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A ''The samurai sword: a handbook'', John M. Yumoto, Tuttle Publishing, 1989 P.47
/ref> is one of the traditionally made
Japanese sword A is one of several types of traditionally made swords from Japan. Bronze swords were made as early as the Yayoi period (1000 BC – 300 AD), though most people generally refer to the curved blades made from the Heian period (794 – 1185) to ...
s ( ''nihonto'') that were worn by the
samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...
class of feudal Japan. The tantō dates to the
Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
, when it was mainly used as a weapon but evolved in design over the years to become more ornate. Tantō were used in traditional martial arts (
tantojutsu Tantōjutsu (短刀術) is a Japanese term for a variety of traditional Japanese knife fighting systems that used the tantō (短刀), a knife or dagger. Historically, many women used a version of the tantō, called the kaiken, for self-defense, ...
). The term has seen a resurgence in the West since the 1980s as a point style of modern tactical knives, designed for piercing or stabbing.


Description

The ''tantō'' is a single or double edged dagger with a length between 15 and 30 cm (1 Japanese
shaku Shaku may refer to: * Shaku (unit) * Shaku (ritual baton) * Buddhist surname In East Asian Buddhism, monks and nuns usually adopt a Buddhist surname and a Dharma name, which are combined in the surname-first East-Asian naming order. Since the 4th c ...
). The tantō was designed primarily as a
stabbing A stabbing is penetration or rough contact with a sharp or pointed object at close range. ''Stab'' connotes purposeful action, as by an assassin or murderer, but it is also possible to accidentally stab oneself or others. Stabbing differs from ...
weapon A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, s ...
, but the edge can be used for slashing as well. Tantō are generally
forged Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized compressive forces. The blows are delivered with a hammer (often a power hammer) or a die. Forging is often classified according to the temperature at which it ...
in ''hira-zukuri'' (平造) style (without ridgeline), meaning that their sides have no ridge line and are nearly flat, unlike the ''shinogi-zukuri'' (鎬造) structure of a ''
katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
''. Some tantō have particularly thick cross-sections for armor-piercing duty, and are called '' yoroi toshi''. Tantō were mostly carried by
samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...
; commoners did not generally wear them. Women sometimes carried a small tantō called a ''
kaiken A is a long, single (or rare double-edged) knife without ornamental fittings housed in a plain mount. Uses It was once carried by men and women of the samurai class in Japan. It was useful for self-defense in indoor spaces where the long bla ...
'' in their ''
obi #REDIRECT Obi {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous title ...
'' primarily for
self-defense Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in ...
. Tantō were sometimes worn as the ''shōtō'' (小刀) in place of a ''
wakizashi The is one of the traditionally made Japanese swords (''nihontō'') worn by the samurai in feudal Japan. History and use The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods:
'' in a ''
daishō The —literally "big-little"—is a Japanese term for a matched pair of traditionally made Japanese swords (''nihonto'') worn by the samurai class in feudal Japan. Description The etymology of the word ''daishō'' becomes apparent when the t ...
'',''The Japanese Sword'', Kanzan Satō, Kodansha International, 1983 P.68
/ref> especially on the battlefield. Before the advent of the ''wakizashi/tantō'' combination, it was common for a samurai to carry a ''
tachi A is a type of traditionally made Japanese sword (''nihonto'') worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. ''Tachi'' and ''katana'' generally differ in length, degree of curvature, and how they were worn when sheathed, the latter depending on t ...
'' and a tantō as opposed to a ''katana'' and a ''wakizashi''. It has been noted that the
tachi A is a type of traditionally made Japanese sword (''nihonto'') worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. ''Tachi'' and ''katana'' generally differ in length, degree of curvature, and how they were worn when sheathed, the latter depending on t ...
would be paired with a ''tantō'' and later the ''katana'' would be paired with another shorter ''katana''. With the advent of the ''katana'', the wakizashi eventually was chosen by samurai as the short sword over the tantō. Kanzan Satō in his book ''The Japanese Sword'' notes that there did not seem to be any particular need for the ''wakizashi'' and suggests that the ''wakizashi'' may have become more popular than the ''tantō'' due to the ''wakizashi'' being more suited for indoor fighting. He mentions the custom of leaving the ''katana'' at the door of a castle or palace when entering while continuing to wear the ''wakizashi'' inside.


History of tantō in Japan

The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods: * Jōkotō (ancient swords, until around 900 A.D.) * Kotō (old swords from around 900–1596) * Shintō (new swords 1596–1780) * Shinshintō (new new swords 1781–1876) * Gendaitō (modern swords 1876–1945) * Shinsakutō (newly made swords 1953–present)


Heian to Muromachi

The tantō was invented partway through the
Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
. With the beginning of the
Kamakura period The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle bet ...
, tantō were forged to be more aesthetically pleasing, and ''hira'' and ''uchi-sori'' tantō becoming the most popular styles. Near the middle of the Kamakura period, more tantō artisans were seen, increasing the abundance of the weapon, and the ''kanmuri-otoshi'' style became prevalent in the cities of
Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
and Yamato. Because of the style introduced by the ''tachi'' in the late Kamakura period, tantō began to be forged longer and wider. The introduction of the Hachiman faith became visible in the carvings in the hilts around this time. The ''hamon'' (line of temper) is similar to that of the ''tachi'', except for the absence of ''choji-midare'', which is ''nioi'' and ''utsuri''. ''Gunomi-midare'' and ''suguha'' are found to have taken its place. During the era of the Northern and Southern Courts, the tantō were forged to be up to forty centimeters as opposed to the normal one ''
shaku Shaku may refer to: * Shaku (unit) * Shaku (ritual baton) * Buddhist surname In East Asian Buddhism, monks and nuns usually adopt a Buddhist surname and a Dharma name, which are combined in the surname-first East-Asian naming order. Since the 4th c ...
'' (about thirty centimeters) length. The blades became thinner between the ''ura'' and the ''omote'', and wider between the ''ha'' and ''mune''. At this point in time, two styles of ''hamon'' were prevalent: the older style, which was subtle and artistic, and the newer, more popular style. With the beginning of the
Muromachi period The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate (''Muromachi bakufu'' or ''Ashikaga bakufu''), which was officially established in 1338 by t ...
, constant fighting caused the mass production of blades, meaning that with higher demand, lower-quality blades were manufactured. Blades that were custom-forged still were of exceptional quality, but the average blade suffered greatly. As the end of the period neared, the average blade narrowed and the curvature shallowed. ''Katana'' originates from ''sasuga'' (刺刀), a kind of ''tantō'' used by lower-ranking samurai who fought on foot in the Kamakura period. Their main weapon was a long ''
naginata The ''naginata'' (, ) is a pole weapon and one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades (''nihontō''). ''Naginata'' were originally used by the samurai class of feudal Japan, as well as by ashigaru (foot soldiers) and sōhei ( ...
'' and ''sasuga'' was a spare weapon. In the
Nanboku-chō period The Nanboku-chō period (南北朝時代, ''Nanboku-chō jidai'', "North and South court period", also known as the Northern and Southern Courts period), spanning from 1336 to 1392, was a period that occurred during the formative years of the Mur ...
which corresponds to the early
Muromachi period The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate (''Muromachi bakufu'' or ''Ashikaga bakufu''), which was officially established in 1338 by t ...
, long weapons such as ''
ōdachi The (large/great sword) or ''nodachi'' (野太刀, field sword) is a type of traditionally made Japanese sword (日本刀, nihontō) used by the samurai class of feudal Japan. The Chinese equivalent of this type of sword in terms of weight a ...
'' were popular, and along with this, ''sasuga'' lengthened and finally became ''katana''.''歴史人'' September 2020. p40.


Momoyama to the early Edo period

Approximately two hundred and fifty years of peace accompanied the unification of Japan, in which there was little need for blades. In this period, both the ''katana'' and ''wakizashi'' were invented, taking the place of the tantō and ''tachi'' as the most-used pair of weapons, and the number of tantō forged was severely decreased.Satō (1983) p. 68 Since this period, ''tantō'' have often been carved with splendid decorations. Of the ''tantō'' and ''wakizashi'' forged during this period, three masterpieces are called the ''Nihon santō'' (Three Blades in Japan).


Late Edo period

There were still a few tantō being forged during this period, and the ones that were forged reflected the work of the Kamakura, Nambokucho, or Muromachi eras. Suishinshi Masahide was a main contributor towards the forging of tantō during this age. There are now only prehistoric tantō being used in combat.


Meiji to present

Many tantō were forged before
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, due to the restoration of the Emperor to power. Members of the Imperial Court began wearing the set of ''tachi'' and tantō once more, and the number of tantō in existence increased dramatically. After World War II, a restriction on sword forging caused tantō manufacture to fall very low. American and European interest in Japanese martial arts since the war created a demand for the tantō outside Japan from the 1960s through the present time.


Types of tantō


Blade types

*''Hira'' (平): A very common tantō form with no ''shinogi'', the edge bevels reaching all the way from the edge (''ha'') to the back (''mune'') with no separate flats in between, creating an almost triangular cross-section (the back is ridged, as on most other blade forms, so the cross-section is actually an extremely asymmetrical diamond shape; on ''shinogi zukuri'' blades it is hexagonal). It is extremely common due to the simplicity of its design. *''Shinogi'' (鎬): This is the most common type of blade geometry for long swords, but tantō made in this form are very rare, usually created from cut-down blades when a longer sword has been broken. ''Shinogi'' means the central ridge that runs along the length of the blade between the edge bevels and the body of the blade. *''Osoraku'': ''Osoraku zukuri'' features an extremely long ''o-kissaki'' type point, over half the blade's length. *''Shōbu'' (菖蒲): A common blade type that is very similar to the ''shinogi zukuri'', except that it lacks a ''yokote'', the distinct angle between the long cutting edge and the point section, and instead the edge curves smoothly and uninterrupted into the point. *''Unokubi'' (鵜首): An uncommon tantō style akin to the ''kanmuri-otoshi'', with a back that grows abruptly thinner around the middle of the blade, but in the ''unokubi zukuri'' it regains its thickness just before the point. There is normally a short, wide groove extending to the midway point on the blade. *''Kanmuri-otoshi'': These tantō were shaped in hira or shobu style but from about half way to the tip the back edge was sharpened though this second edge was not particularly sharp. They had a groove running halfway up the blade and were similar to the ''unokubi'' style tantō. *''Kissaki-moroha'' (切先両刃): A rare blade type with a double-edged point. Unlike the later kanmuri-otoshi the tip had a distinct shape unlike any other tanto: the back edge would curve slightly downwards so that the point was lower than the back of the blade whereas other tanto had the point in line with the back of the blade. Often they had a wide groove in the base half. The most well known historical blade of this type is the ''tachi''
Kogarasu Maru The ''Kogarasu Maru'' (小烏丸), or "''Little Crow Circle'', is a unique Japanese tachi sword believed to have been created by legendary Japanese smith Amakuni during the 8th century AD. Blade classification and history ''Kissaki Moroha Zu ...
, "Little Crow", one of the National Treasures of Japan. *''Moroha'' (両刃): A rare, double-edged tantō type that has a diamond-shaped cross-section. The blade tapers to a point and contains a ''shinogi'' that runs to the point. * ''Yoroi tōshi'' or ''yoroi dōshi'' (鎧通し): tantō that have particularly thick cross-sections for armor-piercing duty. *''Katakiriha'' (片切刃): An asymmetric tantō form, sharpened only on one side to create a chisel-shaped cross-section. *''Kubikiri'' (首切り): A very rare type; the sharpened blade is on the inside curve rather than the outside. It has no sharpened point, making it difficult to use in battle and enshrouding the weapon in mystery. ''Kubikiri'' can be roughly translated to "head cutter". According to one myth, they were carried by attendants of samurai for cutting off the heads of fallen enemies. There are other speculations existing about the ''kubikiris possible uses. Perhaps they were used by doctors or carried by high-ranking officials as a badge is worn today. They could also have been used for cutting charcoal or incense, or used as an artistic tool for pruning
bonsai Bonsai ( ja, 盆栽, , tray planting, ) is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees in pots, developed from the traditional Chinese art form of ''penjing''. Unlike ''penjing'', which utilizes traditional techniques to produce ...
trees. *''Hōchōgata'' (包丁形): A tantō form that is commonly described as a short, wide, ''hira''. The ''hōchōgata'' ("kitchen knife-shaped") was one of the blade type that the legendary swordsmith Masamune favored.


Mountings (koshirae)

*''
Aikuchi Japanese sword mountings are the various housings and associated fittings ('' tosogu'') that hold the blade of a Japanese sword when it is being worn or stored. refers to the ornate mountings of a Japanese sword (e.g. ''katana'') used when the ...
'' (合口): The ''aikuchi'' is a ''tantō koshirae'' where the ''fuchi'' is flush with the mouth of the sheath. There is no handguard. ''Aikuchi'' normally have plain wooden hilts, and many forms of ''aikuchi'' have ''kashira'' that are made from animal horns. *''Hamidashi'': The ''hamidashi'' is a ''tantō koshirae'' that features a small handguard.


Other tantō

*'' Kaiken tantō'': The ''kuaiken'' (also ''kwaiken'' or futokoro-''gatana'') is a generally short tantō that is commonly carried in ''aikuchi'' or ''shirasaya'' mounts. It was useful for self-defense indoors where the long ''katana'' and intermediate ''wakizashi'' were inconvenient. Women carried them in the obi for self-defense and rarely for jigai (
ritual suicide A suicide method is any means by which a person chooses to end their life. Suicide attempts do not always result in death, and a nonfatal suicide attempt can leave the person with serious physical injuries, long-term health problems, and brai ...
). A woman received a kaiken as part of her wedding gifts. * ''Fan Tantō'': The fan tantō is a common tantō with a blade entirely concealed within a fan-shaped scabbard. The blade was usually low quality, as this tantō was not designed to be a display piece, but rather a
concealed weapon Concealed carry, or carrying a concealed weapon (CCW), is the practice of carrying a weapon (usually a sidearm such as a handgun), either in proximity to or on one's person or in public places in a manner that hides or conceals the weapon's pre ...
for self-defense. * ''Yari Tantō'': Japanese spearheads were often altered so that it became possible to mount them as tantō. Unlike most blades, ''yari'' tantō had triangular cross-sections. * ''Ken tanto'': This is also not truly a tantō, though it is often used and thought of as one. ''Ken'' were straight, double-edged blades often used for Buddhist rituals, and could be made from spearheads that were broken or cut shorter. They were often given as offerings from sword smiths when they visited a temple. The hilt of the ''ken'' tantō may be found made with a ''vajra'' (double thunderbolt related to Buddhism). *''Modern tantō'': Modern tactical knives have been made by knife makers Bob Lum,
Phill Hartsfield Phill Hartsfield (August 16,1931 – May 20, 2010) was a Southern California sword and knifemaker based in Garden Grove who is noted for popularizing the chisel ground blade in the western world. Hartsfield's designs have influenced other k ...
,
Ernest Emerson Ernest R. Emerson (born March 7, 1955) is an American custom knifemaker, martial artist, and edged-weapons expert. Originally an engineer and machinist in the aerospace industry, Emerson became a knifemaker by producing knives for a martial ar ...
, Allen Elishewitz, Bob Terzuola,
Strider Knives Strider Knives, Inc. is a custom and production knifemaking facility headed by Mick Strider based in San Marcos, California. Materials and design Strider Knives makes folding knives and fixed-blade knives, using metals such as ATS-34, CPM S30V ...
, Harold J. "Kit" Carson,
Benchmade The Benchmade Knife Company is an American knife manufacturer in Oregon City, Oregon. History Benchmade originally started in California in 1979 as Bali-Song, then changed their name to Pacific Cutlery Corporation in the early 1980s. The com ...
, Camillus Cutlery Company,
Spyderco Spyderco is an American cutlery company based in Golden, Colorado, producing knives and knife sharpeners. Spyderco pioneered many features that are now common in folding knives, including the pocket clip, serrations, and the opening hole. Spyder ...
, Severtech, Ka-Bar, SOG Knives, Columbia River Knife & Tool, and Cold Steel. These "American Tantō" designs which are often folding knives, feature a thick spine on the blade that goes from the tang to the tip for increased tip strength. The handle shape may be altered slightly to provide better ergonomics.


Use in martial arts

Tantō with blunt wooden or blunt plastic blades are used to practice martial arts. Versions with a blunt metal blade are used in more advanced training and in demonstrations.
Martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
that employ the tantō include: *
Aikido Aikido ( , , , ) is a modern Japanese martial art that is split into many different styles, including Iwama Ryu, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Renshinkai, Aikikai and Ki Aikido. Aikido is now practiced in around 1 ...
* Aikijutsu *
Jujutsu Jujutsu ( ; ja, link=no, 柔術 , ), also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu, is a family of Japanese martial arts and a system of close combat (unarmed or with a minor weapon) that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdu ...
*
Wadō-ryū is one of the four major karate styles and was founded by Hironori Ōtsuka (1892–1982). The style itself places emphasis on not only striking, but ''tai sabaki'', joint locks and throws. It has its origins within Tomari-te karate, but was als ...
(both tanto and katana) * Koryu Bujutsu *
Ninjutsu , sometimes used interchangeably with the modern term , is the martial art strategy and tactics of unconventional warfare, guerrilla warfare and espionage purportedly practised by the ninja. ''Ninjutsu'' was a separate discipline in some tradit ...
*
Shorinji Kempo is a Japanese martial art claimed to be a modified version of Shaolin Kung Fu. The name ''Shōrinji Kempo'' is the Japanese reading of ''Shàolínsì Quánfǎ''. It was established in 1947 by , a Japanese martial artist and former military ...
*
Modern Arnis Modern Arnis is the system of Filipino fighting arts founded by Remy Presas as a self-defense system. His goal was to create an injury-free training method as well as an effective self-defense system in order to preserve the older Arnis systems. ...
(taking place of dagger)


Popular culture

*''
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' is an American media franchise created by the comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Leonardo, Michelangelo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Miche ...
'' features tantō knives used by
April O'Neil April O'Neil is a fictional character from the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' comics. She is the first human ally of the Ninja Turtles. Her main love interest in the series is Casey Jones. April made her first appearance in the Mirage comic ...
,
Leonardo Leonardo is a masculine given name, the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese equivalent of the English, German, and Dutch name, Leonard Leonard or ''Leo'' is a common English masculine given name and a surname. The given name and surname originate ...
, and
Splinter A splinter (also known as a sliver) is a fragment of a larger object, or a foreign body that penetrates or is purposely injected into a body. The foreign body must be lodged inside tissue to be considered a splinter. Splinters may cause initia ...
in the 2012 version, and also by
the Shredder ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
in the 1990 version and Karai in the 2003 version.


Gallery


See also

*
List of daggers The following is a list of notable daggers, either historical or modern. A dagger is a knife with a sharp point designed for fighting. Ancient daggers *Acinaces * Bronze Age dagger *Parazonium *Pugio *Sica European tradition ;High Middle Ages: *K ...
*
Fighting knife A fighting knife has a blade designed to most effectively inflict injury in close-quarters physical confrontations.Burton, Walter E., ''Knives For Fighting Men'', Popular Science, July 1944, Vol. 145 No. 1, p. 150Hunsicker, A., ''Advanced Skills ...
*
Japanese sword A is one of several types of traditionally made swords from Japan. Bronze swords were made as early as the Yayoi period (1000 BC – 300 AD), though most people generally refer to the curved blades made from the Heian period (794 – 1185) to ...
*
Kaiken (dagger) A is a long, single (or rare double-edged) knife without ornamental fittings housed in a plain mount. Uses It was once carried by men and women of the samurai class in Japan. It was useful for self-defense in indoor spaces where the long blad ...
*
Yoroi-dōshi The , "armor piercer"Japan by Pierre Landy; Nagel Publishers p. 68 or "mail piercer", is one of the traditionally made Japanese swords (Commons:Nihonto, ''nihontō'') that were worn by the samurai class as a weapon in feudal Japan. Description T ...


References


External links


Nihonto forum


{{DEFAULTSORT:Tanto Japanese sword types Military knives Japanese knives Samurai swords Blade weapons Samurai weapons and equipment Japanese swords