Tantō
A tantō (短刀, lit. 'short blade') is a Japanese sword or dagger with a blade shorter than 30 centimeters in length.[1][2][3] It was utilized as an auxiliary weapon by the samurai alongside their katana, as well as by women and tradespeople for personal defense during the Sengoku period.[4] Ninja such as the Assassin Fujibayashi Naoe also used it prolifically in their operations.
Description[edit | edit source]
The term tantō literally translates to 'short blade', and the weapon is essentially a Japanese-style dagger. Since the enactment of the Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law in 1958[5] by the Japanese government, the tantō has been legally defined as any sword with a blade shorter than 30 centimeters, but historically many short swords exceeding this length were still classified as tantō. More precisely, the most typical tantō has a blade ranging from 24 to 25 cm in length, and these are specifically called jōsun-no-tantō (定寸の短刀, lit. 'standard-length short blades').[3]
Although tantō are sometimes described with a style of moderate curvature called uchizori (内反り, lit. 'inward-curving'), where the rear surface tapers toward the tip, they have always been forged with a straight back, or muzori (無反り, lit. 'no curvature'). Because the line between the flat side of the blade and the rear surface is weaker near the point, years of polishing and use will wear down at this spot faster, eventually giving the appearance of an uchizori blade.[3]
History[edit | edit source]
The history of the tantō goes as far back as the 3rd century BCE. Among its antecedents are ancient tōsu (刀子) and the Kamakura era sasuga (刺剣). Positive appraisal of the sasuga as a side-arm for spearmen in the chaos of battle led to the widespread adoption of the shorter tantō. It subsequently became a regular auxiliary weapon for warriors throughout the Sengoku period.[2] Iga shinobi were trained to utilize it to pierce through weak points in enemy armor,[6] and the Iga Assassin Fujibayashi Naoe wielded both a tantō[7] and a Pivot Blade in the design of a tantō.[7][8] Its popularity did not ebb even in the peaceful Edo period because nobles and women alike found it useful as a concealable self-defense weapon.[2]
Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]
The tantō is featured in the 2025 video game Assassin's Creed: Shadows as one of the weapons wielded by player character Fujibayashi Naoe.[7][8] Her Hidden Blade is also forged in the style of a tanto, and can pivot to be held in an icepick grip.
Naoe uses both weapons in tandem to deliver quick attacks and slashes on her enemies. She can attack while leaping towards or away from her opponent, granting her more mobility in combat. Naoe can also throw her tanto at an enemy, allowing her to close the gap and follow up with an attack from her Hidden Blade. Naoe can also perform double assassinations using both weapons.
In terms of overall damage per second, the tanto/Hidden Blade combination delivers one of the highest values in-game. However, it also has the shortest range of all available weapons.
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Blade of Aizu (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed: Shadows
- Assassin's Creed: Shadows – Tales of Iga
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Yumoto, J. M. (2013). Samurai Sword: A Handbook. Rutland, VT: Tuttle Publishing.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ichikawa Sadaharu [市川定春]. (2023). "Daggers" [匕首]. In Dictionary of the Weapon [武器事典] (3rd ed.), translated by Lin Tsit-i [林哲逸] and Kao Yin-liang [高胤喨]. Taipei, Taiwan: Cite Publishing Ltd., pp. 79–111.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Kapp, Leon; Kapp, Hiroko; and Yoshihara Yoshindo. (2012). "Rekishi: A Brief History of the Japanese Sword". In The Art of the Japanese Sword: The Craft of Swordmaking and its Appreciation. Tokyo, Japan: Tuttle Publishing, pp. 69–104.
- ↑ Deal, W. E. (2006). Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
- ↑
Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law on Wikipedia
- ↑ Turnbull, Stephen. (2019). "Ninja Weapons and How to Use Them". In Ninja: The (Unofficial) Secret Manual. London, UK: Thames & Hudson Ltd, pp. 112–131.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2
Assassin's Creed Shadows: Character Reference Guide on Ubisoft's official website (backup link)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1
Assassin's Creed Shadows Explained – Samurai, Shinobi, and Feudal Japan on the Ubisoft YouTube channel
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