![]() Tantô changed in size, shape, and function over the many eras. They also used aikuchi mountings with a round kojiri and no kaeshitsuno (small hook on the side of the saya to hold it in the sash). Small tantô that were carried concealed in the robes were called futokoro katana (breast swords). From the beginning of the Nanbokucho Period onward, a wakizashi was sometimes used in place of a tantô. From the Kamakura Period on, it was used along with a tachi as a sashizoe when armor was worn and it had aikuchi mountings with no tsuba. The koshigatana (waist-sword) was a sword worn at the waist. Long blades were called tachi or uchikatana. Prior to the Muromachi Period the word katana generally referred to a tantô. More rarely we find osoraku-zukuri tantô. Starting with the middle Muromachi Period we find new shapes of tantô such as moroha-zukuri and shobu-zukuri often produced. Also, making their appearance in the late Kamakura Period was the unokubi-zukuri and katakiriha-zukuri tantô. Prior to the Muromachi Period, we find hira-zukuri as the style of choice with the occasional exception of a kanmuri-otoshi tantô from Yamato or Yamashiro. Tantô shapes varied greatly over the years from the Heian period to modern times. This shift by skilled smiths to the production of tantô occurred not only in the Sôshû tradition as mentioned but also in other schools of sword production as will be explained later. This Middle Kamakura era marks the beginning of the production of high quality tantô being produced by top quality smiths. Tantô production at that time was especially prolific in the Sôshû tradition of Sagami Province. Tantô came into widespread use after the two attempted invasions by the Mongol fleet in the latter part of the thirteenth century. Very few fine examples of these tantô remain today. ![]() Most were utilitarian and made for practical use. Tantô existed as early as the Heian Period. This equates to 30.3 cm or a shade less than 12 inches. A tantô is traditionally described as being a Japanese sword of less than one shaku in length. ![]()
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