Wakizashi Sword   

The Wakizashi, is the weapon complement to the Katana.  If you have a Katana, and you want to get the genuine Japanese feel and correctly depict the warriors full array of weapons, there is no choice – you must have the Wakizashi.  Shorter than the Katana, the Wakizashi was used in close hand-to-hand combat as well as like a shield.  The term Wakizashi, literally means ‘sidearm’ and is somewhere between 12 to 24 inches long.  The Katana and the Wakizashi were generally worn together and as such, the pair of weapons together was referred to as the ‘daisho’. The importance of the Wakizashi was such that although a Katana may be removed, for instance to enter a building, the Wakizashi, remained at the side of the owner; so much so that the weapon accompanied the owner to bed. 

The Wakizashi was used principally by the Samurai.This explains why the Wakizashi was infused with a great degree of artistic expression and creativity during the smithing process. Just as the Katana are beautiful works of art, so are the Wakizashi.  The bright, razor sharp blades, can stand alone or pair with another weapon to create a remarkable display that catches the eye of most if not all people.  Even if left to itself to collect dust (which would be a travesty), and shoved into a corner, these amazing pieces, are captivating in the worst of conditions.  Any true sword collector should own one of these weapons.