Japanese dirk, the hilt of the dirk consists of a gilt brass pommel, which is cap-shaped and is decorated with an embossed design of a cherry flower. A small gilt ferrule is fitted at the top of the pommel and adjoins the simple gilded brass cross-guard. The cross-guard has slightly inversed ends. The wooden grip is covered with white fish-skin probably ray-skin, and is spirally bound with three gilt wires. The grip tapers towards the bottom and the narrow cap-shaped pommel. The grip is secured to the tang by a small bamboo rod 61mm from the pommel. The number '5' is stamped on the tang.

The steel blade is very slightly curved and single-edged, with the edge curving sharply near the point, although not as sharply as classical Japanese weapons. A brass collar (habaki) is fitted over the shoulder and there is a faint fuller 140mm long running near the back edge on each side. There are no engravings on the obverse or reverse of the blade, although there are faint traces of 'watering'. The wooden scabbard is covered with dark brown leather, which is sewn down the reverse side. The gilt top locket, is fitted with a suspension ring on each side, and is decorated with cherry blossoms and has a trefoil shape cut-out on each side. The gilt chape is decorated in a similar manner and has the same cut-out shape. The scabbard is far longer than the blade warrants.

Although this weapon is not made in the Japanese tradition of sword design, it bears many similar features, which illustrate its origins. The cherry flower motif is the same as that appearing on service swords - the cherry being auspicious and widely used as a decorative form. This is a factory-produced weapon, which compares favourably with similar articles in the West. It seems likely that most Japanese Officers could wear dirks from about the time of the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) onwards.