Daishō names the paired long sword and short sword worn by samurai.
The word daishō combines dai, meaning “large,” and shō, meaning “small.” In practice, it referred to a katana or similar long sword worn together with a wakizashi or another shorter sword. The matching pair was especially associated with the samurai class during the Edo period, when status regulations governed who could wear two swords.
The daishō was not simply a combat set. Its fittings could display family identity, wealth, craftsmanship, and social rank. A samurai might use the long sword in open fighting and the shorter sword in confined spaces, though actual use varied by situation. The term nihontō is broader: it means a Japanese sword, not specifically the paired set. A shinai is a modern bamboo practice sword.