Japanese

A Delightful & Most Beautiful Edo Period, Japanese Kaiken {Or Kwaiken} Tanto, with Beautifull Hamon Wonderful Polish and Horimono Mei Signature "Made by Tama of the Ichimonji School, Unrivaled Under Heaven."

天下無双一文字珠作
Tenka Musō, a famous Japanese idiom meaning "Peerless in the world" or "Unparalleled under heaven."

A kaiken is a small tanto carried by both samurai men and women for close-quarters or indoor self-defense where longer swords like the katana were impractical.

In the case of women's protection, for traditional samurai wives and daughters, they kept the taiken dagger tucked in their sash for personal safety or as a wedding gift symbolizing family honour

Potentially used historically to swiftly cut the carotid artery to preserve honour in moments of extreme crisis, as a form of ritual suicide (Jigai).

The traditionally made smith made blade is incredibly similar to the type of kaiken seppuku tanto that was presented to the Zero pilots, the 'kamikaze' in WW2, and worn around their neck.

The type as were presented to the WW2 Zero pilots before their Kamikaze suicide missions and also given to or purchased by Kaiten pilots, the Japanese navy's one man human suicide torpedoes. Photo in the gallery shows a WW2 'Kamikaze' pilot being issued his suicide Seppuku tanto in the Kaiten ceremony. Originally they could have had an exterior brown leather cover and neck strap. The pilot had the choice whether to commit suicide, or not. It was not an order, nor directive and if the pilot missed the ship he had the option of killing himself to ask forgiveness of the honourable ancestors for his failure, as many of the planes had only enough fuel for a one way trip. Because the Zero pilot was belted into a very narrow seat and wearing many layers of his cold atmospheric pilot's flying suit with the addition of his life vest; it would be impossible for the aeronautical pilot to commit traditional ritual seppuku. It is said the procedure was to pull the knife out from it's neck sheath and thrust it straight into the throat much like the ladies form of seppuku.

In recognition of the unfavourable progress of the war, towards the end of 1943 the Japanese high command considered suggestions for various suicide craft. These suggestions were initially rejected, but later deemed necessary. Various suicide craft were developed in the Japanese Special Attack Units.

For the Navy, this meant Kamikaze planes, Ohka piloted bombs, Shinyo suicide boats, Kaiten submarines, and Fukuryu suicide divers or human mines. The Kamikazes were somewhat successful, and the second most successful were the Kaitens.

Research on the first Kaiten began in February 1944, followed on 25 July of the same year by the first prototype. By 1 August, an order for 100 units had been placed.

The island of Ōzushima, in the Inland Sea, was used as a training site. The island was equipped with cranes, torpedo testing pits, and launch ramps, and had a large shallow bay for test running and firing. The Kaiten Memorial Museum is now situated there.

Kaiten pilots were all men aged between 17 and 28. Initial training consisted of sailing fast surface boats by periscope and instrument readings alone. When a pilot had advanced past this basic training, he would begin training on Kaitens. Training craft were fitted with a dummy warhead that contained telemetry equipment and an emergency blowing tank that could return the craft to the surface should the trainee dive to a dangerous depth. Kaiten training started with basic circular runs to and from a fixed landmark at a reduced speed; the training advanced to faster and more hazardous runs around rocks and through channels in deeper waters. The more difficult runs required the pilot to surface and check the periscope repeatedly, and required conscientious adjusting of trim tank levels because of the reducing weight as oxygen was used up. When the instructors were confident about a pilot's abilities, they would advance the pilot to open water training against target ships. Training at this level was often done at full attack speed, and either at night or in twilight. The final phase of training would be a submarine launch and more open water attack runs on target ships.

Training was dangerous, and 15 men died in accidents, most commonly collisions with the target vessels. Although the warheads were only dummies, the impact at ramming speed was enough to both cripple the Kaiten and severely injure the pilot.

In action, the Kaiten was always operated by one man, but the larger training models (Types 2, 4, and 5) could carry two or even four.

Kaiten pilots who were leaving for their final missions would leave testaments and messages behind for their loved ones

blade length approx 5 inches long, overall in saya 8.25 inches long  read more

Code: 26379

Early Shinto, Signed, Yamashiro Daijo Fujiwara Kunitsugu (山城大掾藤原国次) Handachi Sword With Full Suite Of Omori Teruhide School 'Omori Wave' Pattern of Handachi Koshirae Of Churning Water With Inlaid Gold Sea Spray Droplets. Kinai School Budou-sukashi Tsuba

Samurai blade, Shinto period, circa 1620, of very strong and powerful form with substantial heft, signed Yamashiro Daijo Fujiwara Kunitsugu (山城大掾藤原国次). Black Stone finish lacquered saya handachi mounted Koshirae.

This is truly what one might call a ‘no nonsense’ blade of significant presence and power. A most serious blade meant for long lasting samurai warfare and truly impressive hand to hand combat in the crush of the melee..

A handachi koshirae featuring a crashing wave with gold sea spray motif represents a dynamic, high-status configuration for a Japanese sword mounting. The combination of crashing waves and gold sea spray is one of the most celebrated themes in classic Japanese sword fittings (tosogu), famously associated with the Omori School of metalworkers during the Edo period.

They pioneered the technique of embedding tiny, raised dots of pure gold alloy across the dark metal to represent crashing spray

The "Omori Wave": Unlike flat or highly stylized geometric waves, Omori artisans carved deeply undercut, three-dimensional, churning waves that look violently alive. Omori Teruhide (Omori-ryu). His signature style revolutionized the depiction of water

Handachi (meaning "half-tachi") style combines the styling and reinforced metallic components of a traditional tachi mount with the utility of an uchigatana, meaning it is worn edge-up tucked through the obi sash rather than slung edge-down
The kabuto-gane replaced the standard katana kashira. It features deeply carved churning water wrapped around the butt of the hilt
Fuchi (Hilt Collar): Adorned with matching ocean waves rising to crests gold sea spray droplets (Zogan / Iroie):

The "sea spray" (shibuki) is brought to life using precise pure gold inlay or gold overlay techniques, depicting individual glistening droplets scattered across the dark, turbulent waves.The distinguishing factor of a handachi is the presence of protective metal chassis bands wrapping around the scabbard
Semegane & Kashiwaba metallic bands that encircle the scabbard further up its length to prevent splitting. These echo the same ocean theme.

Kojiri is the long, protective metal cap at the very tip of the scabbard, matching the crashing wave and gold drop motif.

Menuki of ken wrapped around by dragon beneath golden silk tsuka-ito over samegawa giant rayskin.

Iron maru-gata sukashi tsuba of Kinai school. This specific tsuba displays an organic, detailed grapevine design (Budou-sukashi) complete with leaves, tendrils. Kinai masters were highly celebrated for their fluid, deeply carved openwork (ji-sukashi) depicting natural motifs like plant life, flowers, and shells

This handachi is an antique Japanese sword crafted during the early Edo period (Shinto era), circa 1620, typically associated with the Echizen Shimosaka school in Echizen Province (modern-day Fukui prefecture): Early Edo period, with authenticated works recorded around the Kan'ei era (e.g., August 1629)

It is said that the first-gen Yasutsugu was the founder of the Echizen Shimoasaka school. He was born in Shimosaka town in Shiga prefecture at the end of the Muromachi period(Late 16 century ). He built his career there until the beginning of the Keicho era(1596). However, he moved to Echizen province due to the relocation of the lord he served. He eventually was noticed and supported by Matsudaira Hideyasu, the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was the founder of the Edo government.

Hideysu was the feudal lord of Echizen province during the early Edo period. With the support of Hideyasu, the first-gen Yasutsugu was able to establish the Echizen Shimosaka school. And his school’s fame became nationwide.

By Hideyasu’s recommendation, the first-gen Yasutsugu became Okakaekaji for the Tokugawa shogun family, meaning that he exclusively forged swords for the Shogun family. Yasutsu was acknowledged by the first and second Tokugawa Shoguns, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Tokugawa Hidetada.

The first-gen Yasutsugu received 康(YASU) from Tokugawa Ieyasu and changed his maker’s name. He was also allowed to inscribe the holly oak symbol(family crest of Tokugawa) on the tang. The school flourished during the Edo period and trained many skilled apprentices. Echizen Province was famous for forging razor-sharp, practically designed swords.

The Edo government, run by the Tokugawa clan, ordered many blades from the swordsmiths in this province during the Edo period(1603-1868).

It has a superb blade with a stunning hamon, in great condition for age. It does have a fingerprint surface stain in the polish, so we are having it expertly removed and fully polished out. It will be photographed, looking like it last did in the 1860's, when it was already 240 years old, upon its return, probably by the 10th October  read more

Code: 26383

A Fine & Fabulous, Koto To Shinto Period, Rare, Original Antique Japanese Shikomi-zue 仕込み杖, "Prepared Cane". A Traditional, ‘Hidden Sword Stick’, 400 to 500 Years Old. With a Sakura Branch Trompe-l'œil Concealment

This is one of the most beautiful, early bladed swords of its type we have ever seen, with a breathtaking chisa katana blade, up to around 400 to 500 years old, with a spectacular hamon and hada, and its gilt habaki blade collar. All cunningly concealed within an innocent looking {simulated} black sekura tree branch. It is a particularly strong and stout cane, and in its day {and in fact, it still is} would have been extremely capable and effective as a cane to aid perambulation.

A very fine, masterwork by a finest, Koto period to early Shinto, sword smith. A samurai blade, of superb quality, in stunning polish, showing a wonderously, vivid and complex hamon of immense beauty.

Very finely carved Edo period wooden saya and tsuka, disguise decorated, with ishime urushi stone finished lacquer, in order to 'deceive the eye' {Trompe-l'œil} and to imitate a black bark sakura tree branch walking stick.

The early blade is superb, but it was covered in antique Victorian preservative clear lacquer, we are had it professionally artisan removed, in order to reveal the stunning polish of the blade.. Overall this super rare piece is in fantastic condition for age.

In the 1870's the Meiji Emperor disbanded the fuedal samurai order and banned the wearing of the sword. This created much unrest between the samurai and the government and some samurai moved to carrying 'shikome-zue' the hidden sword.

Therefore, via a circuitous route of deception, they still remain armed, but, with their katana concealed and hidden from public view. But by that deception they felt, least in part, their honour remained intact. With their most elegant and finest bespoke blade upon their person.

In ninjutsu shikomizue became quite popular, as it provided the night warriors with what they needed most – versatility, secrecy and mortality.

The walking stick was popular among all the classes of japanese society and carrying it caused no suspicion at all. Combined with the impersonation skills, shikomizue was really a dangerous and most advabntagouly concealed weapon, enabling attack of ones enemy or even assassin, most suddenly and with deadly skill.

This is possibly one of the nicest of it's types we have ever seen. The blade is typical chisa katana with elegant curvature. Very nice hamon in very nice polish {once cleaned}. The stick is fully and superbly hand carved and over lacquered in urushi to simulate an anonymous prunus tree branch walking stick.

This piece was absolutely the sword of choice of the world reknown, fictional, blind samurai, Zatoichi.

He does not carry a traditional katana, instead using a very well traditionally made shikomi-zue (cane sword) within a sakura branch Trompe-l'œil concealment, exactly as this sword is mounted.

Zatoichi's cane sword shikome-zue, was forged by a famous master bladesmith, and is of superior quality, just like this rare, fine and beautiful traditional ancient chisa katana bladed example.

A conversation piece par excellance, now for collectors display only.

We show in the gallery a modern Japanese painting of Zatoichi, an old poster of the blind swordsman movie, and, an 1817 Japanese print by Hokusai of his depiction of an all black clad warrior, a so called ninja, climbing a rope, with what appears to be his identical mounted black shikome-zue hidden sword stick. For historical context purposes.

16 inch blade. 35.5 inches long overall  read more

Code: 26361

A Beautiful Koto Period Ancient Aikuchi Tanto Circa 1500, With An Equally Beautiful Blade

Around 500 years old.

With kodzuka utility knife decorated with deep relief takebori crabs. Unusually the saya is covered with black lacquered leather. All original Edo period mounts and fittings. Silver inlaid iron hilt mounts with patinated copper menuki of shishi liondogs. The saya has a small mount of a silver inlaid quail. The blade has now just returned from re-polishing and looks absolutely beautiful. The tanto was invented partway through the Heian period, when it was mainly used as a weapon. With the beginning of the Kamakura period, tanto were forged to be more aesthetically pleasing, and hira and uchi-sori tanto were the most popular styles for wars in the kamakura period. Near the middle of the Kamakura period, more tanto artisans were seen, increasing the abundance of the weapon, and the kanmuri-otoshi style became prevalent in the cities of Kyoto and Yamato. Because of the style introduced by the tachi in the late Kamakura period, tanto began to be forged longer and wider. The introduction of the Hachiman faith became visible in the carvings in the tanto hilts around this time. The hamon (line of temper) is similar to that of the tachi, except for the absence of choji-midare, which is nioi and utsuri. Gunomi-midare and suguha are found to have taken its place. In Nambokucho, the tanto were forged to be up to forty centimetres as opposed to the normal one shaku (about thirty centimetres) length. The tanto blades became thinner between the uri and the omote, and wider between the ha and mune. At this point in time, two styles of hamon were prevalent: the older style, which was subtle and artistic, and the newer, more popular style. Blades could be of exceptional quality. As the end of the period neared, the average blade narrowed and the sori became shallow. The aikuchi is a tanto koshirae where the fuchi is flush with the mouth of the saya. Overall 21 3/4 inches long, blade length 12 1/4 inches  read more

Code: 23142

A Shinto Aikuchi Tanto, Unokubi-Zukuri With Hi Blade & Stunning Bi-Colour Shakudo Fittings Katakiri-bori Carving, on Migaki-ji of Insects, a Cricket a Hornet and a Praying Mantis

Circa 1700. A very attractive Samurai tanto that has lain untouched for likely 140 odd years or more. All matching and most attractive Edo period bi-colour hand carved shakudo fittings katakiri-bori carving, on migaki-ji including a kozuka, engraved with a preying mantis, a wasp on the kashira and a grasshopper on the sayajiri. The menuki are of fine gold overlay of dragon, and the tsuka has imperial off-white silk binding. The blade is in a unokubi-zukuri form similar to naga nata in stunning polish. The original Edo lacquer saya is uniformly ribbed along it's length with age cracking below the kozuka pocket, and small bruises at the base. Very fine hammered silver foil covered habaki.

The tanto is commonly referred to as a knife or dagger. The blade can be single or double edged with a length between 15 and 30 cm (6-12 inches, in Japanese 1 shaku).

The tanto was designed primarily as a stabbing weapon, but the edge can be used for slashing as well. Tanto are generally forged in hira-zukuri style (without ridgeline), meaning that their sides have no ridge line and are nearly flat, unlike the shinogi-zukuri structure of a katana.

Some tanto have particularly thick cross-sections for armour-piercing duty, and are called yoroi toshi.  read more

Code: 25141

The Lanes Armoury Probably The Largest Online Militaria Website in the World, After Over 100 Years of Brighton Trading, &, The 25th Anniversary of Our Best Antique & Collectables Shop in Britain Award

In this very special anniversary year of 2026

Presented by MILLER'S Antiques Guide, THE BBC, HOMES & ANTIQUES MAGAZINE in 2001.

With around 2000 visitors at our shop every day the most popular question asked, is, “where in earth do you find thousands of such incredible pieces?”
Well, although the answer relatively simple, it is based around over a 100 years of our firmly established reputation. Those that wish to sell, one way or another, find us, because we have been here, located and trading in Brighton for over four generations, and thus well known around the world, and more importantly, throughout the United Kingdom, as one of the most important buyers of ancient, antique and vintage collectables, in Great Britain.
We have been acquiring treasures from history, almost exclusively, from some of the most remarkable private sources for all that time, The family partners have had their specific and utterly remarkable business experience, literally unchallenged, for over fifty years. With the privilege of meeting some of the most incredible individuals imaginable, and all with their own unique story to tell, and their desire to pass on their past heirlooms, to become others heirlooms of the future.

Five years ago we were approached by a most historically enthusiastic young person studying at Sussex University who asked if they could research through our archive to complete a 'paper' based on us as one of the oldest remaining Sussex family business's.
It resulted in some remarkable statistics, that we thought we would share with our regulars, for those that have interest. The research only included the types of items that we regularly buy, sell and export today, with general antiques, furniture, porcelain, clocks, silver and works of art excluded, as we haven't been devoted to that side of the trade since selling our antique export shipping companies in 1992. However, when came to books, it was also another near impossible task to calculate, as it would likely stretch into the hundreds of thousands, {conservatively} if not millions of volumes {actually}.

In over 100 years of shop keeping in Brighton, at the time of his research, 80 of them pre-internet, apparently, we have likely sold over 200,000 books, {vintage and antique books were, and are, our largest selling single item}, 135,000 medals & badges, over 95,000 worldwide swords, knives and bayonets, over 32,000 Japanese samurai swords {for example, around 28 years ago we bought over 150 Japanese WW2 NCO swords in one vast lot, from the grandson of a WW2 British military surplus dealer, who acquired them for scrap in 1946 from the War Dept}. We have sold and exported,, apparently over 28,500 helmets of all origins and types, 27,000 pistols and muskets of all countries, at least 2450 suits of armour, European, British or Japanese, and over 1,500 cannon, both signal and full sized. Believe it or not, apparently, according to their research and calculations, these are potentially conservative figures, and the actual figure could indeed be much higher. However, in 1939 business trailed off a bit {WW2} but old pops, William {Bill} Hawkins went to the Alan West factory on the outskirts of Brighton {due to being too old to serve in the Navy} and engineered Army Tanks for the next 6 years.


So, please enjoy our historical website, and remember, every thing you see that is priced, is available, and for sale, we try to not keep our webstore filled with past 'sold' items.

Being part of the centre of the historic Brighton Lanes, anything up 2,000 to 3,000 people, will visit us here most days {especially on Saturdays} winter and summer, rain or shine.

We issue our unique, certificate of authenticity, with every single item purchased, and in regards to our Japanese items, both weapons and fittings etc. our ability to do this is based on well over a century of experience, as probably the largest military antiques dealers in Europe. We detail within our certificates, their beauty, approximate age, style, either specific or generic history, and the details of their fittings and mounts, and their potential position, use, and status in Japanese samurai history. We will detail the translations, if known, of the kanji (names) chisselled upon the nakago of swords, under their hilt bindings, but purely for information only. Although the myth persists that all Japanese master smiths signed their swords, historically, and factually, it is likely less than 30% of samurai blades were in fact ever signed. This fact is certainly found, and confirmed by us to be the case, due to our family’s 100 plus years experience. For example, it is said one of the greatest master smiths who ever lived, the great Masamune, was, apparently, most reluctant to ever sign his swords. Although this must be relative speculation, as so very few of his swords have been recognised to still exist

Our Certificates of Authenticity are our own unique version of a lifetime guarantee, based on our expertise honed over 100 years, containing a detailed description of any item purchased from our stock. In relation to our samurai weapons, the description with be a combination of our opinion of its style, approximate age and beauty, and for our Japanese samurai swords in particular, that it is an ‘original’, samurai sword, made and used by samurai, both ancient and vintage, within Japan, over the past 700 years, up to the last samurai period in the Meiji era of 1868, as well as up to 1945, if it is a military mounted shingunto sword.

Photos 4 and 5 are part of an editorial in Art and Antiques Weekly Magazine, featuring the story so far {in 1975} of the partner’s former family antiques export company, one of the largest in the world at that time. In 1992 Mark and David retired from the mass wholesale export market and morphed their business into the becoming one of the largest dedicated ‘military antiques’ and specialist book businesses instead, both of the partners true passions.  read more

Code: 22565