Heyday and end of Wakizashi?

[Andi B.]

Hello,

 

I have a simple question regarding Wakizashi:

How long were they (normally) produced in history? Also in the time after the 1870s?

 

Thank you & regards!

[IanB]

Andi, Technically what we now regard as a wakizashi is an Edo concept. According to Dr. S. Alexander Takeuchi prior to that, the term was applied to all manner of short bladed weapons carried in the sash that went by names like koshigatana, uchigatana, tanto etc. In 1645 the Tokugawa Shogunate stipulated a maximum length of 1 shaku 8 sun, reducing it further in 1668 and limiting non-military to weapons of that size or less. From Meiji times wakizashi production does seem to be much reduced. I would suggest that was because a considerable proportion were made and carried by chonin, who were that point forbidden from carrying any kind of sword. Such swords as continued to be made were for the army or police and hence were katana.

Ian Bottomley

[Mark Green]

You see very few Wakizashi made from the Shinshinto time on. You likely see a lot more being made today then in the later Shinshinto years.

I feel that most of those made durring later Samurai times were likely made as a pair, for something special. You find very few dating from the 1800's.

There were likely so many million of them around at that time, that the sword makers wanted to use there steel for Katana, and the reasons stated by Ian.

The smiths were no longer mass producing swords for war. Many were being made to order.

And the best of the schools were working to revive to old Koto methods. So you find lots of very long swords, and some nice looking Tanto, but very few Wak.

From the Wakizashi I have seen, the most powerful (that is, wak. I would take into a real fight) are from the mid-1600's-early-1700's. And of course, the best are from Bungo

As pure art sword, I would have to say Nambokucho. But they will cut you fine too :D

You see very few as old as Nambokucho though, unless they were once a Tachi/katana.

You see more through the 1400's and many in the 1500's-early 1700's.

I read somewhere once that many thousands were made for export to China, and beyond, in the 1500's

Mark G