![]() ![]() ![]() Even when sleeping, they kept it under their pillow for easy drawing when necessary.Īlthough it’s not as popular as the Katana, it’s one of the famous Nihonto in history. As mentioned earlier, a Samurai never left their Wakizashi behind. Lastly, the Wakizashi was for self-defense. In the West, people refer to this nihonto as the Honor Blade since the Samurai committed Seppuku to regain their honor.Īlthough the Samurai mostly used the Wakizashi, the Samurai also used other blades like the tanto for these ritual suicides. Since the Katana was their primary weapon, they had to keep it protected as much as possible.Īnother purpose of the Wakizashi is for performing Seppuku or ritual suicide. Swords were at higher risk of getting broken when beheading a person wearing armor. The reason why they used the backup sword for this purpose was to prevent the Katana from acquiring more damage. Instead, they held their victims down to show their victory in the duel. Although it happened occasionally, the Samurai did not normally decapitate their opponents in the heat of a battle. The Samurai also used the Wakizashi for decapitating their defeated opponent. It was useful, especially when their primary sword got lost or severely damaged. It’s a backup weapon that they used when the katana was at a disadvantage. Since the Wakizashi was smaller than the Katana, it was easier to use in enclosed areas. They always wore this sword and never left this behind for various reasons.įirst, they used it for indoor or close-range combat. The Samurai used the wakizashi as an auxiliary sword. ![]() Although it is not used as a weapon in this day and age, it is still utilized for swordsmanship for martial arts such as iaido, kenjutsu, and kendo. It has a significant value in the history and culture of the Japanese. The Wakizashi may not have been as popular as the katana, yet it was still a favored piece. Also, using the katana for this would heighten the risks of damaging its blade. ![]() With a shorter blade, decapitating an enemy single-handedly would be easier. They would capture their immobilized opponent and remove his helmet, then behead him with the wakizashi. When beheading an opponent to take their heads as trophies, victorious samurai warriors preferred using their wakizashi instead of their main sword.ĭuring these instances, the executioner would either be alone or with their comrades. From day to night, the samurai wore the wakizashi even in sleep, he would keep this next to him or place this under his pillow. It was considered as the samurai’s sidearm, just like the pistol of a modern soldier. Unlike the katana, the wakizashi was worn at all times. After, the sword was passed to the right hand then placed at the samurai’s right, making it difficult to draw to lessen the suspicion of others. If the weapon rested on the katana-kake, the katana’s tsuka faced left so the sword had to be removed using the samurai’s left hand. Instead, he would leave this to a page or a servant this would be placed on a katana-kake or a rack. When a samurai entered a castle as a guest, he would not bring his katana with him. Anyone who disobeyed this rule would be punished severely. No commoner was allowed to carry the pair since it was a sign that the wielder was a samurai. This set was called the Daisho which consisted of the katana and the Wakizashi. It was crafted around the same period as the katana, and was used by the Samurai and the Chonin class.ĭuring the feudal period of Japan, the samurai warriors often wore two swords. Similar to the Katana, the Wakizashi is a classic nihonto with a curved blade and single edge. By law, only members of the Samurai caste were allowed to carry both swords as a daisho. It was the backup sword that was paired with the Katana. The wakizashi sword is one of the most important weapons of the samurai warrior. The wakizashi has a long and rich history dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. ![]()
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