestige of an earlier era, Japanese officers carried swords like this one during the Second World War. Unlike the ceremonial swords carried by officers in western militaries, the Japanese officer would have made use of their blades in beheading deserters or prisoners and leading banzai charges.
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Did Japanese use double-edged swords?

The term tsurugi (剣) designates a straight, double-edged, bladed weapon from Japan. It is a sword, which means that this weapon has two edges, one on each side of its blade, unlike the tachi, katana, wakizashi, or odachi, which have only one cutting edge, on one of the two sides of the blade.
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How Greatswords Beat Pikes in Battle - Or Did They?

What 2 swords did samurai use?

The two swords of the samurai, katana and wakizashi, are together known as daisho and are worn inserted in the belt with the edge facing upwards.
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Are swords illegal in Japan?

a Legal Sword in Japan must have a registration card, if a sword with no registration card is found it must be reported to the police in Japan, and you would only be allowed to keep it legally if it turns out to be a antique or a Sword made from a registered smith in Japan from examination.
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Why did Japan ban swords?

The first Haitōrei of 1870 prohibited farmers or merchants from wearing swords and dressing like samurai. This measure was in part an effort to restore public safety and order during the tumultuous period immediately after the Meiji Restoration and during the Boshin War.
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What famous Japanese sword was lost in WW2?

Honjō Masamune

It was made a Japanese National Treasure (Kokuhō) in 1939. The name Honjō probably came about by the sword's connection to General Honjō Shigenaga (1540-1614) who gained the sword after a battle in 1561. Shigenaga was attacked by Umanosuke who already possessed a number of trophy heads.
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What happened to all the Japanese swords after WWII?

In August 1945, Japan's surrender came with a direct order for Japanese soldiers to surrender all arms to the Allied Forces - including their swords. The fact that many of these swords were kept at US. 8th Army Weapons Depot at Akabane, Kita Ward, Tokyo led to the nickname Akabane Swords.
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What is the holy grail of Japanese swords?

The holy grail for many collectors is a blade made by a sword-smith genius called Muramasa. Many Muramasa swords were destroyed by the Tokugawa shoguns, who believed they brought bad luck to their dynasty, so surviving examples are extremely valuable.
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Why were Japanese swords so good?

Katana-makers use two types of tamahagane: high-carbon, which is very hard and allows for a razor-sharp edge, and low-carbon, which is very tough and allows for shock absorption. A sword composed simply of one kind of steel or the other would either dull too quickly or be too brittle.
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What is the most lethal Japanese sword?

The most infamous sword he created is called the Honjō Masamune katana. This sword has been passed down by shōguns throughout the centuries until it arrived in the hands of Tokugawa Iemasa — its final owner. This sword was named a national treasure in 1939 but disappeared in the midst of World War II.
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Are there any real samurai swords left?

Tachi look similar to katana, but are not as curved. Since these samurai swords were skillfully crafted and handed down from one generation to the next, many early samurai swords still exist.
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What religion were most samurai?

They sought more direct and individual Buddhist practices, which at times were merged with local beliefs such as the worshipping of sacred mountains. The samurai's ascendancy coincided with the arrival of Zen Buddhism, which was transmitted by monks such as Daruma from India to China and then Japan.
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Who was the greatest samurai swordsman?

The majority of the Japanese people know Musashi Miyamoto as Japan's most famous and most skilled swordsman. His status among the Japanese has reached mythic proportions in the same measure that Westerners would give to Muhammad Ali or Michael Jordan. The life of Musashi is the gold standard of samurai in Japan.
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Did Japanese carry katanas in WW2?

Furthermore, civilian wakizashi (mid-length swords) and katanas dating from earlier than the Meiji period were adapted for military use, especially toward the end of WWII. A naval officer's sword and a detail of the hilt guard.
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What was the samurai's most prized weapon?

The samurai's sword, or katana, was one of the most elegant and deadly weapons in military history. A warrior's sword was his most prized possession. More than just the means of his livelihood, it was a symbol of his status.
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What was the Japanese secret weapon in WW2?

The Imperial Japanese Army's notorious Unit 731 — a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit — performed tests on human subjects with Bubonic plague, cholera, smallpox, botulism, and other diseases. Japanese soldiers used these bombs to to launch biological attacks, infecting agriculture, ...
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Is it illegal to carry a samurai sword in Japan?

These laws were designed to prevent the abuse of swords and to maintain public safety. Today, katana are considered illegal in Japan unless they are certified as "important cultural properties" or "art objects." These swords are allowed to be owned and displayed, but they cannot be carried in public or used as weapons.
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Are there still samurai in Japan today?

Of course, samurai were abolished in the late-19th Century as Japan modernised, so you can't find samurai here today. But much of their world remains. Making the 473km trip from Tokyo to Kanazawa used to take five hours and require changing trains.
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Why are katanas illegal?

In the US, katanas fall under the same legal category as knives. From the age of 18, it is absolutely lawful to possess a katana in the US. However, ownership laws vary by state, but most states allowing you to own and display a katana in your home. Restrictions may apply on "carrying a katana" publicly.
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Can you buy a katana in Japan and bring it to the US?

The Japanese sword with its registration paper means it was traditionally hand-forged in Japan. To legally export the sword from Japan to other countries, we will have to apply for its permit to the Agency for Cultural Affairs(Bunkacho) and return the original registration paper to the Board of Education.
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Why do samurai carry two swords?

The samurai were the only class allowed to carry two swords - a symbol of their high status. Different styles were popular at different times, but during the Edo period (1600-1868) the long katana sword and shorter companion sword known as a wakizashi were most commonly worn.
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Are machetes allowed in Japan?

It is illegal to carry a blade of any kind exceeding 6 cm, without justifiable grounds. Persons violating this law face imprisonment with work for up to 2 years or a fine of up to 300,000 yen.
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