[CandyKing]

Yay for me doing homework and being able to browse:

Master crafted japanese swords were not superior to european ones, as japanese metalsmiths actually had inferior metallurgy techniques and produced lower quality metal for their weapons. Western swords had to deal with heavy armor and not break, and thus were not as focused on having sharp edges (because they would just dull pointlessly) but be of higher durability and quality, and were designed to be effective with thrusting attacks to get at gaps in armor. Eastern and Western swords, both one and two handed were also similar in weight, so this isn't just "they used more metal".

This is in regards to high quality swords from both sides. Good luck finding such information though, look up japan and anything and you'll get a whole lot of people espousing how awsome japanese stuff is.