History of Wakizashi

The wakizashi was created between the 15th and 16th centuries. However, more than properly “created”, one could say that it arose from the needs and limitations of the blacksmiths of the time.

In feudal Japan, steel could only be obtained from the iron sand (satetsu) commonly found in Shimane, which was filtered and processed through complicated processes that required hundreds of people working together.

Steel was an extremely valuable resource. For this reason, not all warriors could afford katanas or other long Japanese swords. The only alternative was the tanto, but this weapon is more of a very long knife than a sword.

Beginnings of the Wakizashi

At first, the Wakizashi was used as a back-up weapon that the samurai carried with him in case he lost his katana during a confrontation. In that case, the samurai would still have a reliable sword with which to defend himself.

In the past, this place was occupied by the tanto. This was the quintessential backup weapon prior to the wakizashi. However, the wakizashi proved to be much more useful. Not surprisingly.

Although at first it didn’t seem that there were too many reasons why a samurai should use a wakizashi, this sword proved to be more useful than was previously thought.

It was only a matter of time before the wakizashi was established as the ultimate backup weapon. Thus relegating the tanto to a secondary role— often ceremonial.

Wakizashi and Seppuku

Wakizashi has gone down in history as the “blade of honor” of the samurai. This short sword accompanied the samurai in life… and also in death.

Seppuku, also called “hara-kiri”, is a traditional suicide ritual in ancient Japan reserved only for the bravest samurai. In it, the warrior uses a wakizashi to pierce his stomach from side to side.

Painful?

No, worse.

It is a terrible agony for the samurai. But this is exactly why it was so important for these warriors.

By facing such a painful death, the samurai demonstrated resolution, courage, and bravery in the face of death. And it was by demonstrating all these qualities that the warrior regained the honor he had otherwise lost.

Characteristics of Wakizashi

The wakizashi is forged in the same way and with the same materials as the katana. It has a high carbon steel blade, Saya, Tsuba, and handle. It is so similar to the katana that they are often confused.

This is where the size of the blade becomes important.

The blade of a wakizashi can measure from 12 inches (30 centimeters) to 24 inches (59 centimeters). If the blade is larger than that, then we are in the presence of a katana.

What usually happens with Japanese swords is that the same type of sword is divided into different subcategories depending on the size. This is how we arrive at the terms “ko wakizashi” and “o wakizashi”.

The first subcategory, the ko wakizashi, is the smaller version of the wakizashi. Sometimes it can even be confused with a tanto. To fit into this category, the sword must be less than 45 centimeters long. This is the type of wakizashi that a chonin would be allowed to carry.

On the other hand, the o wakizashi is the longest version of this sword. It is most commonly confused with a katana. Especially in its longer versions. For a sword to be a wakizashi, its blade must measure between 46 and 59 centimeters.

Note: the measurements may vary slightly depending on who you ask. Categorizing swords is not a science, but it serves to roughly understand the different roles of each blade.

Wakizashi in Combat

Being a smaller and more agile weapon than the katana, the wakizashi was always a dangerous weapon against unarmored opponents. As mentioned before, this type of sword is much more suitable for indoor fighting.

Martial arts like Iaido exploit this advantage.

In the Iaido, the most important thing in combat is who draws first. Its practitioners practice one and a thousand times how to draw quickly while executing a deadly attack against an opponent.

In Iaido, sword fighting is secondary. It’s not a martial art designed for open-air combat, but for tea ceremonies— for those situations where someone said the wrong thing and negotiations go down the drain.

In those cases, a wakizashi is the ideal weapon to have. Not only can it be drawn even faster than the katana, but it will also be easier to attack with it without it getting stuck in the table or some other piece of furniture.