# What was the function of a samurai wakizashi (short sword)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 29, 2005, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-function-of-a-samurai-wakizashi-short-sword/333257 "2005-11-29T20:17:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-function-of-a-samurai-wakizashi-short-sword/333257/41 "2005-11-30T19:57:02Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > I studied iajitsu for a time and I’m not sure I agree. Iajitsu is the art of drawing, cutting and returning the blade in a fluid motion (or a series of fluid motions depending on what specific kata we are talking about). Obviously if you got the drop on the rapier wieldier (i.e. if you drew, cut and returned while he was sitting there drinking his sake…er, mead I guess) you’d win. But in an actual duel with his blade(s) out I don’t see how this would really help…he’d be ready for your attack even if your blade was undrawn. Also, while I’ve seen some blazingly fast sensei who could draw and cut in probably less than a second, I’ve seen some folks who re-enact rapier style combat techniques who are even faster. > > If you think it through you’ll see…all the rapier guy has to do is basically lunge forward (i.e. stick the pointy end into the target 😉 ), while the iajitsu master needs to draw and cut. I have a mental picture of both and I’d say the pointy end would be in the chest of the iajitsu master around the time the katana is sweeping up for the cut. Bad news for the katana wielder. So, what you’re saying, is that you agree with me, then? 'Cause that’s just a more detailed version of what I said, right? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-function-of-a-samurai-wakizashi-short-sword/333257/42 "2005-11-30T20:09:49Z")
> [@Cerowyn](#): > > So, what you’re saying, is that you agree with me, then? 'Cause that’s just a more detailed version of what I said, right? lol, I guess it is. Well, we are in agreement then. 🙂 -XT ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-function-of-a-samurai-wakizashi-short-sword/333257/43 "2005-11-30T20:27:49Z")
The one and only memorable line from the 1997 Chris Farley film _Beverly Hills Ninja_ ([http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118708/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118708/)): SENSEI TO HARU: You are being led around by your short sword! ---
**Author:** ![MrJackboots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MrJackboots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrJackboots)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-function-of-a-samurai-wakizashi-short-sword/333257/44 "2005-11-30T21:40:22Z")
John Clements (who leads the Association on Renaissance Martial Arts) wrote [url=“[http://www.thearma.org/essays/katanavs.htm](http://www.thearma.org/essays/katanavs.htm)”]a rather interesting article[/a] on the samurai-vs-fencer debate. It’s really cool. Outside of that, I think the best conclusion that I’ve heard is that the samurai gets a puncture wound, slices the rapier guy almost in half, and dies a short while later - those little stabs are surprisingly vicious. ---
**Author:** ![ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ed)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-function-of-a-samurai-wakizashi-short-sword/333257/45 "2005-12-01T05:33:27Z")
Long since beaten, but the _theory_ is that a katana is going to be useless indoors due to space, and so the wakizashi becomes your main means of defense when not outside. Since samurai were really an elite class, and spent a lot of time indoors (as opposed to outside farming all day), this is plausible. However, the reality probably has more to do with the fact that it was a status symbol. Any footsoldier might have an old sword laying around, but to carry both swords through your _obi_ was the sign of a samurai, and an indicator that you belong to a privileged class. I believe in later years (prior to being outlawed entirely) it was a punishable offense to carry both if you were not actually a samurai proper, but I’m not entirely sure. Finally, there are valid _nito_ (two-sword) fighting styles. In kendo, it is allowed (although rarely seen) to fight nito style, using a short shinai in addition to a normal one. The famous duelist Musashi was reportedly very good at this (using real swords, not kendo). In his case, the wakizashi would actually be used as a primary weapon along with the katana. However, it’s awkward and I personally doubt many people could have pulled it off. Basically, you have to get to a point where you can strike using one hand as powerfully and accurately as you could with two, which is a tall order… And since people have brought up kendo being better/worse than fencing, I’d just like to point out that the two take completely different approaches to the philosophy of a duel, so it’s kind of a meaningless discussion. For example, in kendo you will probably never have electronic scoring the way fencing does, because there is much more of a focus on the proper dominance of your mind. A good technical hit may not score you a point if your _zanshin_ isn’t convincing. As they say, “win, then attack.” Of course, I don’t mean this as a slam against fencing in the least. I know some Japanese TV shows have done these face-offs in the past, and from what I’ve seen the fencer usually wins by a fraction of a second. If you rate simply by amount of time it takes to get off the mark and land a killing blow, fencing is probably going to win 9 times out of 10 because kendo strikes are cuts (with one exception). If kendo allowed more thrusts it might be more even, but then it wouldn’t be Kendo. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-function-of-a-samurai-wakizashi-short-sword/333257.md?page=2)