Ok try this one on weapon fans.

If one is holding a katana in their right hand, what is the ideal weapon to put in one's left hand?

Wakazashi (blade presents a threat)

Shield (excelent defence)

Sai or jutte (good for defence and traping)

Fan (it would look cool)

Stick (?)

Flail (?)

If you are a leftie then reverse hands but same question. Also lets assume we are not worried about what's leagle to carry or what can be found on the ground. And please no one say 'your brain' or 'a gun' or 'run away' or 'a phone to call the police' or anything like that.

Alright, let's go.

Okay, I don't claim to know jack...but isn't a katana a two-handed weapon?

Oh, and...

Your brain-gun, after you call the police and run away.

Katana can be one-handed or two-handed. And I would love to learn to wield a katana-wakazashi combo in the traditional way.

My left hand would be wielding the bottom half of my katana. which, for note, is 28 1/2" blade 14" tsuka.

well, its realy a matter of personal preferance and how good you would be with it, for me, one of three things...

1) a buckler, nice small shield with good speed and doesent hinder you using your left hand for the katana, my favorite chioce.

2) a wakizashi, traditional

or 2) a kama, ive done katana forms with the kama, it looks kool and it makes you a sort of whirlwind of blades ^_^

Um yea, I would definitely have both hands on the katana. In my opinion, anyone with less then 10 years of kenjitsu experience would be well informed to do the same.

Um yea, I would definitely have both hands on the katana. In my opinion, anyone with less then 10 years of kenjitsu experience would be well informed to do the same.

that realy depends on the style there using, it could be a one or two handed style, it also can depend on personal preferance, i tend to use it with both my hands and one handed, sometimes switching back and fourth

idgo for a nodachi.... lol

that realy depends on the style there using, it could be a one or two handed style, it also can depend on personal preferance, i tend to use it with both my hands and one handed, sometimes switching back and fourth

I have to say that my knowledge with the katana is limited, but from what I've seen using a katana one handed is quite a challenge. I am not saying that a person using a katana one handed with limited experience wouldn't be dangerous. What I am saying is that with a practitioner who has limited experience (< 10 years) there is little question that it would be best to wield it two handed, if you had to wield it at all.

The reason being that katana theory is quite different from any other weapons out there. Unlike rapier fencing where a series of maneuvers, parries, and thrusts are used to progress toward a killing blow, the katana is a one shot one kill weapon. Sure having another weapon in the other hand would offer something to parry and this would be relevant if using a katana was about parrying. But really it isn't. Its about drawing and cutting. Both of which are best accomplished with two hands. Now of course you can bring up Miyamoto Musashi who proliferated the two weapon fighting style. But consider the experience he had and required of his students before teaching this. This is not a tactic best employed by the masses. It is really only for the very experienced.

Now it sounds like you have some sword experiance yourself so perhaps you can let me know what I'm missing here or why you are suggesting that this is not always the case.