Ōtsuchi (arma)

thumb|In this Kunisada print, [[Horibe Yasubei holds a large mallet.]] An is a large wooden war mallet used by the samurai class of feudal Japan. Unlike bladed weapons such as the katana or polearms such as the naginata, the ōtsuchi was a blunt-force instrument, resembling an oversized wooden mallet or sledgehammer. It had a shaft of about 6 ft (183 cm) much like the ono (war axe). Typically constructed of heavy wood, sometimes reinforced with iron, the ōtsuchi was not commonly used for direct combat but for breaching doors, gates, or fortifications. Its design and purpose align it with siege