Katana, wakizashi and tantō

In the imagination, all samurai have always carried two swords. In reality, the daishōpair katana/wakizashiIt became widespread and codified, especially in the XVIIᵉ century, when the Tokugawa peace transformed the sword into a sign of state rather than a battlefield tool. Prior to this, the warrior ideal had been a matter of kyūba no michithe "way of the horse and the bow", and the typical long weapon was the tachiblade downwards; the katana later, with a strict urban etiquette. Japanese collections showcase daishō dated from the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods, illustrating this transition; and Edo's sumptuary edicts reserved the wearing of the pair for warriors, making it a veritable social insignia. A useful nuance when referring to "samurai weapons".

In feudal Japan, the daishō (literally "large and small") designated the pair of swords carried exclusively by samurai: the long katana and the shorter wakizashi. This combination was not arbitrary. It symbolized their social status and code of honor: strength, loyalty and duty.
The katana, feared sharpness and ceremonial tool, embodied the nobility of combat. The wakizashi, often used in confined spaces or for seppuku rituals (ritual suicide), represented extreme loyalty, even unto death.

In Japanese martial arts, this maxim (表は礼、裏は術) sums up a profound philosophy: what you show(omote) is etiquette, respect, politeness; what you hide(ura) is technique, strategy, real effectiveness.
In traditional budō, omote techniques are taught first: they are visible, codified, often demonstrative. But behind this façade lies the ura: more subtle, sometimes secret techniques passed on to advanced disciples.
This duality reflects the Japanese spirit: the importance of form and respect for social codes, but also the awareness that true mastery lies in what is hidden. In martial practice, this translates into a progression from surface to depth, from appearance to essence.