Type 30 Bayonet
| Factions | Weapon | Icon | Damage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Attack | Secondary Attack | |||
 VC |
 Type 30 Bayonet |
 |
65 (25 bleed) | 100 |
| Full name | Weapon Type | Place of Origin | Date | Manufacturer | Blade Length | Total Length | Weapon Script Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FN | Melee | Japan | 1897 | Arm | in ( mm) | in ( mm) | weapon_type30_bayonet |
The Type 30 Bayonet is an Imperial Japanese knife bayonet originally adopted for the Arisaka Type 30 rifle and later used with several Japanese service rifles and carbines. It is characterized by a long, single-edged, fullered blade and a simple muzzle-ring and locking-slot attachment system. The Type 30 is best known as Japan’s standard bayonet pattern through much of the first half of the 20th century, with many production variations over its very long service life.
HISTORY
Japan adopted the Type 30 bayonet in 1897 (the 30th year of the Meiji era) to accompany the Type 30 rifle, and it remained the principal Japanese bayonet pattern for decades. As Japanese small arms evolved, the same basic bayonet pattern continued in use with later Arisaka rifles and carbines, resulting in extensive production and numerous manufacturer- and period-specific variations. Early examples are often associated with features like a hooked quillon, while later wartime production simplified fittings and finishes to speed manufacture.
The Type 30 saw wide service in early 20th-century conflicts and both World Wars as Japan’s standard issue bayonet, and surviving examples are commonly found with their steel scabbards and rifle-mount hardware intact. Because Japanese weapons were deployed across Asia and the Pacific, Type 30 bayonets also persisted in circulation after 1945 alongside captured or surplus Arisaka rifles. This long production run and broad geographic distribution make the Type 30 one of the most commonly encountered Japanese bayonets in military collections today.
Sources
- Imperial War Museums – Japanese Type 30 bayonet, with scabbard
- Royal Armouries – Bayonet and scabbard, Arisaka Model 30 (Type 30)
- Australian War Memorial – Arisaka Type 30 Bayonet
- Smithsonian (National Museum of American History) – Japanese Arisaka Type 30 knife bayonet