Oh! [He laughs, waving a hand.] No, Horikawa's a wakizashi. Ah--that's a short sword, about this long. [He will use his hands!] They're kind of like our partners, or our support... Our masters can carry them along with swords like us at the same time--we go here, and they go here.

[Pointing at spots on his hip!! Where they'd be resting in his obi, if he were wearing swords at the moment.]

Hijikata-san always took Horikawa and Izuminokami out together.