Description
Rare WWII Japanese bayonet. The holder is not the original sheath that went with the bayonet.
Blade measures 16 inches by 20.2 inches.
The primary WWII Japanese bayonet was the long, sword-like Type 30, used from 1897 to 1945 with Arisaka rifles (Type 38, 99), serving as both a weapon and tool, with variations in production (blued, unblued, fullered). The holder, or scabbard, was often wooden or metal and evolved, with late-war efforts focusing on crude, unmounted pole bayonets (spears) for civilian militias to defend against invasion, highlighting desperation as the war ended.Â
The Type 30 Bayonet & Scabbard (Main Issue)Â
- Design:Â A long (nearly 16-inch) blade, single-edged with a fuller (groove), hooked quillion (crossguard), and bird’s head pommel, designed for the Arisaka rifle.
- Function:Â More than just a bayonet; it was a valuable tool and could be used like a short sword.
- Evolution:Â Early versions were polished; later war production became cruder, blued, and sometimes lost the fuller, with variants from various arsenals (Kokura, Tokyo, etc.).
- Scabbards:Â Often metal or wood, with variants like the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal’s wooden scabbard.Â
Late-War “Last Ditch” Bayonets
- Context:Â With the threat of invasion, Japan produced simple, unmounted bayonets.
- Design:Â These lacked rifle fittings (muzzle ring, mortise) and were meant to be lashed to wooden poles, creating spears for civilian defense.
- Production:Â Made from simple steel blanks at arsenals like Jinsen (in occupied
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