The Tanto, the shortest of Japanese swords, features a blade approximately 12 inches long, with a subtle curve more understated than that of a Katana or Wakizashi. Traditionally tucked into the Obi belt of a Kimono, this short sword offers exceptional discretion and lightness, ideal for concealment inside clothing for surprise defense or covert attacks. Renowned not only for self-defense, the Japanese Tanto is also integral to the ritual of Seppuku— a samurai's ritual suicide to restore honor by making a cut above the navel with the tanto blade.
