Watō

The Watō (倭 (わ) 刀 (とう) ) is the personal sword that is used by Yukishiro Enishi.

Enishi wielding his Watō.

Design

The Watō is a Nihontō (Japanese sword 日 (に) 本 (ほん) 刀 (とう) ) with a Chinese tsuba (hilt) and tsuka (handle). The blade of the sword is actually that of the Tachi - the longer, curvier precursor to the Uchigatana that was heavily used up to the Sengoku era.

History

When the Ming Dynasty fought off the Wakō pirates on the coast of the mainland, they were confronted with the strength of the Nihontō that they wielded, having a very hard time fighting them off. The Shaolin Warrior Monk turned general Tei Sōyū turned his attention to this new sword and studied it, compiling all his research into a book known as Tantō Hōsen. Another general known as Seiki Keikō adopted the Nihontō as part of his army's equipment. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, not only was the Nihontō an official piece of military equipment, but the continent began producing its own Japanese-style swords as opposed to merely importing them, resulting in the Watō.

Enishi had used the watō during the Jinchu Arc, as his personal sword. The wato was destroyed during Enishi's second fight with Kenshin.

Users

• Yukishiro Enishi

See also

• Wodao on Wikipedia