Complete Japanese Wakizashi With Blacksmith’s Signature (4 Cut Pieces), 24 inches – 1772 to 1781 – Edo Japan Get Authentic

• Date: 1772 – 1781
• Size: 24 inches (when the pieces are placed end to end)
• Notes: This blade has been signed by the maker, and reads: 日本鍛冶宗匠伊賀守藤原金道 (Kinmichi of the Mishina School in Yamashiro province)

Swordmaking has been an important part of Japan’s military tradition for over 3,000 years, with the sword filling both a practical and spiritual role in bushido, a samurai’s moral code. As defenders of the ruling class, samurai held a similar role to knights in the Western world. They were an essential part of defending against foreign invaders and were also used in wars between different feudal lords within Japan itself. Swords were central to this, and the samurai would traditionally carry two at a time: the katana, a longsword, and the wakizashi, a shortsword.