Japanese Tanto Swords and Blades
What Is a Tanto Sword
A tanto is a traditional Japanese short sword with a single edge and a straight or slightly curved blade, typically under 30cm in length. The word tanto means "short blade" in Japanese, and the weapon first appeared during the Heian period (794 to 1185). It was originally designed as a close quarters combat weapon that specialized in thrusting and piercing through gaps in armour. During the Kamakura period, the tanto evolved alongside the katana and became a standard part of the samurai's personal weapons. By the Muromachi period, tanto production had reached its peak, with swordsmiths across Japan forging custom designs for warriors, monks, and ronin alike. We carry tanto replicas that reflect designs from across these historical periods.
Samurai Tanto, Katana and the Daisho
In the samurai tradition, the tanto was the third sword in a warrior's collection. The katana served as the primary battlefield weapon, the wakizashi as the companion sword, and the tanto as the short blade for close work. Together, the katana and wakizashi formed the daisho pairing, with the tanto carried separately as a personal weapon. Our samurai tanto range is designed to sit alongside our katana swords and wakizashi, with matching handle wraps and tsuba guard styles available across several product lines. If you are building a full daisho set, we stock matched tanto, wakizashi, and katana combinations in the same finish. The tsuba on each tanto is cast metal with traditional Japanese motifs.
Steel Types and Blade Profiles
Every tanto sword in this collection is forged from either carbon steel or stainless steel. Our hand forged range uses 1060 and 1095 high carbon steel, with clay tempered blades that produce a visible hamon temper line. The damascus tanto in our collection uses folded steel with a layered pattern visible on the blade surface. For collectors who want the look without the maintenance, our stainless steel tanto offer the same visual detail at a lower price point. Blade profiles include hira zukuri (flat grind, no ridge line), shinogi zukuri (with a ridge line for added strength), and modern tactical profiles with a thicker spine. The steel tanto range starts from under £20 for entry level display pieces.
Training, Display and Dojo Use
We carry tanto for several different purposes. Display tanto are built for wall mounting or shelf display alongside your katana swords and other authentic Japanese samurai swords. Training tanto in wood or blunted steel are used in martial arts practice at the dojo, particularly in aikido and jujutsu where tanto techniques are part of the standard curriculum. Our iaito swords section covers unsharpened training blades if you need a full length practice weapon alongside your tanto. Every display and collector tanto in this range comes with a scabbard or sheath included.
Buying a Tanto in the UK
We ship all Japanese tanto swords from our shop in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. UK orders over £200 qualify for free delivery via Parcelforce 48. Tanto blades are legal to own in the UK for collection, display, and martial arts use. Browse the full selection above or get in touch if you are looking for a specific tanto sword for sale that is not listed. We stock a wider range of products than what appears on the site and can often source custom or hard to find pieces on request.
