Wakizashi With Wood - Shirasaya, Marto

Treat Yourself to a Wooden Wakizashi - Shirasaya, Marto

Wakizashi shirasaya

The wakizashi, meaning side-sheathed sword, is one of the traditionally made Japanese swords carried by the samurai class in federal Japan.
The wakizashi, worn alongside the katana, was the official symbol of the wielder's status as a samurai, or swordsman, in federalist Japan. When used together, the pair was called daishō, which literally translates as large-small.

The wakizashi was one of several short swords available to samurai, including the tantō.

While katana carrying was restricted to the samurai class, the chonin class, which included merchants, were allowed to use the legal-length wakizashi (ko-wakizashi). This was common when traveling due to the risk of encountering bandits. Wakizashi were worn on the left side, attached to the hip sash.

Shirasaya was a special type of sword mounting to store the blade more gently and more effectively at night or when not in use for long periods of time. The advantage of untreated magnolia wood was its low acid content and the absence of other ingredients that could damage the blade. It was not treated afterward, but absorbed the resulting moisture from the sword and directed it to the outside. The katana remained dry and did not rust. Shirasaya were often provided with an inscription ('sayagaki') containing information about the blade, such as its origin, place and time of forging, and the name of the smith and expert. Since the emperor banned the carrying of blades in the late 19th century, all decoration around the handle and tsuba was reduced, creating the shirasaya costume we know today. The wearer did not attract particular attention due to the katana's similarity to a sword or a wooden staff and had the opportunity to carry it with him.

Details:
- Total length: approx. 64cm
- Blade length: approx. 44 cm
- Width: approx. 8 cm
- Weight: approx. 1.2 kg

High-quality wakizashi from the exclusive collection of oriental weapons from Marto.

Certificate of origin and quality. Made in Toledo, Spain.
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