Japanese Wakizashi samurai sword with shibayama inlays of ivory, horn, mother of pearl and different sort of woods. Details show butterflies, snakes, different kinds of beetles, flies and other insects on the sheath and handle. Maker is unknown. Circa 1890.

象牙、角、真珠の母、さまざまな種類の木材の芝山象嵌を施した日本の脇差武士の剣。詳細には、蝶やヘビ、さまざまな種類の甲虫、ハエなどの鞘とハンドルの昆虫が表示されます。メーカーは不明です。 1890年頃。

日本Wakizashi武士刀，带有shibayama镶嵌的象牙，角，珍珠母和其他种类的树林。详细信息显示鞘和手柄上的蝴蝶，蛇，各种甲虫，苍蝇和其他昆虫。制造商未知。约1890年。

The history of the Wakizashi

Wakizashi have been in use as far back as the 15th or 16th century. The wakizashi was used as a backup or auxiliary sword, it was also used for close quarters fighting, to behead a defeated opponent and sometimes to commit seppuku, a ritual suicide. The wakizashi was one of several short swords available for use by samurai including the yoroi tōshi, and the chisa-katana. The term wakizashi did not originally specify swords of any official blade length and was an abbreviation of wakizashi no katana (“sword thrust at one’s side”); the term was applied to companion swords of all sizes. It was not until the Edo period in 1638 when the rulers of Japan tried to regulate the types of swords and the social groups which were allowed to wear them that the lengths of katana and wakizashi were officially set.

Kanzan Satō, in his book titled The Japanese Sword, notes that there did not seem to be any particular need for the wakizashi and suggests that the wakizashi may have become more popular than the tantō due to it being more suited for indoor fighting. He mentions the custom of leaving the katana at the door of a castle or palace when entering while continuing to wear the wakizashi inside.While the wearing of katana was limited to the samurai class, wakizashi of legal length (kō-wakizashi) could be carried by the chonin class which included merchants. This was common when traveling due to the risk of encountering bandits. Wakizashi were worn on the left side, secured to the waist sash (Uwa-obi or himo). (Source: Wikipedia)