View source for Daishō

{{Short description|Matched pair of Japanese samurai swords}}
{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Japanese words and phrases]]}}
{{Confused|Taishō (disambiguation){{!}}Taishō}}
[[File:朱漆金蛭巻大小, Daishō Style Sword Mounting.jpg|300px|thumb|''Daishō'' style sword mounting, gold banding on red-lacquered ground. 16th century, [[Azuchi–Momoyama period]]. [[Important Cultural Property (Japan)|Important Cultural Property]]. [[Tokyo National Museum]].]]

The {{nihongo|'''''daishō'''''|[[Wiktionary:大小|大小]]|daishō|}}—"large and small"<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=vFS2iT8QjqEC&pg=PA68 ''The Japanese sword'', Kanzan Satō, Kodansha International, 1983 p.68]</ref>—is a [[Japanese language|Japanese]] term for a matched pair of traditionally made [[Japanese sword|Japanese swords]] [[Commons:Category:Nihonto|(''nihonto'')]] worn by the [[samurai]] class in [[feudal Japan]].

The etymology of the word ''daishō'' becomes apparent when the terms ''daitō'', meaning long sword, and ''shōtō'', meaning short sword, are used; '''''dai'''tō'' + '''''shō'''tō'' = ''daishō''.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=zPyswmGDBFkC&dq=daisho&pg=PA62 ''The connoisseur's book of Japanese swords'', Kōkan Nagayama, Kodansha International, 1998 p.62]</ref> A ''daishō'' is typically depicted as a ''[[katana]]'' and ''[[wakizashi]]'' (or a ''[[tantō]]'') mounted in matching ''[[koshirae]]'', but originally the ''daishō'' was the wearing of any long and short ''[[katana]]'' together.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=vFS2iT8QjqEC&dq=daisho&pg=PA68 ''The Japanese sword'', Kanzan Satō, Kodansha International, 1983]</ref> The ''katana/wakizashi'' pairing is not the only ''daishō'' combination as generally any longer sword paired with a ''tantō'' is considered to be a ''daishō''.  ''Daishō'' eventually came to mean two swords having a [[Commons:Category:Parts of the daisho|matched set of fittings]].  A ''daishō'' could also have matching blades made by the same [[Bladesmith|swordsmith]], but this was in fact uncommon and not necessary for two swords to be considered to be a ''daishō'', as it would have been more expensive for a samurai.<ref name=":0">[https://books.google.com/books?id=IQ3FAZG94ZsC&dq=daisho&pg=PA53 Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior, Clive Sinclaire, Globe Pequot, 2004 p.53]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZzIXkFec0e8C&dq=uchigatana&pg=PA18 Classical weaponry of Japan: special weapons and tactics of the martial arts, Serge Mol, Kodansha International, 2003 p.18]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=vFS2iT8QjqEC&dq=daisho&pg=PA68 ''The Japanese sword'', Kanzan Satō, Kodansha International, 1983 – Antiques & Collectibles – 210P.68]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Ce5KaXj5fSEC&dq=tachi+daisho&pg=PA20 Katana: The Samurai Sword: 950–1877, Stephen Turnbull, Osprey Publishing, 2010 P.20]</ref>

==History==
[[File:青漆銀流水文半太刀大小, "Daisho" Style "Handachi" Sword Mounting, Silver stream design on green lacquer ground.jpg|thumb|300px|''Daishō'' style ''handachi'' "half ''tachi''" sword mounting, silver stream design on green lacquer ground. 16th–17th century, Azuchi Momoyama－Edo period. Tokyo National Museum.]]

The concept of the ''daisho'' originated with the pairing of a short sword with whatever long sword was being worn during a particular time period. The ''[[tachi]]'' would be paired with a ''tantō'', and later the ''katana'' would be paired with another shorter katana called a ''chiisagatana''. With the advent of the ''katana'', the ''wakizashi'' eventually was chosen by samurai as the short sword over the ''tantō''. Kanzan Satō, in his book titled ''The Japanese Sword'', notes that there did not seem to be any particular need for the ''wakizashi'' and suggests that the ''wakizashi'' may have become more popular than the ''tantō'' as the ''wakizashi'' was more suited for indoor fighting.  He mentions the custom of leaving the ''katana'' at the door of a castle or palace when entering while continuing to wear the ''wakizashi'' inside.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=vFS2iT8QjqEC&dq=daisho&pg=PA68 ''The Japanese sword'', Kanzan Satō, Kodansha International, 1983 P.68]</ref>

[[File:Daisho Uesugi clan 2.jpg|thumb|300px|''Daishō'' for formal attire with black scabbard, hilt winding thread and white ray skin hilt, which were regulated by the Tokugawa Shogunate. ''Daishō'' owned by [[Uesugi clan]]. Late Edo period.]]

''Daishō'' may have become popular around the end of the [[Muromachi period]] (1336 to 1573)<ref name=":0" /> as several early examples date from the late 16th century.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=vFS2iT8QjqEC&dq=daisho&pg=PA68 ''The Japanese sword'', Kanzan Satō, Kodansha International, 1983 p.68 & p.84]</ref>  An edict in 1629 defining the duties of a samurai required that ''daishō'' be worn when on official duty.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=vh_rAAAAMAAJ&q=daisho+edict ''Cutting Edge: Japanese Swords in the British Museum'', Victor Harris, Tuttle Pub., 2005 p.26]</ref> Wearing ''daishō'' was limited to the ''samurai'' class in 1683, and became a symbol of their rank<ref>[https://books.google.co.jp/books/about/%E5%88%80%E3%81%AE%E6%98%8E%E6%B2%BB%E7%B6%AD%E6%96%B0.html?id=nr-luQEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y''刀の明治維新: 「帯刀」は武士の特権か?'', 尾脇秀和,2018]</ref> Samurai could wear decorative swords in daily life, but the Tokugawa shogunate regulated the appearance of swords for formal attire such as when samurai came to a castle. The daisho for formal attire was limited to the scabbard and winding thread in solid black, and the hilt wrapped with white ray skin.<ref name ="en20p46">Kazuhiko Inada (2020), ''Encyclopedia of the Japanese Swords''. p46. {{ISBN|978-4651200408}}</ref>

According to most traditional ''[[kenjutsu]]'' schools, only one sword of the ''daisho'' would have been used in combat. However, in the first half of the 17th century, the famous swordsman [[Miyamoto Musashi]] promoted the use of a one-handed grip, which allowed both swords to be used simultaneously. This technique, called ''[[Kenjutsu#Nitōjutsu|nitōken]]'', is a main element of the ''[[Niten Ichi-ryū]]'' style of swordsmanship that Musashi founded.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZzIXkFec0e8C&pg=PA22 Serge Mol, 2003, ''Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts''] Kodansha International Ltd, {{ISBN|4-7700-2941-1}} (pp. 22–23)</ref>

During the [[Meiji (era)|Meiji period]] an edict was passed in 1871 abolishing the requirement that ''daishō'' be worn by samurai, and in 1876 wearing swords in public by most of Japan's population was banned; thus ended the use of the ''daishō'' as the symbol of the samurai.  The samurai class was abolished soon after the sword ban.<ref>''Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior'', Clive Sinclaire, Globe Pequot, 2004 p.58</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=pXlZoSjXb2QC&pg=PA418 New directions in the study of Meiji Japan], Helen Hardacre, Adam L. Kern, BRILL, 1997 p.418</ref><ref>''Katana: The Samurai Sword: 950–1877'', Stephen Turnbull, Osprey Publishing, 2010 P.28</ref>
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==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed style="text-align:left">
File:Daishō (Katana and Wakizashi) forged by Minamoto Kiyomaro 2, 源清磨嘉永元年八月日.jpg|''Daishō'' forged by Minamoto Kiyomaro ([[:ja:源清麿|ja]]), Edo period, Designated as [[Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai#Shinsa (grading examination)|Special Important Sword]]
File:Daishō (Katana and Wakizashi) forged by Suishinshi Masahide, 水心子正秀文政元年八月日.jpg|''Daishō'' forged by Suishinshi Masahide ([[:ja:水心子正秀 (初代)|ja]]), Edo period
File:Daishō (Katana and Wakizashi) forged by Taikei Naotane, 大慶直胤天保七年仲春.jpg|''Daishō'' forged by Taikei Naotane ([[:ja:大慶直胤|ja]]), Edo period, Designated as Important Sword
File:黒蝋色氷割紋螺鈿鞘大小拵, Katana koshirae, Daisho koshirae.jpg|''Daishō'' mountings with ice crack pattern design. Edo period, Designated as [[Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai#Shinsa (grading examination)|Important Mounting]], The Japanese Sword Museum
File:黒蝋色塗鞘大小拵, Black Waxed Scabbards with Sword Fittings.jpg|''Daishō'', black waxed scabbards. 19th century, Edo period. [[Tokyo Fuji Art Museum]].
File:黒蝋色花丸紋蒔絵螺鈿鞘大小拵 Kuro-roiro hanamaru-mon makie raden saya daishō koshirae.jpg|Black lacquered ''hanamaru [[mon (emblem)|mon]] [[maki-e]] [[Raden (Japanese craft)|raden]] daishō koshirae'' (sword mounting). Meiji period.
File:Daisho katana and wakizashi 1.jpg|Antique Japanese (samurai) ''daisho'', showing the matched set of mounts [[Commons:Category:Koshirae|(''koshirae'')]].
File:Daisho-p1000661.jpg|An [[Edo period|Edo-period]] [[Commons:Category:Koshirae (daisho)|''daishō koshirae'']] on its stand. The long-sword is generally stored above the ''wakizashi'', curving downwards. When hung for display, the tip points to the right.
File:Daisho kashira 1.jpg|''Daisho kashira'' ([[Hilt#Pommel|pommel]])
File:Daisho habaki.jpg|''Daisho habaki'' (wedge-shaped collar) 
File:Daisho fuchi.jpg|''Daisho tsuba'' and ''fuchi'' (hand guard and hilt collar)
File:Daisho tsuka 1.jpg|''Daisho tsuka'' ([[hilt]])
File:Henmisosuke samurai.jpg|A 19th century samurai wearing his ''daisho''
File:Musashi vs. Bokuden.jpg|A print depicting the fictional encounter between swordsmen [[Miyamoto Musashi]] and [[Tsukahara Bokuden]], the former using both swords in the ''[[Niten Ichi-ryū]]'' style.
</gallery>
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==See also==
* [[Japanese sword mountings]]
* [[Ōdachi]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Daisho}}
* [http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/ Nihonto message board forum]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120204081704/http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/nihonto.htm Richard Stein's Japanese sword guide]

{{Japanese (samurai) weapons, armour and equipment}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Daisho}}
[[Category:Japanese sword types]]
[[Category:Samurai swords]]
[[Category:Samurai weapons and equipment]]