Karadaichi - Karada

…The remains excavated from ancient tombs are characterized by a large handle on the handle, and are divided into kabutchi, which is a large, three-dimensional bulge on the handle, kantou, which is a ring, square head, round head, and kettle head. In the Nara period, the Karadachi, which had a sharkskin handle and a lacquered sheath, and a simplified version of the Kara-yo, was made. In the Heian period, the Karadachi was called the Kazadachi and became the highest grade of ceremonial swords, and the simplified version was called the Hosodachi and was used by nobles who were allowed to wear swords. The distinctive feature of the Hyojo sword is that the handle is shaped like tweezers, and it was called Efu no Tachi because it was used regularly by military officers of the Efu, and was also called Nodachi (field sword) because it was used by nobles in emergencies.

*Some of the terminology used to refer to the "Tang sword" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…古く古墳出土の遺品は，把(柄)頭（つかがしら）に手だまりを大きくこしらえるのを特色とし，頭椎（かぶつち）といって柄頭を立体的に大きくふくらませたものと，環(鐶)頭（かんとう）といって環としたものと，方頭，円頭，圭頭などに分けられる。奈良時代には柄に鮫皮（さめかわ）をきせて鞘に漆を塗り，金銀飾の長金物（なががなもの）を入れた唐大刀（からだち）とその略式である唐様（からよう）の大刀が行われ，平安時代になると唐大刀は飾太刀（かざだち）とよばれて儀仗の最高級となり，その略式は細太刀とよばれて帯剣を許された公卿の儀仗となった。兵仗は柄を毛抜形にすかしたのが特色で，衛府（えふ）の武官の常用として衛府（よう）の太刀といい，公卿も非常の際の実用としてこれを野太刀（のだち）ともいった。…

※「唐大刀」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報