mind medieval Japanese people were not hugely tall on balance) to use strength and momentum to give the blade ferocious speed, giving birth to tremendous cutting power. The katana is also short enough to be used indoors (if not necessarily comfortably, depending on the exact surroundings), in cooperation with fast lateral footwork, and so forth. It is also light enough to be heavily controlled by the user for rapid changes of direction. This blend of power and versatility has made the katana Japan’s defining sword.
Image by GxAce.