The wakizashi was the short sword traditionally worn with a samurai’s katana.
Together, the two swords were called daishō, meaning “big-little.” The katana was the longer sword, while the wakizashi was typically shorter and easier to use indoors or in confined spaces. This paired arrangement became a recognizable symbol of samurai status, especially during the Edo period.
A wakizashi generally had a blade between about 30 and 60 centimeters long, though historical measurements varied. It could serve as a backup weapon, a sidearm, or a blade for ritual suicide. Samurai often kept it with them when regulations or social customs made carrying the longer katana impractical.
The wakizashi is distinct from the tantō, a still shorter dagger-like weapon. A nodachi, by contrast, was an unusually long sword intended for battlefield use.