Imperial Navy Swords: Short Swords, Command Swords, and Flag Officer Swords — Types, Regulations, and Differences from Army Swords

Naval Sword System—Fundamentally Different Ideology from the Army

In contrast to the Army's military swords being designed and maintained as "symbols of the bushido spirit in land combat," the Imperial Navy's sword system had a different ideological foundation. As is clear from the reality of naval combat where naval guns, torpedoes, naval mines, and aircraft determined the course of battle, opportunities for close combat were significantly limited compared to land warfare. For this reason, naval swords had a relatively stronger aspect as "formal dress, ceremonial items, and class insignia," and the direction of standardization reflected this.

On the other hand, the Navy was also an organization that maintained "pride as a warrior," and as the Showa period progressed, there was an increasing movement to place importance on Japanese sword-style command swords. It is appropriate to understand the Imperial Navy's swords by dividing them into the following three major categories.

1. Naval short swords
2. Naval tachi-style military swords (command swords)
3. General officer and admiral swords

This systematic classification has become the fundamental framework for modern sword researchers and collectors in organizing military swords in general.

Naval Short Swords (kaiguntanken)—East-West Synthesis of Western Formal Dress Swords

Naval short swords were ceremonial short swords standardized under strong influence from European navies—particularly the German Imperial Navy and British Navy—in the early Meiji period. They had a marked character as "formal dress items" worn at the waist by officers at imperial audiences, ceremonies, diplomatic functions, and formal shipboard occasions, with combat use scarcely contemplated.

The blade length is approximately 20-22 cm (measured example 22.1 cm), with a two-edged or single-edged form. While close to Western knife-style forms, the scabbard and tsuka-gashira featured Japanese designs such as chrysanthemum crests, anchors, and paulownia crests, creating a unique East-West synthetic beauty. Sharkskin or artificial substitute materials were used for the grip portion of the handle, and the metal fittings were finished with gold plating or silver plating. Because visual elegance as a formal dress item was the top priority, manufacturing costs were relatively high, and quality differences existed according to the status of the officer.

Notably, naval short swords were unified in the form of "short swords" regardless of rank. This contrasts with the Army's use of military swords (Japanese sword style) as its primary form, and can be said to show one aspect of the Navy's unique formal dress culture. The precision of the designs applied to the short sword koshirae and the quality of materials tended to be more expensive the higher the officer's rank, and modern collectors can use these grading differences as reference points in authentication.

Naval Tachi-Style Military Swords (kaiguntachigatagun'tō)—Establishment of Japanese Sword-Style Regulation Swords

Naval tachi-style military swords were regulation swords in Japanese sword form carried by officers during combat and formal dress, functionally equivalent to Army military swords. Unlike short swords, they possessed the form of Japanese swords, and their design was required to give some consideration to combat capability. Commonly called "naval command swords," the official name is "naval tachi-style military swords," officially established in October of Showa 12 (1937).

Characteristic features include a tsuba with an engraved chrysanthemum crest and a distinctive koshirae form equipped with a kurigata and koiguchi. The tsuba designs made extensive use of naval motifs such as anchors, chrysanthemums, and paulownia crests, clearly distinguishing them from the Army's five-pointed star crests.

Regarding the blades, as with Army military swords, there was a wide range from traditionally forged blades to factory-manufactured mass-produced items. During the Showa period, full-fledged forged blades created under the "appointed swordsmith" system were also adopted for naval tachi-style military swords, with many equal to or exceeding the quality of the Army's Model 98 military swords. Additionally, perhaps in consideration of carrying them in the confined space of a ship's interior, the blades tend to be somewhat shorter, though individual variation is significant and no definitive statement can be made. Quality swords produced under the appointed swordsmith system continue to receive high valuations in today's sword market.

General Officer Swords and Admiral Swords—Navy's Highest-Ranking Regulation Swords

Special regulation swords with specific specifications were established for high-ranking naval officers such as admirals, full admirals, vice admirals, and marshals. As rank increased, the dignity of fittings, quality of materials, and precision of designs increased, and the sword itself functioned as an ornament eloquently expressing rank.

Among these, admiral swords were the Navy's highest-ranking regulation swords. Only those holding the rank of marshal were permitted to wear these swords, which were the finest products with gold lacquer decoration and precise goldwork on the handle and scabbard, and were produced in extremely limited numbers. Existing examples are confirmed in only a handful of domestic and foreign collections, and their rarity and historical value are immeasurable.

Full admiral and vice admiral class command swords also featured tsubas with precisely engraved chrysanthemum and paulownia crests, and gold-plated kurigata and kojiri, creating clear visual differentiation from the regulation swords of general officers. This served not merely as a matter of aesthetics, but also carried practical significance in visually indicating the chain of command aboard ship. General officer class regulation swords were all made nearly as individual works, with fundamentally different production processes from mass-produced items.

Comparison with Army Military Swords—Differences in Standardization Philosophy

When comparing the sword standards of the Imperial Army and Navy, ideological differences manifest as concrete differences in form.

The difference in tsuba designs reflects not merely a design difference, but the intention to inscribe organizational identity into the swords. The difference in timing of standardization is reflected in how short sword culture continued to occupy the core of formal dress until the end, which can be said to show the character of the Navy as an organization—a culture that emphasized international diplomatic functions and formal shipboard ceremonies.

Precautions for Modern Collectors—Authentication and Evaluation

Naval tachi-style military swords have smaller circulation than Army military swords, and appear in the collector market in complete condition (with both blade and koshirae) only infrequently. In particular, complete examples with blade, koshirae, and naval documentation typically command higher prices than Army Model 98s in equivalent condition.

The greatest precaution in authentication is the existence of "later composite pieces." Pieces combining naval tsubas and fittings with Army blades, or civilian-made koshirae fitted with naval-style fittings after the fact, sometimes appear on the market. Determining authenticity requires comprehensive specialist knowledge examining the casting pattern of the tsuba, materials of the fittings, aging consistency of each part of the koshirae, and other factors, and consulting with sword dealers and researchers is strongly recommended when making purchases.

Additionally, for naval short swords, manufacturer's marks (present from both government arsenals and private swordsmiths) provide clues for authentication. Cross-referencing with specialized literature detailing the presence, form, and location of marks increases accuracy in determining manufacturing date and circumstances. In the modern research environment, it is recommended to increase authentication accuracy by utilizing digital archives and specialist academic journals.