What was the wakizashi sword used for?

What was the wakizashi sword used for?

The wakizashi was used as a backup or auxiliary sword; it was also used for close quarters fighting, to behead a defeated opponent and sometimes to commit seppuku. The wakizashi was one of several short swords available for use by samurai including the yoroi tōshi, and the chisa-katana.

Did samurai fight with wakizashi?

9. Samurai’s also carried a smaller wakizashi sword. 10. The samurai often used his wakizashi in close quarter combat situations and even during ceremonial, ritual suicide if the warrior had broken one of the 7 virtues of bushido.

What type of sword is a wakizashi?

A wakizashi is a short sword with a blade between 30 and 60 cm long, usually worn in tandem with a full-length sword (katana). Wakizashi were fashionable in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and later.

Is a katana bigger than a wakizashi?

The Katana is Longer While there are always exceptions, most wakizashi featured a blade length of 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 cm), whereas the katana featured an average blade length of 23 5⁄8– 28 3⁄4 in (60 to 73 cm). With a longer blade, the katana was unmatched in terms of strength of performance.

Who uses wakizashi?

samurai class
The wakizashi (Kanji: 脇差 Hiragana: わきざし?) meaning “side inserted sword”) is one of the traditionally made Japanese swords (nihonto) worn by the samurai class in feudal Japan.

How is a wakizashi worn?

Place the Wakizashi against the left hip, underneath all three layers of the obi. The blade edge of the Wakizashi should be facing upward within its sheath.

What was the samurai’s main weapon?

The bow was actually the primary weapon of the samurai up to the fourteenth century, meant to be drawn from horseback by elite mounted samurai units, who would lift it above their heads and lower it while drawing. Samurai would often train with the bow through competitions and difficult challanges.

How thick is a wakizashi blade?

wakizashi (Blade length 60.0cm)