<p>While there is no definitive answer at this point many of the theories out there are plausible.  I however, personally think that one of the most overlooked and underestimated answers is that she simply doesn't like/want to use it.  Much to the same affect as to why Sui Feng does not like using her Bankai.  (Said reason being that it does not conform to the style of combat the leader of the Stealth Force conforms to.)  One may also note that most of the unnamed members of the Stealth Force are typically shown with no Zanpakuto.  One must also take into account that Yoruichi is well regarded as one of the finest hand to hand combatants in Soul Society as well as one of the fastest and most proficient users of Shunpo.  Keeping these things in mind, perhaps her Zanpakuto would provide no benefit or even hinder her fighting style.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-19T07:37:54.140Z
Good reasoning drawing Sui Feng and the Stealth Force as examples.
Gao
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-19T07:28:38.037Z
2015-01-19T07:28:38.037Z
Indra Otsutsuki
<p>The story of Yoruichi's departure from Soul Society and her back story and Soifon's initiation state that Suzumebachi is the Zanpakuto given to all the reigning leader of the Onmitsukidō or Stealth Force. Yoruichi doesn't have her Zanpakuto because it is inherent to the current leader of the Stealth Force, which she is not.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-11T18:52:18.947Z
any sources to go with this statement?
Dimitri mx
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-12T02:30:04.423Z
When they are showing soifon and youroichi's relationship and youroichi's departure from ss can't remember exactly which anime episode, or which manga chapter it was in, but it was definitely during the end of the arc where they are saving rukia
julius
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-03T04:58:34.503Z
@Dimitrimx A year later now, but there are more recent developments which show that a Zanpakuto can be passed on to others.  Even early on we know that Tosen's Zanpakuto was actually someone else's.  More recently we have seen Zanpakutos passed down as ritual implements for certain organizations or households.  So it is plausible that the Stealth Squad has a similar tradition.
zibadawa timmy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-11T18:24:01.370Z
2015-02-11T19:55:11.257Z
2015-02-11T19:55:11.257Z
julius
<ol>
<li>In her fight with soi fon she throws a kunai.</li>
<li>She merged with it.</li>
<li>She is really the physical manifestation of urahara's zanpakto which is why he doesnt use it past shikai.</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-19T00:52:13.473Z
I believe this is incorrect (as far as the third point is concerened) as as far as i know, Kisuke Urahara's Zanpakutō is Benihime and he wilds her when training Ichigo at the same time Yoroichi is training Orihime and Chad early in the series (before mounting the rescue operation for Rukia)
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-19T00:36:07.453Z
2015-01-19T00:49:30.533Z
2015-01-19T00:49:30.533Z
user11249
<p>I believe it's more like Ise Nanao's case. It's probable that it's a family something and so she had to give it up for the next in her family to wield it</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-02T03:05:36.317Z
Can you elaborate on your answer? Provide sources (chapters, episodes, etc) to back up your speculations, at least.
W. Are
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-02T01:06:03.757Z
2019-03-02T01:06:03.757Z
David Omari-Mensah
<p>In the Zanpaktou Rebellion Arc, it is told by Suzumebachi or Soifon's zanpaktou that she used to belong to Yorouichi. I just saw this recently, but if you see around the 4:30 minute mark of this video, Suzumebachi states this. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DgCe9wM_0k" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DgCe9wM_0k</a>. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-15T18:54:07.457Z
Suzumebachi mentions the line "After all, I was your Zanpakuto" - She's referring that she was Soifon's Zanpakuto before the events in this arc.
BlueBuddy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-15T18:12:14.440Z
2014-10-15T18:12:14.440Z
Anonymouse
<p>There are many THEORIES as to what happened to her Zanpakuto. I'm not sure if I can ANSWER your question as definitely as you'd like, but I can list some possible answers. It's up to you to find the one that you believe most plausible. Or we can wait til old Tite Kubo gives us the answer. </p>

<ol>
<li><p>She gave it up when she left the Soul Society. </p>

<ul>
<li>Yoruichi is a part of a very honorable family, so it's almost possible that she would leave her Zanpakuto to symbolize the fact that she's leaving the Seireitei. </li>
<li><strong>However</strong>, a Zanpakuto is a partnership. It's doubtful that somebody could just leave their partner, especially if their Zanpakuto is an animate object. Also, why would she have to give up something that important?</li>
</ul></li>
<li><p>It was stolen.</p>

<ul>
<li>It's not impossible to believe that after a particularly long bout with some Hollow, or another Soul Reaper, it was taken as a trophy. Or even destroyed? </li>
<li><strong>However</strong>, Yoruichi is an extremely amazing fighter. She couldn't have lost unless she fought something on the level of the Espada.  </li>
</ul></li>
<li><p>She keeps it with her, but sees no point in using it.</p>

<ul>
<li>This is what I believe. That she just has it set aside and is waiting for an opportune moment to use it. </li>
<li><strong>However</strong>, why wouldn't she have used it by now??? You would think, with all the amazing enemies that have been introduced, she would've pulled it out by now. </li>
<li><p><strong>Also</strong>, the only reasons she wouldn't use it is if</p>

<ul>
<li>It is too weak to make a difference in battle and she sees no point in using it</li>
<li>Or, it is too STRONG and she cannot properly control it</li>
<li>Or, she had a falling out with it, and she's not allowed to use it.</li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
</ol>

<p>Those are just some theories. I believe she wouldn't have gotten rid of it. I think she would've done what Kisuke did. Personally, I think we'll see it one day, along with her Bankai. Sorry that I couldn't answer your question.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-30T00:03:54.837Z
She might not use it because of some restriction placed on her when she left, i'm sure Kisuke has restrictions on himself but this is only based off from how he was rejected by the gate he created earlier when first sending Ichigo and friends to save Rukia
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-31T18:10:30.193Z
possibly she is in a permanent shikai state and her Zanpakuto's released form isn't clearly visible
IG_42
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-29T20:50:16.667Z
2014-08-30T09:27:03.037Z
2014-08-30T09:27:03.037Z
Hopeless_Noob
<p>Since the beginning, we see Yoroichi does not wield a Zanpakuto, but isn't it strange? Isn't she a Shinigami and the Zanpakuto is so important for them?</p>

<p>It's true that she has her own fighting style, but like Soi Fon, she has the same fighting style, but uses a Zanpakuto.</p>

<p>There was some flashback moments when we saw younger Yoroichi wielding a Zanpakuto:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/PRWt5.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>I imagine she had Shikai/Bankai to become a Captain, so she should be stronger if she uses it in a fight. Maybe she has lost it or something?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-03T18:51:46.210Z
Can I daresay that Tite Kubo forgot about it? Maybe he had some ideas in his head but eventually forgot to flesh it out. One can point to many other inconsistencies in Bleach
Sazid Ahmad
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-11T13:36:00.327Z
They never explicitly said anything about her Zanpakuto in the Manga or Anime. Though I doubt she got rid of it
JoeyD473
<bleach>
Where is Yoruichi's Zanpakuto?
# Where is Yoruichi's Zanpakuto?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-09-11
Since the beginning, we see Yoroichi does not wield a Zanpakuto, but isn't it strange? Isn't she a Shinigami and the Zanpakuto is so important for them?

It's true that she has her own fighting style, but like Soi Fon, she has the same fighting style, but uses a Zanpakuto.

There was some flashback moments when we saw younger Yoroichi wielding a Zanpakuto:

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/PRWt5.png)

I imagine she had Shikai/Bankai to become a Captain, so she should be stronger if she uses it in a fight. Maybe she has lost it or something?
**Tags:** bleach
> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: They never explicitly said anything about her Zanpakuto in the Manga or Anime. Though I doubt she got rid of it  
> **username_1**: Can I daresay that Tite Kubo forgot about it? Maybe he had some ideas in his head but eventually forgot to flesh it out. One can point to many other inconsistencies in Bleach  
---
## 6 answers
### Answer by username_14 on 2013-10-29. Score: 11 | Accepted answer
There are many THEORIES as to what happened to her Zanpakuto. I'm not sure if I can ANSWER your question as definitely as you'd like, but I can list some possible answers. It's up to you to find the one that you believe most plausible. Or we can wait til old Tite Kubo gives us the answer.

1. She gave it up when she left the Soul Society.

   * Yoruichi is a part of a very honorable family, so it's almost possible that she would leave her Zanpakuto to symbolize the fact that she's leaving the Seireitei.
   * **However**, a Zanpakuto is a partnership. It's doubtful that somebody could just leave their partner, especially if their Zanpakuto is an animate object. Also, why would she have to give up something that important?
2. It was stolen.

   * It's not impossible to believe that after a particularly long bout with some Hollow, or another Soul Reaper, it was taken as a trophy. Or even destroyed?
   * **However**, Yoruichi is an extremely amazing fighter. She couldn't have lost unless she fought something on the level of the Espada.
3. She keeps it with her, but sees no point in using it.

   * This is what I believe. That she just has it set aside and is waiting for an opportune moment to use it.
   * **However**, why wouldn't she have used it by now??? You would think, with all the amazing enemies that have been introduced, she would've pulled it out by now.
   * **Also**, the only reasons she wouldn't use it is if

     + It is too weak to make a difference in battle and she sees no point in using it
     + Or, it is too STRONG and she cannot properly control it
     + Or, she had a falling out with it, and she's not allowed to use it.

Those are just some theories. I believe she wouldn't have gotten rid of it. I think she would've done what Kisuke did. Personally, I think we'll see it one day, along with her Bankai. Sorry that I couldn't answer your question.
> **Comments:**
> **username_9** (2013-10-30): She might not use it because of some restriction placed on her when she left, i'm sure Kisuke has restrictions on himself but this is only based off from how he was rejected by the gate he created earlier when first sending Ichigo and friends to save Rukia  
> **username_15** (2014-08-31): possibly she is in a permanent shikai state and her Zanpakuto's released form isn't clearly visible  
---
### Answer by username_3 on 2015-01-19. Score: 6
While there is no definitive answer at this point many of the theories out there are plausible. I however, personally think that one of the most overlooked and underestimated answers is that she simply doesn't like/want to use it. Much to the same affect as to why Sui Feng does not like using her Bankai. (Said reason being that it does not conform to the style of combat the leader of the Stealth Force conforms to.) One may also note that most of the unnamed members of the Stealth Force are typically shown with no Zanpakuto. One must also take into account that Yoruichi is well regarded as one of the finest hand to hand combatants in Soul Society as well as one of the fastest and most proficient users of Shunpo. Keeping these things in mind, perhaps her Zanpakuto would provide no benefit or even hinder her fighting style.
> **Comments:**
> **username_4** (2015-01-19): Good reasoning drawing Sui Feng and the Stealth Force as examples.  
---
### Answer by username_5 on 2015-02-11. Score: 2
The story of Yoruichi's departure from Soul Society and her back story and Soifon's initiation state that Suzumebachi is the Zanpakuto given to all the reigning leader of the Onmitsukidō or Stealth Force. Yoruichi doesn't have her Zanpakuto because it is inherent to the current leader of the Stealth Force, which she is not.
> **Comments:**
> **username_6** (2015-02-11): any sources to go with this statement?  
> **username_5** (2015-02-12): When they are showing soifon and youroichi's relationship and youroichi's departure from ss can't remember exactly which anime episode, or which manga chapter it was in, but it was definitely during the end of the arc where they are saving rukia  
> **username_7** (2016-01-03): @Dimitrimx A year later now, but there are more recent developments which show that a Zanpakuto can be passed on to others.  Even early on we know that Tosen's Zanpakuto was actually someone else's.  More recently we have seen Zanpakutos passed down as ritual implements for certain organizations or households.  So it is plausible that the Stealth Squad has a similar tradition.  
---
### Answer by username_8 on 2015-01-19. Score: 0
1. In her fight with soi fon she throws a kunai.
2. She merged with it.
3. She is really the physical manifestation of urahara's zanpakto which is why he doesnt use it past shikai.
> **Comments:**
> **username_9** (2015-01-19): I believe this is incorrect (as far as the third point is concerened) as as far as i know, Kisuke Urahara's Zanpakutō is Benihime and he wilds her when training Ichigo at the same time Yoroichi is training Orihime and Chad early in the series (before mounting the rescue operation for Rukia)  
---
### Answer by username_10 on 2019-03-02. Score: 0
I believe it's more like Ise Nanao's case. It's probable that it's a family something and so she had to give it up for the next in her family to wield it
> **Comments:**
> **username_11** (2019-03-02): Can you elaborate on your answer? Provide sources (chapters, episodes, etc) to back up your speculations, at least.  
---
### Answer by username_12 on 2014-10-15. Score: -4
In the Zanpaktou Rebellion Arc, it is told by Suzumebachi or Soifon's zanpaktou that she used to belong to Yorouichi. I just saw this recently, but if you see around the 4:30 minute mark of this video, Suzumebachi states this. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DgCe9wM_0k>.
> **Comments:**
> **username_13** (2014-10-15): Suzumebachi mentions the line "After all, I was your Zanpakuto" - She's referring that she was Soifon's Zanpakuto before the events in this arc.  
---
