Blade and mounting for a wakizashi. The blade was made by Soshu Fusamune. Blade, late 15th–early 16th century; mounting, 18th century. There were many different makers for the katana. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Type
Sword
Place of origin
Japan
Production history
Produced
Muromachi period (1336–1573) to present
Specifications
Blade length
approx. 30–60 cm (12–24 in)
Blade type
Curved, single-edged
Scabbard/sheath
Lacquered wood
The wakizashi (Japanese: 脇差, "side inserted sword"[1]) is one of the traditionally made Japanese swords (nihontō)[2][3] worn by the samurai in feudal Japan. Its name refers to the practice of wearing it inserted through one's obi or sash at one's side, whereas the larger tachi sword was worn slung from a cord.
^Ogyû Sorai's Discourse on government (Seidan): an annotated translation, Sorai Ogyū, Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, 1999 p. 105
^The Development of Controversies: From the Early Modern Period to Online Discussion Forums, Volume 91 of Linguistic Insights. Studies in Language and Communication, Author Manouchehr Moshtagh Khorasani, Publisher Peter Lang, 2008, ISBN 978-3-03911-711-6 p. 150
^The Complete Idiot's Guide to World Mythology, Complete Idiot's Guides, Authors Evans Lansing Smith, Nathan Robert Brown, Publisher Penguin, 2008, ISBN 978-1-59257-764-4 p. 144
The wakizashi (Japanese: 脇差, "side inserted sword") is one of the traditionally made Japanese swords (nihontō) worn by the samurai in feudal Japan. Its...
katana (top), wakizashi (bottom), in the form of a daishō (matched set). Edo period, 19th century. Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. Wakizashi mounting decorated...
commonly known types of Japanese swords are the uchigatana, tachi, ōdachi, wakizashi, and tantō. In modern times the most commonly known type of Japanese sword...
with a length of less than 60 cm (24 in). They are often confused with wakizashi, due to their length and handling techniques. However, their construction...
who could continue to wear daisho until 1683. Many would keep wearing wakizashi on a daily basis after then. After the middle of the 18th century, they...
shape of a katana, but is sometimes shaped like other swords, such as the wakizashi and tantō. Some ornamental bokken are decorated with mother-of-pearl work...
six-foot quarterstaff, shouting a challenge to Kihei. Kihei attacked with a wakizashi, but Musashi threw Kihei on the floor, and while Kihei tried to get up...
(1603–1867), the hilts of nagamaki were often cut off and made into katana or wakizashi (short sword). This practice of cutting off the hilt of a ōdachi or tachi...
seating Street furniture Sword furniture – on Japanese swords (katana, wakizashi, tantō) all parts save the blade are referred to as "furniture". In firearms...
("suriage"). For this reason, his only existing works are katana, tantō, and wakizashi. No exact dates are known for Masamune's life. It is generally agreed...
the 20th century. It was an iron truncheon; it could closely resemble a wakizashi-sized sword with a blunt iron blade, or it could be a cast-iron version...
his clan, a group that is famous for producing samurai swords, katana, wakizashi and, occasionally, spears in the style of the Mino School - Tōkaidō. The...
weapons, c. 1802–1814 Antique Japanese tachi Antique Japanese wakizashi Antique Japanese wakizashi Reenactors with Tanegashima at Himeji Castle Festival Japanese...
katana and shorter swords in pairs. These short swords were wakizashi and tantō, and wakizashi were mainly selected. This set of two is called a daishō....
12 October 1960. Yamaguchi rushed the stage and stabbed Asanuma with a wakizashi-like short sword while Asanuma was participating in a televised election...
(1603–1867), the hilts of naginata were often cut off and made into katana or wakizashi (short sword). This practice of cutting off the hilt of an ōdachi, tachi...
Global Information