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A kaiken (懐剣) is a 20–25 cm (7.9–9.8 in) long, single or (very rarely) double-edged Japanese knife^[1] usually without ornamental fittings housed in a plain but lacquered mount.

Uses

The kaiken was once carried by men and women of the samurai class in Japan. It was useful for self-defense in indoor spaces where the long-bladed katana and intermediate-length wakizashi were inconvenient. Women carried them in their kimono either in a pocket-like space (futokoro) or in the sleeve pouch (tamoto)^[2] for self-defense and for ritual suicide by slashing the veins in the left side of the neck.^[3]^[4] When a samurai woman married, she was expected to carry a kaiken with her when she moved in with her husband.^[5] The kaiken was also carried concealed in its shirasaya by the lower classes who were not permitted to wear swords, in particular by criminals in the Edo period.

In modern Japan, a kaiken is worn as a traditional accessory for the gyōji (referee) in sumo matches for the highest ranks. However, a real blade is not used. No one legally wears or carries a kaiken today in Japan, as this is a violation of the Gun and Sword Law.^{[clarification needed]} They can be legally transported, however, provided they are carried together with their registration certificate.

Orthography

Due to pronunciation changes over time, the blade's name has shifted from kwaiken to kaiken.^[6] The kaiken is also referred to as a futokoro-gatana^{[citation needed]} or a mamori-gatana (守り刀, 'protection sword/blade').

References

^ Stone, George Cameron (1999). Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times. Dover Publications. pp. 405–. ISBN 978-0-486-40726-5.
^ Sinclaire, Clive (1 November 2004). Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior. Globe Pequot Press. pp. 88–. ISBN 978-1-59228-720-8.
^ Tarassuk, Leonis; Blair, Claude (1982). The Complete encyclopedia of arms & weapons: the most comprehensive reference work ever published on arms and armour from prehistoric times to the present. Simon & Schuster. p. 306.
^ Arai, Hakuseki; Joly, Henri L.; Inada, Hogitarō (1913). The Sword Book in "Honchō Gunkikō". C. E. Tuttle. p. 42.
^ Mol, Serge (2003). Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts. Kodansha International. pp. 27–. ISBN 978-4-7700-2941-6.
^ Cannon, Garland Hampton; Warren, Nicholas W. (1996). The Japanese Contributions to the English Language: An Historical Dictionary. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. pp. 65–. ISBN 978-3-447-03764-8.

External links

Minoru, Nishio (1985) [1979]. Nishio Minoru; Iwabuchi Etsutarō; Mizutani Shizuo (eds.). Iwanami kokugo jiten (in Japanese) (3rd ed.). Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten. p. 155. ISBN 4-00-080003-5.
Nihonto message board forum
Richard Stein's Japanese sword guide
Japan Arts Council e-book Mamori-gatana pp. 179–180

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[Stone1999-1] Stone, George Cameron (1999). Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times. Dover Publications. pp. 405–. ISBN 978-0-486-40726-5.

[Sinclaire2004-2] Sinclaire, Clive (1 November 2004). Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior. Globe Pequot Press. pp. 88–. ISBN 978-1-59228-720-8.

[TarassukBlairClaude1982-3] Tarassuk, Leonis; Blair, Claude (1982). The Complete encyclopedia of arms & weapons: the most comprehensive reference work ever published on arms and armour from prehistoric times to the present. Simon & Schuster. p. 306.

[AraiJoly1913-4] Arai, Hakuseki; Joly, Henri L.; Inada, Hogitarō (1913). The Sword Book in "Honchō Gunkikō". C. E. Tuttle. p. 42.

[Mol2003-5] Mol, Serge (2003). Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts. Kodansha International. pp. 27–. ISBN 978-4-7700-2941-6.

[CannonWarren1996-6] Cannon, Garland Hampton; Warren, Nicholas W. (1996). The Japanese Contributions to the English Language: An Historical Dictionary. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. pp. 65–. ISBN 978-3-447-03764-8.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Japanese words and phrases]]}}
+{{Short description|Japanese knife}}
+{{Italic title}}
-[[File:Kaiken or kwaiken tanto.jpg|thumb|right|Japanese kaiken/kwaiken style tanto.]]
+[[File:Kaiken or kwaiken tanto.jpg|thumb|right|Japanese {{transliteration|ja|kaiken}}-style {{transliteration|ja|[[tantō]]}}]]
-A {{Nihongo|'''''kaiken'''''|[[Wiktionary:懐剣|懐剣]]}} is a {{convert|20|-|25|cm|abbr=on|0}} long, single or double-edged [[dagger]]<ref name="Stone1999">{{cite book|first=George Cameron |last=Stone|title=Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=J5PgapzD6FoC|page=405}}|year=1999|publisher=Dover Publications|isbn=978-0-486-40726-5|pages=405–}}</ref> without ornamental fittings housed in a plain mount.
+A {{Nihongo||[[Wiktionary:懐剣|懐剣]]|'''kaiken'''}} is a {{cvt|20|–|25|cm|adj=on}} long, single or (very rarely) double-edged Japanese [[knife]]<ref name="Stone1999">{{cite book|first=George Cameron |last=Stone|title=Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=J5PgapzD6FoC|page=405}}|year=1999|publisher=Dover Publications|isbn=978-0-486-40726-5|pages=405–}}</ref> usually without ornamental fittings housed in a plain but lacquered mount.
 == Uses ==
-It was once carried by men and women of the [[samurai]] class in [[Japan]]. It was useful for self-defense in indoor spaces where the long blade ''[[katana]]'' and intermediate sword ''[[wakizashi]]'' were inconvenient. Women carried them in their [[kimono]] either in a pocket-like space (futokoro) or in the sleeve pouch (tamoto)<ref name="Sinclaire2004">{{cite book|first=Clive |last=Sinclaire|title=Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=IQ3FAZG94ZsC|page=88}}|date=1 November 2004|publisher=Globe Pequot Press|isbn=978-1-59228-720-8|pages=88–}}</ref> for self-defense and for [[Seppuku#Female ritual suicide|ritual suicide]] by slashing the veins in the left side of the neck.<ref name="TarassukBlairClaude1982">{{cite book|first1=Leonis |last1=Tarassuk|last2=Blair |first2=Claude|title=The Complete encyclopedia of arms & weapons: the most comprehensive reference work ever published on arms and armour from prehistoric times to the present|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=GEGUZwEACAAJ |page=306}}|year=1982|publisher=Simon & Schuster |page=306}}</ref><ref name="AraiJoly1913">{{cite book|first1=Hakuseki |last1=Arai|first2=Henri L. |last2=Joly|first3=Hogitarō |last3=Inada|title=The Sword Book in "Honchō Gunkikō"|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=2jQYnQEACAAJ |page=42}}|year=1913|publisher=C. E. Tuttle |page=42}}</ref> When a samurai woman married, she was expected to carry a kaiken with her when she moved in with her husband.<ref name="Mol2003">{{cite book|first=Serge |last=Mol|title=Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=ZzIXkFec0e8C|page=27}}|year=2003|publisher=Kodansha International|isbn=978-4-7700-2941-6|pages=27–}}</ref>
+The {{transliteration|ja|kaiken}} was once carried by men and women of the [[samurai]] class in [[Japan]]. It was useful for self-defense in indoor spaces where the long-bladed [[katana]] and intermediate-length {{transliteration|ja|[[wakizashi]]}} were inconvenient. Women carried them in their [[kimono]] either in a pocket-like space ({{transliteration|ja|futokoro}}) or in the sleeve pouch ({{transliteration|ja|tamoto}})<ref name="Sinclaire2004">{{cite book|first=Clive |last=Sinclaire|title=Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=IQ3FAZG94ZsC|page=88}}|date=1 November 2004|publisher=Globe Pequot Press|isbn=978-1-59228-720-8|pages=88–}}</ref> for self-defense and for [[Seppuku#Female ritual suicide|ritual suicide]] by slashing the veins in the left side of the neck.<ref name="TarassukBlairClaude1982">{{cite book|first1=Leonis |last1=Tarassuk|last2=Blair |first2=Claude|title=The Complete encyclopedia of arms & weapons: the most comprehensive reference work ever published on arms and armour from prehistoric times to the present|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=GEGUZwEACAAJ |page=306}}|year=1982|publisher=Simon & Schuster |page=306}}</ref><ref name="AraiJoly1913">{{cite book|first1=Hakuseki |last1=Arai|first2=Henri L. |last2=Joly|first3=Hogitarō |last3=Inada|title=The Sword Book in "Honchō Gunkikō"|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=2jQYnQEACAAJ |page=42}}|year=1913|publisher=C. E. Tuttle |page=42}}</ref> When a samurai woman married, she was expected to carry a {{transliteration|ja|kaiken}} with her when she moved in with her husband.<ref name="Mol2003">{{cite book|first=Serge |last=Mol|title=Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=ZzIXkFec0e8C|page=27}}|year=2003|publisher=Kodansha International|isbn=978-4-7700-2941-6|pages=27–}}</ref>
+The {{transliteration|ja|kaiken}} was also carried concealed in its {{transliteration|ja|shirasaya}} by the lower classes who were not permitted to wear swords, in particular by criminals in the Edo period.
+In modern Japan, a {{transliteration|ja|kaiken}} is worn as a traditional accessory for the {{transliteration|ja|gyōji}} (referee) in [[sumo]] matches for the highest ranks. However, a real blade is not used. No one legally wears or carries a {{transliteration|ja|kaiken}} today in Japan, as this is a violation of the Gun and Sword Law.{{clarify|reason=Which Gun and Sword Law? When was it passed?|date=March 2023}} They can be legally transported, however, provided they are carried together with their registration certificate.
-In modern Japan, a kaiken is worn as a traditional accessory for formal [[Kimono#Accessories and related garments|kimono]], such as a [[Furisode|furisode]], [[Uchikake|uchikake]] and a [[Shiromuku|shiromuku]], tucked into their [[Obi (sash)|obi]].
 == Orthography ==
-Due to pronunciation changes over time, the ''kwaiken'' is now called a ''kaiken'';<ref name="CannonWarren1996">{{cite book|first1=Garland Hampton |last1=Cannon|first2=Nicholas W. |last2=Warren|title=The Japanese Contributions to the English Language: An Historical Dictionary|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=GiCTPPnBuHEC|page=65}}|year=1996|publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag|isbn=978-3-447-03764-8|pages=65–}}</ref> this is also referred to as a ''futokoro-gatana''.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}
+Due to pronunciation changes over time, the blade's name has shifted from {{transliteration|ja|kwaiken}} to {{transliteration|ja|kaiken}}.<ref name="CannonWarren1996">{{cite book|first1=Garland Hampton |last1=Cannon|first2=Nicholas W. |last2=Warren|title=The Japanese Contributions to the English Language: An Historical Dictionary|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=GiCTPPnBuHEC|page=65}}|year=1996|publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag|isbn=978-3-447-03764-8|pages=65–}}</ref> The {{transliteration|ja|kaiken}} is also referred to as a {{transliteration|ja|futokoro-gatana}}{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} or a {{nihongo3|{{gloss|protection sword/blade}}|守り刀|mamori-gatana}}.
 ==See also==
 * [[Japanese sword]]
-* [[Tantō]]
+* {{transliteration|ja|[[Tantō]]}}
 ==References==
@@ Line 33: / Line 35: @@
 [[Category:Japanese knives]]
-{{weapon-stub}}
+{{Knife-stub}}
+{{Japan-hist-stub}}

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