Batto (“sword drawing”) was taught as one of the many martial arts required for samurai.
The exquisite sharpness of the Japanese sword meant that fights could end an instant after they began, so quick actions with no wasted motions meant the difference between life and death.
But when these weapons failed, or when fighting came down to close-quarter combat, the ability to swiftly draw one’s sword and attack was essential. On the battlefields of medieval Japan, samurai were armed with various weapons such as bows, spears, halberds, and eventually firearms.
