Most wakizashi are between the sizes of 12 - 24 inches.

The Katana and the Wakizashi

Wakizashi

The term kodachi literally translates to "short tachi." During the Tokugawa era in Japan katana and wakizashi were only allowed to be carried by Samurai, The Tokugawa also placed measurement limits on what defined a katana (the samurai's soul) and the wakizashi (honor blade), the kodachi is to short to be considered a katana and to long to be a wakizashi. Kodachi were primarily carried by merchants. Also the forging process used to make a kodachi differed from that of katana and wakizashi. Kodachi were not originally made for dual sword techniques, but as a means of self defense for those that were not allowed to posses katana/wakizashi. Although due to the design and length kodachi could be dual wielded much more efficiently than a katana and wakizashi.

The katana and the wakizashi.