There are a few names in Japanese for a knife like this. The maker of this knife, Hattori Ichiro, calls it a "katana knife" for the American market. I prefer a different name.

In the movie Rashōmon, the dagger wielded by The Wife character is precisely this style, and the word used in the movie is 短刀 (tantō). This is the best word for this dazzling machine.

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