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A kaiken (懐剣, prior to modern orthographic reform kwaiken; also futokoro-gatana) is a dagger formerly carried by men and women of the samurai class in Japan. It was useful for self-defense indoors where the long katana and intermediate wakizashi were inconvenient. Women carried them in the obi for self-defense and rarely for jigai (suicide). A woman received a kaiken as part of her wedding gifts. Many of these daggers had black-lacquered handles and matching scabbards. They could be carried in a pouch of brocade with a drawstring for easy access. In modern times, kaiken have become part of the traditional Japanese marriage, being one of the items carried by a bride for good luck.

See also

• Japanese sword
• Tantō

External links

• Nihonto message board forum
• Richard Stein's Japanese sword guide
• Japan Arts Council e-book Mamori-gatana pp. 179–180

References

Nishio Minoru, Iwabuchi Etsutarō, Mizutani Shizuo, ed. (1985). Iwanami Kokugo Jiten (in Japanese) (3 ed.). Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten. p. 155. ISBN 4-00-080003-5. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |origmonth=, |month=, |chapterurl=, |origdate=, and |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)

• Samurai weapons and equipment
• Japanese sword types