Kamikaze Flyer's Sword

[web105jk]

After viewing several interesting threads on Japanese aviation, I thought add one on a "Kamikaze Flyer's Sword". The sword shown below was brought back by an American GI who wrote the following inscription on the saya at the time he aquired it. It reads: "From Kaimkaze (sp) Flyer Hamono Gumache, Japan. Old Style Kaimkaze Sword. East Coast of Honshu."

There are no "old style Kamikaze swords", rather it was a family sword that a Japanese flyer took along with him to aviation training. A sword was often brought along with the pilot in the cockpit of his airplane. This sword is actually a family heirloom in the style of a small boy's katana mounted in a shira-saya. The blade is about 400 years old and it was fortunate that it got liberated before the pilot had an opportunity to take it along for his final flight.

[web105jk]

Kamikaze Flyer's Sword

Blade

[Paul G]

Nice sword, Thanks for sharing

Paul G

[ketoujin]

Hi All,
Interesting that its in Shira-saya mountings and was presumably used in that configuration. Usually, swords were in shira-saya mountings to be stored. Would be great if there was some more documentation with it.
Best,
Gunnar

[cbuehler]

This looks like a wakizashi or short sword and very nice. The shirasaya mounts were not used for anything other than storage of a blade. For myself, I would tend to doubt the Kamikaze connection for this reason and others.
Swords were actually seldom carried in the cockpit contrary to popular notions.
I have seen many items atributed to so called "Kamikaze" by vets either out of ignorance or to enhance the "aura" of something they brought home such as flags, flight equipment etc.
While this sword may indeed have some connection with a pilot or even "kamikaze", without real documentation this should be accepted for what it is in itself. Not to stir up any ill feelings or such and anyone is entitled to their own opinion. Its just that anything that really has a Tokkotai connection would be so extremely rare.

CB

[Jareth]

I agree with CB. Without proper documentation it's just a story.

[web105jk]

Kamikaze Flyer's Sword

There are no disagreements with either of the above theories. 100% of the value of this piece is the blade. The "Kamikaze" attribution is a nice story but adds nothing in terms of its historical or monitary value, much like a surrender tag.

The Bizen Koto blade is a boy's katana, not a wakizashi even though it is of wakizashi length.

Regards,

Herm

Can you inform the ignorant here... I know what a Wakizashi is, how does one identify this as a boys katana?

[web105jk]

Flyer's Sword

I think your choice of wording is poor. Someone who is not well versed or informed on a particular subject matter does not make him ignorant. What we are discussing is more of a matter of semantics. I think everyone agrees that there are 3 very basic catagories of Japanese swords which are defined by their length. The wakizashi or medium sword's length is between 1 & 2 shaku or 11.9" to 23.9".


The Flyer's sword, is 17.5" in length which certainly makes it fall into the general catagory of being a wakizashi if you use length to define the classification. However, this sword was made as a scaled down katana for a young boy. Often samurai of wealthy status would have a specially made sword crafted for his young son in order for him to become familiar and accustomed to carrying a sword. Since the original "boy's sword" fittings for this blade are long gone, the distinction as a boy's sword is not as readily apparent.