Tanto

A tanto is a Japanese knife or dagger which features a blade that was between 6-12 inches in length. As with every dagger, the tanto could be used as a stabbing weapon or a slashing weapon. Tanto daggers were very popular during the Muromachi period; however, their use declined during the Shinto period. Tantos were similar in shape to the katana sword but they had no ridge line and they were almost flat unlike the katana.

Tantos were almost exclusively carried by the samurai warriors. Some women would carry a smaller version of the tanto dagger for self defense.