Arisaka Bayonet Type 30 Bayonet

Gift of Jaques Smith, 2003.331.001

The long 16-inch blade of the Type 30 bayonet compensated for the small stature of the average Japanese soldier by extending their reach in close combat. During World War II, US forces had adopted a bayonet with only a 10-inch blade. The Type 99 Light Machine Gun has a provision for attaching this bayonet; this odd practice was viewed as a novelty due to its weight of 23 pounds.