From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The shikomizue (仕込み杖, shikomizue? literally "prepared cane") is a Japanese concealed sword disguised as a cane or walking stick. It was sometimes used by government officials in Japan in the Meiji period.
The name shikomi-zue is actually the name of a type of mounting; the sword blade was placed in a cane-like mounting (tsue), to conceal the fact that it was a sword. This mounting was used almost exclusively during the Meiji period, when the carrying of swords was banned. These mountings are not to be confused with the Shirasaya mountings, which were just plain wooden mountings with no decoration.
Some shikomizue were full length concealed swords, while others were short blades so the other end could be removed turning the stick into a short spear. Another type of shikomizue had the blade attached to a shorter handle so the stick remains could be held in one hand and the blade in the other. This type of arrangement was most often used by period samurai who opposed the ban on openly carrying their swords but knew that open violation of the law often led to imprisonment and death. The shikomizue was made famous thanks to the Zatoichi films in which the blind swordsman carries one with him and wields it to great efficiency.[1]
[edit] References
|
Types of Japanese swords |
|
| Large swords |
|
|
| Long swords |
|
|
| Short swords |
|
|
| Knives/Daggers |
|
|
| Practice weapons |
|
|
| Fictional swords |
|
|
| Other |
|
|
