The martial Japanese history is characterized by the development of a particular samurai sword known as the katana. It was believed that this sword was the reflection of the warrior's soul, and thus it had to be tested to estimate its sharpness, efficiency, and cutting ability. A variety of cutting tests was done on animals and bamboos, but some were also carried out on human beings. This technique was called tameshi-giri. Although the practice on human beings has since disappeared, the remaining cutting test records represent precious information about human body's resistance to sharp weapons.