Katana, wakizashi, tanto, tachi, nodachi. The names describe one family of blades separated mostly by length — and length, in Japan, was never just a practical matter. It was regulated, and it signalled who you were.
The measurement that defines everything
Japanese blades are classified by nagasa, the cutting edge measured from tip to the notch at the base, in a traditional unit called the shaku (about 30.3 cm).
- Over 2 shaku (roughly 60 cm and up) — katana
- 1 to 2 shaku (roughly 30–60 cm) — wakizashi
- Under 1 shaku (under roughly 30 cm) — tanto
The boundaries are the definition, not a guideline. A blade of 59 cm is a wakizashi and a blade of 61 cm is a katana, whatever else they have in common.
Katana
The primary sword, worn edge upward through the belt so that drawing and cutting are a single motion. That detail is the whole reason for the mounting style: a tachi, its predecessor, hung edge-down from cords, and drawing it took an extra beat.
A typical katana runs 100–105 cm overall with the scabbard and weighs 1.1–1.4 kg. It is lighter than most people expect. Two-handed grip, gentle curve, single edge.
See our katana collection.
Wakizashi
The companion sword. Together with the katana it formed the daisho — literally "big-little" — the paired set that only the samurai class was permitted to wear. That pairing is the origin of the wakizashi's real significance: it was the visible mark of rank.
Practically, it was the indoor sword. Etiquette required leaving the katana at the entrance when visiting a house; the wakizashi stayed on the belt. Its shorter length also made it the better weapon in a corridor or a room, where a full katana cannot be swung.
See our wakizashi collection.
Tanto
A dagger, and the oldest form of the three — tanto predate the curved katana. Designed for thrusting and close work, and often the most finely decorated blade a person owned, because it was the one carried every day.
Tanto were not restricted to the samurai class in the way the daisho was, and a kaiken, a small tanto, was commonly carried by women of samurai families.
See our tanto collection.
The ones people forget
Tachi
The katana's older sibling, and the sword of the mounted warrior. Longer and more deeply curved, worn slung edge-down from the belt. When warfare moved from horseback to foot in the Muromachi period, the tachi gave way to the katana. Many surviving tachi were later shortened into katana — a practice called suriage.
See our tachi collection.
Nodachi and odachi
Oversized field swords, some well over 150 cm, carried across the back or by an attendant. Impressive, impractical, and largely ceremonial after the 16th century.
Ninjato
The straight-bladed, square-guarded sword associated with ninja. Worth being straightforward about: there is little historical evidence that ninja carried a distinct sword type, and the ninjato as we know it is largely a 20th-century creation from film and fiction. That is not a reason to avoid one — it is a recognisable, striking design — but it is not a historical Japanese sword class.
See our ninjato collection.
Which one should you buy?
A katana if you want the iconic piece, the one people recognise, and you have the wall or stand space — it needs about 110 cm of clear run.
A wakizashi if space is tight, or as the second piece that turns a single sword into a daisho set. It is also the easier sword to handle indoors if you intend to do anything with it beyond displaying it.
A tanto as a first blade, a desk piece, or a gift. It is the lowest-commitment way into the category and often carries the most detailed fittings for the money.
Whichever you choose, put it on a proper stand — see our katana stands — and read how to care for a katana before it arrives.