Zatoichi

Zatoichi is the blind swordsman played by Shintaro Katsu in 26 films starting in 1962, one of the most iconic characters in Japanese period cinema. Beat Takeshi's 2003 remake introduced the character to new generations. Zatoichi's shikomizue (cane sword) is a concealed weapon — a blade hidden inside a walking stick — that actually existed as a self-defense tool during the Edo period. His distinctive reverse-grip quick-draw technique is based on real iaido methods but evolved into something uniquely his own. Cane swords were used to carry weapons discreetly even before the sword ban, and concealing a blade in a blind man's cane reflects the social position of the zato (blind masseur). The blades were typically shorter than standard uchigatana, often nearly straight with minimal curvature. At DATEKATANA, we carry authentic Japanese swords of diverse forms, including wakizashi and tanto.