The Origin of Japanese Tanto

People who take an interest in Japanese culture and traditions are well aware of the ancient weapon: The Japanese Tanto. This weapon resembles the design of a sharp knife, or even a sword, that we often see held by Ninjas and Samurai warriors in movies.

Indeed, the history of this weapon is what makes it an amazing tool. In this article, we will dive into its origin and how it has evolved in this journey.

Starting from its creation, history has seen many Ups and Downs of its use as a weapon, which has consequently caused it to evolve.

The Tanto knife was created in the ‘Heian period’ of Japanese history in which warriors gained a prodigious amount of power.

The tanto Knives were carried by the samurai warriors as the last option of self-defense. During that time, dating back to the 10th century, Tanto knives did not have the aesthetic appeal it has today and were also smaller than the Tanto knives we see today. The Knives saw a drastic change in the intricate design of the blade as well as the hilt.

However, during the 15 century, the artistic design of the knives went through a huge decline because Japan saw several military conflicts in its state, which resulted in the mass production of Tanto knives. This resulted in the artistic design of the knives to be compromised.

In the 18th century, the social conditions in Japan began to settle and there was little need left for the use of Tanto knives. Moreover, the rise in other Samurai weapons such as Katana caused a great decline in the production of the Tanto knives.

Although a few aesthetic designs of Tanto knives were still in production, they were merely a copy of the previous designs.

Before World War 2, Japan saw an increase in the production of these knives as many people started keeping the knives for protecting themselves.

To preserve the Japanese culture, several Tanto knives are being produced even today. The design and the aesthetic appeal of the knives are kept in mind while producing the Ancient Tanto knives.