The Japanese first copied the swords of the Chinese Western Han dynasty (206BC- 25AD), and later those of the Tang (618- 907). From these they developed their own style in terms of smelting and tempering techniques and the shape of the finished sword.
日本刀最早仿自我國西漢，到了唐朝又模仿「唐樣大刀」，其後便以此為藍本，對冶煉方法、淬火技術、造型變化等發展出自己的風格。