This is a «hachiwari», or a helmet breaker. Its name makes it clear what it was used for. It is heavy and has a hook that could break apart metal, almost like a can opener.

Photo

Mårten Teigen/Museum of Cultural History

Source file

uemf09870_018-uem36516-1_hjelmbrekker-1000px.jpg (1,000 x 533 px)  –  92.3 kB

Image usage

University of Oslo copyright