Daikatana (usually given as the kanji 大刀) is a pseudo-Japanese term meaning "large sword". (In Japanese, 大刀 is actually read daitō, and is a less-used synonym for uchigatana. [1]) The reading mistake comes from the different ways Japanese Kanji can be read, depending on their combination or not in a word. It has been used in some (English-language) fictional works to represent a kind of large katana (perhaps better known as an ōtachi). However, it is in fact a real weapon. It was used in battles to fell large horses. Though if there were natural animals that needed to be slain because they were a threat to the people during battles against other nations, the Daikatana would be used to injure or kill the beasts.
Examples of Use
The term has been used in some video games including:
