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Weapons System

Gunto

Edged And Melee Weapons

The gunto is a ceremonial sword produced for the Imperial Japanese army and navy following the introduction of conscription in 1872. Carried from the Meiji era through the middle of the Showa era, roughly 1872 to 1945, it typically had an overall length near 100 centimeters with a curved single edged blade about 60 centimeters long, mounted in a hilt and scabbard of wood, leather, metal, and other materials depending on rank and period. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Weapon Class
Sword 1
Introduced Year
1872 1
Classification
Service Status
Retired 1
Weapon Class
Weapon Class (category)
Sword / Polearm / Bladed 1
Connections

Operated By

Imperial Japanese Army, Armed Forces and Units
Source Wikipedia: Gunto

Used In

Russo-Japanese War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Gunto
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Gunto
  • Weapon class (sword-polearm-blade) is a pre-industrial/melee weapon type by its own nature per the entity's own sourced description text; not carried in current active military service.
  • Article text
    The kyū guntō was used from 1872 until 1934, and many styles closely resembled European and American swords of the time, with a wraparound hand guard (also known as a D-guard) and chrome plated scabbard (saya), the steel scabbard is said to have been introduced around 1900.
  • Lead section
    Military action by Japan in China and Russia during the Meiji Period helped revive the manufacture of swords and in the Shōwa period (1926-1989) before and during World War II swords were once again produced on a large scale.
  • Used In: Russo-Japanese War, Wikipedia article text
    These swords are referred to as Murata-tō and they were used in both the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905).
  • In Group: Swords and Sabres, Lead sentence
    The guntō (軍刀; military sword) is a ceremonial sword that was produced for the Imperial Japanese army and navy after the introduction of conscription in 1872.
View the Source
Wikidata: Gunto
Wikidata Q738793, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
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