The katana, said to be the soul of the samurai, was regarded in the Edo Period(1603-1867) as a symbol of feudal society. In the Meiji Period(1868-1912), samurai were forced to give up their position, and katana were also prohibited. Subsequently, military officers wore them as symbols of rank. After the war, it was forbidden to possess them, except to appreciate them as art objects for their limpid purity and beauty.