Sharp Tantos (tantōs), small Japanese samurai swords

Visit tantō is one of Japan's oldest bladed weapons. Appearing around the 9th century during the Heian period, this short dagger, typically 15 to 30 cm long, was carried by samurai as a secondary weapon.
But her story reveals an often overlooked aspect. In warrior families, women also received minimal martial training to defend their homes in case of attack. They wore a tantō, often kept in the sleeve or belt of the kimono.
This dagger also had a ritual dimension. During wedding ceremonies in certain samurai families, a tantō was offered to the bride. It symbolized both her personal protection and her honor.
In extreme situations, this same dagger could be used to jigai, the form of ritual suicide practiced by women of the warrior class, the female equivalent of seppuku.
Thus, behind this small, discreet blade lies an object steeped in history, combining combat, honor, and family traditions at the heart of feudal Japan.

In the 12th century, during the Genpei War, Tomoe Gozen distinguished herself as one of the few female samurai, or onna-bugeisha. A master of the naginata, an accomplished archer and horseman, she fought alongside her lord and companion, Minamoto no Yoshinaka. Her courage was legendary: during the Battle of Awazu in 1184, she confronted and beheaded Uchida Ieyoshi, a formidable enemy warrior. According to the Heike Monogatari, she was "ready to face a demon or a god, on horseback or on foot."
After Yoshinaka's death, accounts differ: some say she retired to a Buddhist monastery, others claim she remarried. Whatever the case, Tomoe Gozen remains an iconic figure of female bravery and the spirit of bushidō.