Japanese military knife or tourist piece?

[Oceansider]

My instincts tell me that this is not a military knife, but it came in a very military-looking cloth case and it was in a vet's trunk that also included several Japanese flags and a Japanese fur cap he brought home as war souvenirs.

So I have to ask: what is it?

Thanks...

[gunto]

Looks like a tourist piece. The green cloth is added postwar , i think.
We need too see the tang ,too tell 100%.

[juoneen]

Looks like it may be for eating with as a utensil. Could have been brought from home and used . Usually older or better examples are signed, doesn't look like anything but utilitarian to me.

[GHP]

drat! I was making an edit and accidentally double-posted.

[GHP]

Aikuchi, 合口 short dagger -- the fittings meet "ai" 合 at the mouth "kuchi" 口 with no guard. If it has a hand guard (tsuba) then it would be a tanto. Aikuchi come in all manner of mountings -- yours is a rather "plain Jane".

This one below is not mine, but I have a similar one with new fittings and beautiful rayskin:


I think most GIs thought of these as "harry carry" knives (harakiri; seppuku).

While I'm on it, "harakiri" [gut cutting] is a cruder way of saying seppuku.

Let me break it down:

Seppuku comprises two kanji: 切腹
切 setsu/kiru -- (as setsu) eager; earnest; ardent; kind; keen; acute // (as kiru) cut, slice, sever
腹 fuku/hara (1) abdomen; belly; stomach; (2) (See 胎・ はら) womb; (3) one's mind; one's real intentions; one's true motive; (4) courage; nerve; willpower; (5) generosity; magnanimity; (6) feelings; emotions

Harakiri is the reversed order of kanji: 腹切

--Guy

[Oceansider]

Thanks all - guess I'll just put it in my flea market booth and see if someone will give me $20 for it.