The Katana in history: From the era of Shogun to its enduring fascination today

Free Talk Event
August 1, 2025

The era which the drama Shōgun is based on was a period of significant historical transformation in Japan. It was also the time that brought major change to the role of the katana. Iaidō, the martial arts that uses katana as the sole weapon, was also developed at the similar time in the history. Its practice still reminds us of the spirits and discipline of samurai to this day. In this talk, we will explore how the role of katana changed through the history, especially the time depicted in Shōgun, alongside how iaidō was born and developed. We will look at how social and cultural shifts influenced the way sword were viewed and used, and how the martial art of iaidō was born. Along the way, the talk will shed light on why the katana continues to fascinate us today and holds a powerful place in Japanese identity.

Topics to be covered

Spiritual significance of katana in Japanese culture
Transformation of the katana through history
Iaidō as a carrier of cultural values from the samurai era

DR YASUHISA WATANABE

Dr Yasuhisa Watanabe has practised Muso-Jikiden Eishinryu Iaido for 30 years and currently holds the rank of 7th Dan. He has competed at the Iaidō Kyoto National Championship and continues to train and teach regularly at Seishinkan Iaidō’s Melbourne Dojo. He is also a Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies at the University of Melbourne, where he combines his academic expertise with a deep personal commitment to the study of traditional Japanese martial arts and culture.

This is the first day of the Shōgun Talk Event Series.