Japanese Text & Documents

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Yaoya Oshichi : A Story about Love and Fire ~ Part 2

We continue with part 2 on the story of Yaoya Oshichi. This time around, we’ll look at the various details surrounding her story and how it affects different aspects of Japanese life. Also, there will be a few extra tidbits that have some connection that are unique in there own rights.

Another artwork of Oshichi climbing the ladder of a watch tower. This one also has a version of her story written on it. From the series “Kokon Meifuden” (古今名婦傳). By Utagawa Toyokuni.

CURSE OF THE FIRE HORSE?

Let’s address the underlining point behind Oshichi’s story, which is the significance of the Zodiac year. Oshichi is said to be born in 1666, which is a year that falls on the Fire Horse. If we examine more thoroughly, we’ll learn that in the 60-year Lunar cycle, the Fire Horse always falls on the 43rd year.

Below is a chart that lists the years of the Fire Horse, from the start of Edo period all the way down to future points in modern times (left to right, top to bottom).

1606166617261786
1846190619662026
208621462206etc.

Since Oshichi’s birth year aligns with this, rumors started to spread that she naturally had the tendency of being overtly passionate about love, which will lead her to go extreme lengths for forbidden love due to being overstimulated by her sign’s energy. This was promoted heavily through the novel “Kōshoku Gonin Onna” (好色五人女) by Ihara Saikaku, which came out around 3 years after Oshichi’s death. Although it was not the 1st source, this novel was received as a popular piece. Thus, Ihara’s work contributed to pushing those rumors as if truth, which eventually became a standardized ideology directed to any women who would be born on any of the years listed above. However, the reality is there’s no correlation between the Fire Horse sign and committing crimes. Oshichi shouldn’t be used as a scapegoat to push this narrative, for her crimes were committed based on her rash choices alone.

On the other hand, there are researchers who point out another inconsistency with her age at time of death. While it is believed she was 16 at the start of her story in 1682, Oshichi dying at the age of 17 means her birthday was early in 1683. But this is not consistent between the numerous versions of her story, where some say she died when she was 16. If we are to go with that, then this means she was not born in 1666, but possibly a year later. If this is the case, then this whole narrative of women and the Fire Horse sign was a complete fabrication.

PREJUDICE AGAINST WOMEN

Continuing with the above, there is a collection of defamations outlining the dangers of women that are born in the year of the Fire Horse. The majority of them focus on when these women fall in love. Interestingly, it actually didn’t start with Oshichi and her crime. In 1662, a poet/performer by the name of Yamaoka Genrin (山岡元隣) compiled a collection of poems and songs. In it was one that goes as the following:

ORIG: Hinoe uma narazuba otoko kui zaramashi (ひのえ午ならずば 男くいざらまし)
TRANS: A woman won’t lust for men, unless she is born under the sign of the Fire Horse

Apparently, this prejudice stems from much earlier, possibly as early as 1606. Unfortunately, there are no detailed records as to why. After Oshichi’s incident, this view against women of the Fire Horse sign intensified, becoming the norm across Japan as it was used as a basis in artworks, songs, and the like. The following are just some of the phrases in Japanese I was able to come across, followed by my English transliteration below.

Women born under the Fire Horse sign are portrayed as troublesome due to their intense love. In the follow artwork entitled “Uta makura” (歌まくら) by Kitagawa Utamaro, a woman is shown confronting her partner regarding his love letters to another woman, and overpowering him. Could it be that their wrath is something like this? From Ukiyoe are ya kore ya.

ORIG: Hinoe uma hiru no chigiri mo taenu beshi (丙午昼の契りも絶へぬべし)
TRANS: Women of the Fire Horse sign are only good to be with late in the day

ORIG: Hinoe uma tataru made koso inochi nare (丙午祟るまでこそ命なれ)
TRANS: When a woman of the Fire Horse sign risks her life for something, it will lead to others getting hurt

ORIG: Hinoe uma no onna naredomo sore ni wa yorazu, otoko ni kuwarete koko chi nayamishi (ひのえ午の女なれどもそれにはよらず、男に喰れてここ地なやみし)
TRANS: Women of the Fire Horse sign aren’t bad as they say, it’s just that once they are with a man, they lose their minds and common sense

ORIG: Hinoe uma no onna ha kanarazu otoko wo kuwaeru to yo ni tsutaeshi ga, sore ni kagirazu (丙午の女は必ず男を喰へると世に伝えしが、それには限らず)
TRANS: It’s known throughout the lands that women of the Fire Horse sign are renown for pleasing men, but that’s not all they’re good for

ORIG: Kanarazu hinoe uma no onna, otto wo kamu mono ni arazu (かならず丙午のおんな、夫をかむものにあらず)
TRANS: Women who are born under the Fire Horse sign are just not fit to be made a wife

Of course, all of these statements are baseless, and are stemmed from an unforeseen bias against women. In fact, there is no supportive data regarding disasteous marraiges with women who were born in the Fire Horse year.

THE GREAT FIRE OF 1682

In part 1, we established that Oshichi’s story begins with her family home catching fire on 12/28/1682¹. Different versions of the story also, from what I understand, use the same date. This actually coincides with a particular tragedy that befell Edo on the same date. While in the Tenna Shōishū it sounds like Oshichi’s family home being lost to a fire was an isolated incident, it’s also not wrong to consider that the fire actually affected many others within their neighborhood.

Let’s look at this horrific day documented as “Tenna no Taika” (天和の大火), or “Tenna era’s Great Fire”, and see how it parallels with Oshichi’s story. On the same date, a wild blaze caused hundred of homes and structures to be burnt down, claiming thousands of lives. It’s not recorded what the cause was, but it’s easy to speculate that, being a time when many families, businesses, and establishments are busy with events related to the close of the year, some unfortunate accident big enough may have occurred. In the aftermath, displaced residences took refuge at a large spare housing complex² which was in the grounds of the temple Daienji (大円寺). This disaster left a mark in Japan’s history, and is labeled as one of ten major fire calamities that afflicted Edo³.

As an example of a fire out of control, here’s an artwork entitled “Outbreak of the Fire Viewed from Hisamatsucho”(久松町ニ而見る出火 明治十四年二月十一日夜出火). It takes the point of view of someone safely away from a raging fire consuming many homes in the distance. By Kiyochika Kobayashi. From ukiyo-e.

It’s not wrong to assume that this disaster is the cause of the Yaoya family’s home. Of course, Oshichi is not the cause of it. On the other hand, there seems to be a perculiar version which implies that, when she set her family’s house on fire in order to see her lover again⁴, it spreads to other houses, and causes a disaster similar to the real life fire disaster. Some artworks depict this, with her climbing a watch tower to ring the alarm bell and beat the warning drums. In this version, as she descends the ladder, she is caught by authorities. Another point worth mentioning, some versions use the same set up of Daienji temple, but with a different name, sometimes closer to the name of another temple, or something completely made up.

With the Great Fire as the starting point, it’s safe to say that Oshichi’s story parallels what unfolded after this disaster to an extent, from displaced residents finding shelter to lost property being rebuilt. Note that all versions take the liberty of changing things so as to not match real events 100%, which includes dates, locations, and the number of households afflicted.

LATE ENTRY IN GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS?!?

If Oshichi’s crime was true, it should be documented in the records associated with Suzugamori Prison. While one would assume this, apparently this is not the case. There is an official Edo government crime & punishment recording called “Oshioki Saikyochō” (御仕置裁許帳) which, suprisingly, doesn’t mention anything in the logs during 1683 about Oshichi and her crimes of starting a fire. However, in a 1691 log there is mention of a woman named Oshichi who was convicted of a crime. If this is the same person, why did it take 8 years to finally be recorded?

Let’s look further into this. The actual name in this log is written different as “お志ち”. This is in hiragana writing, which one can considered as a plain form. No kanji is used⁵, meaning it can’t be officially connected to the Oshichi from 1683. Also, it is noted that this Oshichi was a housewife, yet we know that the one in question was not married. Also, this one is said to be the wife of a man named “Kyūbei” (久兵衛), who was the head of the Sanaezaka (左内坂) household in Ichigaya, Edo. Other than the pronunciation of their names, the other similar point this woman has is she was also convicted for attempted arson, with her punishment being burned to death.

Was this inclusion in that record meant to rectify an oversight of being 8 years late? Can this information in the 1691 entry be considered the real details that were being concealed? This has yet to be confirmed.

OSHICHI’S DAY

March 29 is remembered as ”Yaoya Oshichi no Hi” (八百屋お七の日), or “Day of Yaoya Oshichi”. This is the day in 1683 when she was executed at the age of 17⁶. It seems unusual that someone who committed a crime would have a day of recognition. It is not a major holiday, nor one of celebration. Instead, this day serves some other purposes.

For starters, in the literary world, the idea of tragic love story is greatly highlighed by Oshichi’s story, so it serves as a solid candidate by fans of this genre. Next, this day is used to promote the importance of fire safety, and remind people that it is a crime to willingly commit arson. Lastly, some use this day as a reminder of maintaining a good relationship through expressing oneself earnestly, communicating through proper conversations, as well as possessing a healthy well being emotionally and mentally.

While there is a level of positivity with the points mentioned above, we can’t forget that this day also serves as grounds for further discrimination. This includes women born in the year of the Fire Horse, and parents avoiding naming their daughters “Oshichi”, as the name has become taboo due to association. On a sighly related note, the image of Oshichi and the numerous facades of her tale became popular at times, as if her notoriety was seen as a fad. It got to the point where the label “Oshichi-kaze” (お七風, Oshichi fever) was used for a case of influenza that struck Japan in the early 1800s, partly due to the popularity of a song about this same young girl and her tragic story.

OSHICHI’S GRAVE

In the front area within the compound of temple Enjōji (円乗寺), there is a small gravesite. It’s more than just her remains being kept here, for there are attractive banners, flowers, garden lanterns, and two paper lanterns. It’s a very attractive appearance. However, this is not the only alleged gravesite of hers, for there are more. This includes one at Kichijōji (吉祥寺), and another at Daienji (大円寺). The last one is unique as it claims to have the remains of both Oshichi and her lover. Which one is the true gravesite? Who knows. There’s a great possibility that none are the true gravesite of Oshichi, and merely serve as an honorary site, which is not an unusual practice.

Images of the 2 gravesites: Kichijouji (left) and Daienji (right). From Photo-AC.

The main reason for many of these temples to setup an honorary gravesite is due to their connections to Oshichi’s story…or should I say one the numerous versions out there. For example, the temple Kichijōji is used as the location where Oshichi and her family stayed in the popular novel “Kōshoku Gonin Onna” , albeit only in reference⁷. At the end of the day, these honorary gravesites serve as attractions, further contributing to the long-lasting popularity of Oshichi and her story.

GUARDIAN STATUES

While most view Oshichi’s story in a negative light, there are those who tried to put a positive spin on this. After her death, Oshichi was idolized in the form of a jizō (地蔵), or a statue of protection. Statues like these are normally made in the image of a diety, but nowadays they may also represent a person, or even anime characters. Their purpose is to grant protection in areas they are placed in. When based on an actual person, it is also said to be done to help “appease” the spirit of the deceased, to avoid bad energy or vengeful actions in case they were not properly laid to rest. Currently two temples are known to have her jizō, with the first being Mitsugonin (密厳院) in Oomori Prefecture, and the second being Daienji in Tokyo City.

An image of Yaoya Oshichi’s jizō at Mitsugonin. From Ota District’s main site.

Each of these jizō have their own story. For the one at Mitsugonin, Oshichi’s statue is nicknamed “ichiya jizō” (一夜地蔵), which indicates it’s ability to grant good fortune through completing a task in the span of one night. The legend attached to this name states that after Oshichi’s soul was transferred into the jizō, a medically ill young person was tasked to carrying it from Suzugamori Prison all the way to Mitsugonin. Accomplishing this in one night, the youth was unexpectedly granted good fortune and cured from the illness. Thus, it is believed that if you make a wish before the Oshichi statue, it is possible for it to be granted in one night.

As for the story behind the jizō at Daienji, this one takes a different, more logically reasonable turn. In this one, her lover who, after becoming a monk, prayed for Oshichi’s happiness in the afterlife. To ensure this, an ōfuku-nenbutsu (往復念仏, chant involving alternating recitation of the Buddha’s name) procession was conducted in Edo between the temples Meiōin and Asakusa Kannon for 25 years and 5 months. After the last procession, it is revealed that Oshichi appeared in a dream, and announced that she has entered nirvana⁸. Through this vision, the jizō in her semblance was made.

STRICT PUNISHMENT AGAINST ARSON

Despite no harm caused by her, the attempted act of arson on Oshichi’s family home was rebuked seriously in Japan during Edo period. So much that she was convicted and subjected to death through burning. Dishing out a severe punishment is a reflection of Japan’s history with fires. After the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate and the restructuring of Japan to head towards a more peaceful and modernized nation, this opened the door of monitoring society. One of the points of concern that was recognized by the government was the increased cases of fire outbreaks.

The threat of fire outbreaks was of great concern for many reasons. For starters, due to Japan’s humid climate, along with most homes being bulit out of wood with paper materials used in furnitures within homes such as shōji (障子, room dividers), a small fire inside a building by an unmonitored candle fallen by a strong wind or the like could easily spread into a wild fire. Tragedies like so took place, where government structures, temples, homes, and establishments were lost due to sudden fires that turned into raging infernos. Another more concerning issue was fires set intentionally by certain individuals as a means to an end, which ranged from the sake of theft, personal grudges against another, to opposition of the Tokugawa shogunate. While fire fighting groups were established, the equipment and methods for extinguishing fires was in no way as sophisticated or technologically advanced as what we have today. Thus, when fires spread and grew out of control, fire fighters became hard pressed in trying to control the spread, let alone putting out the current blaze at hand.

To disuade any potential arsonists, as well as encourage people to be more responsible, the government created a set of rules around 1678 collectively known as “Shikkasha Zanzai Rei” (失火者斬罪令, Order of the Death Penalty to Those who Commit Arson through Negligence), which gave the rights to punish those caught as arsonists with the death penalty. This was further updated in 1742 as part of a 100-rules order known as “Osadamegaki Hyakkajō” (御定書百箇条).

A page outlining the start of Oshichi’s punishment as an arsonist, as she was tied and paraded on a horse throughout Edo. From the picture book “Ehon 2 Oshichi” (絵本 2 お七). By Miyata Isuke.

The following serves as examples how strict these rules were enforced. In one case, where there’s clear evidence of attempted arson through any form of communication (ie. a letter), that criminal will face the death penalty⁹. Next, those who intentionally start a fire for whatever reason, even if there is no significant damage, will be convicted and burned to death. Even passively being invovled would net you as an accomplise of sorts, ranging from those who hire someone else to commit arson being subjected to death, to eyewitnesses of an arson who fail to report it to also be severely punished.

Other than being sentenced to death through being burned alive, in some cases a convicted arsonist was tied up and paraded along a course through designated streets on Edo before townsfolks to be humiliated for their crimes. This same event happened to Oshichi.

This concludes our coverage on Yaoya Oshich. Despite there being unclear details of her story, coupled with a plethora of versions with varying contents, Oshichi has left a mark in Japanese history. Her story has had an influence in society, whether for good or for bad.

1) This is according to the old calendar Japan once used. Recalculated to the modern calender, it’s 1/25/1683.

2) This complex was known as koma komi (駒込). In the past before Edo period, such complexes were used to house troops, or act as a stable for horses.

3) While it’s claimed to be 10, I’ve come across listings that mention more than this number. While I’m uncertain which ones specifically fall under this count of 10, the disaster in 1682 is certainly a high candidate.

4) A few later versions actually feature Oshichi and her lover not only plotting to burn her family’s house down, but have both of them together committing the crime. In these versions, they both are arrested as arsonists and die together, making it a fitting end to a tragic love story.

5) In this case, it’s 100% true and false at the same time. Although a little complex to go into full details, I’ll explain it as simple as possible. The “shi” in this “Oshichi” (お志ち) actually is in a kanji form, but in the past this “志” kanji also served the purpose of being an alternative of the hiragana “し”. Thus, it is not used as the familiar kanji version, and is just plain writing as hiragana.

6) Oshichi’s age is always reported as being 16 at the time of meeting her lover, but 17 upon her death. It’s possible that at some time between these was her birthday. Yet, some researchers propose using the kazoedoshi (数え年) method of calculating one’s age, and add 1 year to her age, stating that she was 17 when the met. If that’s the case, then she was executed at the age of 18. It’s very confusing!

7) In the actual novel the temple was called “Kichijōin” (吉祥院). The last kanji was changed, as a parody of the real temple. Despite this, readers still associate Kichijōji to the novel.

8) Or, another way to read this is Oshichi entered Buddhahood.

9) Unless specifically stated as being burned to death, the use of the term death penalty is vague, as there were various methods for executing criminals. The punishment chosen was most likely in relations to the type of crime commited.

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Researching Gems with Unique Content

A little bit of what I’ve been working on lately. An interesting find while reviewing documents online regarding shinobi-related manuscripts and comparing the contents with what’s in other widely known ones, such as “Mansenshūkai” (万川集海), “Shōninki” (正忍記) , or even some lesser known ones like “Gōbudenpō Kyūkenkyū Monomi no maki” (合武伝法急勌齅物見之巻). In an academic report written by Mr. Inoue Naoya¹, a 3-volume manuscript known as “Yamazaki ryū Shinobi no sho” (山崎流忍之書)² is introduced, which covers certain skills that lean heavily on what a shinobi, or better known under the modern-day word “ninja”, would need while working actively in the field. On top of this, a separate document is mentioned to accompany the manuscript, which possesses philosophical guidance & advice pertaining to kenjutsu.

A screenshot from the actual academic report. The introduction section, giving background info about where the manuscript is located, how it became known, etc.

The contents from the actual manuscript were handwritten, while Mr. Naoya and the help of others reproduced them digitally. For this article, we’ll take an overview on the contents from the manuscript as explained in the academic report. Since the report is in Japanese, I’ll be providing translations in English and, if required, explanations on what the contents mean.

BREAKING DOWN THE SHINOBI NO SHO

First let’s cover the Shinobi no sho. While it has been determined to have been written in 1754, the author is unknown, which is the same for the group in which the contents are tied to. A manuscript divided into 3 volumes, much of the contents appear to be based on tested and real-world knowledge on how to successfully perform duties as a shinobi. Here are the 3 volumes based on their titles:

  • Vol 1: Omotemuki no maki³ (面向之巻)
  • Vol 2: Shinobi no monogatari kudensho (忍物語口伝書)
  • Vol 3: Omokage no maki (面影之巻)

Each volume contains an abundance of info, covering important topics that can be compared to and identified in other shinobi-related documents, giving proof of their connection. Taking a look at the 1st volume, there are 13 points detailing specific topics of knowledge.Here’s an example of some of these topics:

  • 入用道具之事 (Nyūyō dōgu no koto)
    Carrying tools for breaking an entry
  •  闇所にて人を見る事 (Kurai tokoro nite hito wo miru koto)
    Spying from the shadows
  • 起臥を知る事 (Kiga wo shiru koto)
    Monitoring a target’s daily activities
  • 眠薬之事 (Minyaku no koto)
    Using sleeping medicine to incapacitate a target
  • 堀ノ浅深を知る事 (Hori no senshin wo shiru koto)
    Learning about holes of different depths
  • 道に不迷之事 (Michi ni fumei no koto)
    How not to get lost when navigating through your target’s territory
  • 手火之事 (Tahi / Tebi no koto)
    Possessing lighting implements

These all appear to be geared towards one’s task on a more subtle level, such as blending in to an enemy’s territory while keeping a low profile. This volume is comparable to the skills mentioned in the sections called “Yōnin” (陽忍), found in Mansenshūkai.

Outline of the contents from the Shinobi no sho.

Next we turn to the 3rd volume, which contains 17 points of topics. Let’s look at a few of the contents below:

  • 松明之事 (Taimatsu no koto)
    Concerning the use of torches
  • 穴立火之事 (Anadate hi no koto)
    Using rice straw as a quick means for setting fire
  • 無言薬之事 (Mugonyaku no koto)
    Speech-impeding (sensory restricting) drugs
  • 隠形之文大事 (Ongyō no bun daiji)
    Importance of being versed in the methods of hiding
  • 御符之事 (Gofu no koto)
    Carrying talismans and charms

There are apparently some advanced teachings, but they aren’t present in the document. Volume 3 gives a sense of taking more direct action, most likely at night, and when the enemy has to be confronted. Liken to the sections labeled “Innin” (陰忍) in Mansenshūkai, these 2 go hand-in-hand outlining tasks and the tools needed for them during different times of the day.

A surprising point one may gather from volumes 1 and 3 is the deliberate mention of using drugs and medicine; there are a good number of them listed that can aid in a shinobi’s mission, which include variations of incapacitating concoctions that render a target compliant in more ways than one. Ingredients for each one, however, are not shared within the current manuscript. Another point worth mentioning is the numerous lighting implements listed. Some are more obvious in application, while a few are left to oral transmission. This shows that the shinobi needed to have a good knowledge of working with fire-based tools and understand how to improvise with natural materials depending on the situation.

What about the 2nd volume? In this part there is a clearer, distinctive listing of the many different points (38 total) on how a shinobi should prepare mentally, how they should act in front of others in order to achieve their goal, the steps one should take when manuevering through a target’s home or territory, using incidents that cause hysteria as a cover to invade, and so on. A good comparison to these use cases would be the Shōninki, for those who are familiar with that manuscript and how indept it goes. Here are the following examples from volume 2:

  • One needs to learn a persona in & out in order for one’s true intentions not to be discovered
  • How to present oneself and win over the family of the house you must get in
  • Add another layer to hide your identity in the case where your current cover is being blown
  • How to deceive people through the use of sound, such as mimicking raindrops
  • The use of starting a fire in a home

There are some surprising topics, such as to never make a sound in situations where you have been hurt, or even on the verge of death. Also, a few of the topics steer towards putting trust in both Shinto and Buddhist beliefs, with one stating to call upon the aid of the Buddhist deity Kannon (観音菩薩) when hiding in the shadows⁴.

BREAKING DOWN THE KENJUTSU DOCUMENT

Now, let’s take a look at the accompanying document, which appears to be a listing of profound insight on kenjutsu. This document is labeled simply as “Hakutei iru” (白丁入ル), which an unusual term concerning martial arts; having more of a ceremonious connotation, in this case it can mean someone coming of age and entering society as an adult, which can be military lifestyle or simply becoming a common. Due to this document being part of the collection under “Yamazaki ryū”, there is speculation that it comes from “Yamazaki ryū Kenjutsu”. Looking at this further, family-run martial systems was common during the Edo period. On the flip side, the number of known families using the Yamazaki surname recorded was few. There was only one known to have been associated with kenjutsu, and their style was derived from Chūjō ryū.

Listing of the 3 Yamazaki families recorded to have their own form of martial arts. The one in the red box is renown for their kenjutsu originating in Chujo ryu. From Bugei Ryuha Daijiten 1963 edition.

Does that mean that this document on kenjutsu (along with the shinobi-related manuscript) belong to this Yamazaki family? Could the contents be linked to Chūjō ryū? While it is a possibility, there is no way to verify this due to no author being mentioned. On top of that, the contents themselves have no real connection to any sword system so to speak; the knowledge here can be viewed as either generic in nature, or interpretation-based strings of words. Depending on the person and their profession, anyone with competent understanding can follow them.

As mentioned earlier, this sword document is not an instructional guide on swordplay, but more like a listing of words of inspiration on a deeper, profound level for one trained in the Japanese sword. One part of it contains 11 uta or “poems” in the form of proverbs. As a whole, the knowledge here doesn’t have any true unique value style-wise, but more practical knowledge to those who are trained to actually fight.

Here’s a few of these poems:

  • Jishōken (自勝剣)
    A unique saying based on the idea of “overcoming one’s weaknesses and obstacles, and ensuring victory through one’s own strength”. This is geared towards swordsmanship.
  • Setsunintō⁵ katsujinken (殺人刀 活人剣)
    2 set of phrases that naturally go together, where your actions while wielding a sword are to help others (katsujinken) in opposition of another person wielding a sword to harm others (setsunintō)⁶.
  • Dokushin dokui (独身独意)
    A simple term, which expresses one to not lose sight of yourself and what you have to achieve. This includes not being sidetracked by others’ matters.
  • Taiyō icchi (体用一致)
    A version of a common lesson regarding “unity as one”, for this phrase dictates you must be in tune with both the body and actions. Through this, one can utilize a sword as if it’s an extention of the body.
  • Dandan shugyo (段々修行)
    An all-around phrase that is applicable in any occupation, a person must strive to achieve higher each day, surpassing even your past self every time. This can be viewed as words of inspiration for the receiver to continue their personal training with the sword.
  • Ishin denshin (以心伝心)
    A common phrase, meaning “expressing oneself without using words”.

While it’s commonplace to call knowledge like these as poems, in truth they tend to lean more towards proverbs. On another note, some of the poems were commonly used in both the martial arts field and Buddhism, due to both having a strong foundation in the concept of Zen (i.e. setsunintō katsujinken).

Screenshot of the Hakutei section, with several of the poems.

The final part of this kenjutsu document is “Ippo furyū“ (一歩不留), which stands for “going forward no matter what”. This section mainly serves as advice on how one should view their training and the type of person they should become, all compiled in 15 points. Here are a few of them below:

  • 剣術ハ闇路をたとる灯の　光のまゝに行ハゆかるゝ
    Kenjutsu should illuminate a path out of darkness, and lead a person to the light
  • 稽古をも真の勝負とつとめなは　実の勝負も常と成へし
    If a person engages in their sword practice as if fighting, then they will be sure to win in a real battle
  • 道理なく気精まかせに余の人と　仕合に勝は盲勝なり
    If you go into battle with a person who relies more on spirit and no reason, obtaining victory will be nothing more than riches falling into your lap

One can view this document as something a person would carry on themselves when not returning to their teacher and their dōjō for a long period of time.

CONCLUSION

We’ll wrap up the summary on this manuscript. As of recent, there are more antiquated documents from Japan’s historical past with unique contents such as this that are coming out from private collections, with researchers investing to bring them to the public light. While some are published in books, others, like this Yamazaki ryū Shinobi no sho, are analyzed and reported in an academic environment. I enjoy collecting those that are readily available and, when time permitting, sharing them here on my blog.

1) This academic report is from the literary collection kept in “Kyōto Institute, Library and Archives” of Rekisaikan in Kyōto City, Japan.

2) It is also categorized as just “Yamazaki ryū”, with the other contents being addressed as “Shinobi no sho” and “Hakutei”.

3) This is tricky to read. Other ways to read this includes “menkō” and “men no muki”.

4) Kannon is a female Buddhist deity worshipped as a savior for people in times of need, or helping them during difficult times that can lead to their doom. She is commonly described as using countless forms to aid people, each which conceal her true self. It’s such an ability of concealment like this that is dotted upon in shinobi-related documents.

5) Can also be read as “satsujintō”, although there are arguments that when this is used the meaning changes to “sword used to commit murder”.

6) There is another profound meaning in Buddhism, where a disciple uses unfavorable methods for harsh training that can later impact them in a negative way (setsunintō). On the other hand, a disciple trains in a progressive manner that has them become a better person as if reborn (katsujinken). For both phrases they are used when one is striving to reach enlightenment, whereas obstacles that prevent this are “cut down” metaphorically through training.

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Kyōgawa-sama: the Snake Deity in the Pond

It’s time to revisit the Zodiac theme of this year. We’ll do it again with a snake-related folklore. In Japan, there aren’t many popular folktales that paint snakes in a good light. However, there are plenty of short and obscure ones, along with those that focus on the primal nature of this creature. Fortunately, I managed to find a suitable one, a local tale from Yabasama in Kani City, Gifu Prefecture. Long ago, this place used to be known as “Yabasama village”.

A snake swimming in a body of water, much like how Kyōgawa-sama was said to be the owner of a pond in the area known as Yabasama village. From Photo AC.

The name of this folklore is generally known as “Kyōgawa-sama”, which is about a snake deity that has a proper shrine, as well as a pond nearby. Below is the original Japanese from the official Kani City webpage. Alongside it is my English transliteration.

ずっとむかしの話や。
谷週間の山の中なかに「京河さま」とみなが呼よんどった小さな石の神社があった。その横の谷に、京河さまの池があってなあ。

その池は、みかけは小さいがほんとはふかいという話やった。

木の葉で埋まってまったようにみえとったが、むかしからいっべんも水がのうなったことはなかった、というこつちゃ。		This is a tale from long time ago.
Within the mountains of an area known as Yabasama stands a small stone shrine where the deity called “Kyōgawa-sama” resides¹. In the neighboring valley is Kyōgawa-sama’s pond.

Based on rumors about it, the pond appears to be small, but is very deep.

It’s also said it never lost even a drop of water, although now in its current condition it’s covered up by leaves.
ある夏のこと。くる日もくる日も、雨が降らず、田んぼはひびわれするは、飲み水も足らんようになるしで、みなはとほうにくれてまった。

そこで寄り合っては話し合うたが、ちよっともええ考えがないもんやで、とうとう「こまったときの神だのみや。それよりしょうがないのう。」ということになつた。		During one summer, there was a village where the farmlands and rice fields were whithering, and drinking water had become scarce, due to a lack of rainfall. The villagers were left puzzled.

The villagers gathered and discussed about how to handle their situation, but couldn’t come up with any good ideas. In the end, they came up to one agreement. “Guess there’s no other choice, but to plead for help from a god during tough times like this.”
そこで、近いところにある神社やお寺をまわつて雨ごいをしたけど、いっこうに ききめがないもんで、京河さまへも、みんなそろっておまいりにいった。

親たちが一心におまいりしとるあいだ、子どもんたは、葉に埋まつた小さな池で遊んどった。		They went around to all the temples and shrines within the area and requested for rain. However, not once did it rain.

Finally, they journeyed to the stone shrine of Kyōgawa-sama. While the adults went to the shrine to appease to the god there, the children played around the pond.
水はちいとしかないと思って、池の水をかえどりして遊びはじめたげなら、池の中がどろどろと動きだし、それはそれほ大きいへビが、にゆうとかまくぴをあげたんやと。

村のしゆうは、びっくりするのなんの。大へんなさわぎとなった。		Expecting that there was just a tiny bit of water there, they started to push away the clutter covering the water. Suddenly, something started to move below the surface of the pond, then out emerged a giant snake.

This scene caused everyone around to get into an uproar.
おまけにその大きな へビが、「お前たちは、なにをそんないっしょうけんめいにたのんでおるんじゃ。」と、ことばをしゃべったもんやから、よけいにおそろしなって、動けずにふるえておったが、やっとその中のひとりが、

「この夏、雨がひとつぶも降らず、作物はあかんようになるし、飲み水もおおかたのうなってまい、とほうにくれて、京河さまへ雨を降らせてくださいと、お願いしとりました。」と答えたら、		“You all there, what is the reason for all this pleading to me with such urgency?” The giant snake spoke in human speech, which caught everyone by surprise. The crowd were speechless with fear, and noone replied immediately. Finally, one person emerged and spoke up.

“This summer, we aren’t able to bear any harvest, and many of us are thirsty as there is not enough drinking water due to no rainfall. So, we came to see Kyōgawa-sama and request to make it rain for us.”
「そんならこの池を、もうちょっときれいに、かえどりをしてくれ。必ず雨は降らせてやるからな。」と、また池の中へもどりこんでまった。

みんなで、池の主のいったことばどおりに、池をきれいにかえどりして帰ったと。

その夜おそうなって、ポツリポツリと大つぶの雨が降りはじめたときは、村じゆうの人たちが家から飛び出し、よろこぴあったというこっちゃ。		“If rain is all that you need, then can you clear the clutter in this pond and make it clean? I will surely make it rain if you do this for me.” The giant snake declared, then returned below the surface of the lake.

Doing as the owner of the pond requested, the villagers removed all the clutter, then went back home, and cleaned the lake on that same day.

Late the same night, large droplets of rain started to fall, making everyone in the village run out of their homes and cheering happily.
それからは、日照りがつづいたり、水にこまるときは、京河さまの池のかえどりをすると、ちゃあんと雨が降ったそうな。

いまでもその石の神社があるが、工業団地の進出によって、年に一度のお参りの伝統のみが残っているそうじゃ。		From there on, if there are periods of drought or when water is scarce, the villagers received rain whenever they cleaned out Kyōgawa-sama’s pond.

The stone shrine was still standing during those times until now. Due to the changes caused by modernization, it seems that all that remains is the tradition of the annual reverance of this deity.

This is a classical example of the age-old belief of locals giving prayers to deities for the sake of help during troubling times. It’s from tales like this that set the grounds for yearly traditional celebrations. What is the real story behind Kyōgawa-sama? Unfortunately there’s very little info related to the folklore. I’m even having difficulties finding the shrine dedicated to Kyōgawa-sama, along with the pond². The difficulties in uncovering more of the backstory is very strange.

This brings our article to an end. The folklore of Kyōgawa-sama is one of those few in Japan that illustrate snakes of any kind in a way where humans would revere to them for protection or good fortune…making it fitting for this Zodiac year.

1) I suspect that this was also the name of the stone shrine.

2) As hinted in the folklore, there are other strines within the general area. This is true today. From my research, doesn’t seem like any of them have any connections to Kyōgawa-sama.

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Yoshitsune’s Treasure Trove of Knowledge ~ Part 2

Here’s part 2 of our discussion on Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and the continuation on analyzing his skills and techniques. A bigger conversation than his sword fighting techniques or types of weapons owned falls on his iconic strategies used during his military career. Since the battles he and his followers took place in are seen as revolutionary and unsurpassable for it’s time, much attention has been placed on studying them. In fact, it can be said that they inspired other generals and strategists to follow in suit and use similar tactics throughout Japan’s history.

This article will cover the military tactics Yoshitsune used in actual war campaigns, as described in novels and memoirs from the past. Along with this will be writings that set the foundation of his prowess, as well as how other groups pay tribute to his tactics within their own methods.

HIGHLIGHTS OF YOSHITUNE’S TACTICS USED IN BATTLE

The following tactics are from Yoshitsune’s life experience through warring against the Taira clan. These have been recorded and retold through sources such as “Heike Monogatari” (平家物語), “Azuma Kagami” (吾妻鏡), and “Gikeiki” (義経記).

An artwork entitled, “Ichi-no-tani gosen Hiyodori-goe yori Suto-no-ura o miru zu” (一ノ谷合戦 ひよ鳥越より江戸の浦を見る図) Featured here is Yoshitsune and his group laying hidden, in preparation for an ambush. By Utagawa Kuniyoshi. From ukiyoe.com.
  • Ambushes & surprise attacks: An example of Yoshitsune relying on guerilla-style warfare can be seen during the battle at Ichi-no-tani (一ノ谷) in the 3rd month of 1184, where he and his army ambushed an already defeated Taira clan from a prior skirmish. While the opposition was descending down a rather steep side of a mountain heading towards the western coast to board their ships and regroup, Yoshitsune’s surprise attack was swift and unexpected, as he and his group hid in areas around the mountain that appeared untouched for ages, then storming out from these unexpected angles. He also incorporated fire attacks around the mountain, adding to the chaos. Caught off guard, the Taira clan retreated hastily down the cliff in an effort to escape and rushed to their ships, with those unfortunate either being slain by the ambush, or drowning to death.
  • Deception tactics: In the 2nd month of 1185, the Minamoto and Taira were set to go into battle against each other at Yashima (屋島). In preparations against the Taira’s much larger army whom tried to embark on the island quietly, Yoshitsune set ablaze the homes in a town called Furutakamatsu (古高松) not too far from the opposing side, and raised many white flags. This was all to make it seem that the Minamoto had a very large army of their own. The Taira force fell for this deception, causing them to retreat back to their boats and flee for their lives.
  • Advantageous retreats: During the 4th month of 1185, the Heike and Minamoto clashed in their final battle in the sea at Dan-no-Ura (壇ノ浦). Each side were locked in grueling fights while on small boats. At one point, Yoshitsune is challenged by the a fierce opponent named Taira no Noritsune (平教経), who makes his way onboard. Not taking the chance, Yoshitsune retreats by leaping from his boat onto another comrade’s boat. He supposedly repeated this until he gained enough distance from Noritsune, around 8 times. Along with putting distance between them, Yoshitsune forces Noritsune to venture deeper within the Minamoto side, if he chooses to follow. This amazing feat is nicknamed “Hassō Tobi” (八艘飛び), or “8-Boats Leaping”¹.
  • Breaking protocols of war: During the sea battle at Dan-no-Ura, the Taira forces used local oarsmen to pilot their small boats while the warriors focused on fighting as they closed in on the warriors of the Minamoto army, giving them the advantage. There was an unspoken rule to not attack non-combatants, which included oarsmen. However, Yoshitsune ordered his troops to aim for the oarsmen and shoot them dead with their bows. This order was carried out, eliminating Taira’s mobility, and forcing them to deal with the unyielding close quarter skills of the Minamoto force. This unethical tactical approach is nicknamed “Kinji Te” (禁じ手)².
An artwork showing Yoshitsune using his signature “Hassō Tobi” skill to leap away from his enemy. From a dice game featuring a collage of scenes from Yoshitsune’s life called “Yoshitsune Ichidai Kunkō Sugoroku (義経一代勲功双六). By Utagawa Yoshikazu. From Wikimedia Commons.

These four battlefield strategies are seen as not only revolutionary at the time of use, but they go against the grain in what was considered standardized, universally expected protocols when going into war. To many, Yoshitsune’s methods were seen as unrefined, barbaric, and dirty. Yet, they demonstrate an intellectual, free-minded approach that got the job done for the greater purpose. In the end, the strategies of Yoshitsune are said to have a strong influence on the development of warfare in Japan years after his death³.

THE SECRET CONTENTS OF TORA NO MAKI

A pic of a large scroll of Tora no maki. First part, featuring a “Tenbatsu Reibun” (天罰礼文), a promissory note to uphold the contents, or face divine punishment.

Another highly acclaimed source of knowledge goes to one called “Tora no maki” (虎の巻)⁴. This is said to be a documentation of important methods for success. While this is normally referenced to while speaking about Minamoto no Yoshitsune, there are some points that need a bit of clarity, not only to get the full picture of this secret knowledge, but to properly understand which of these is being referenced. There are actually two Tora no maki documents that are connected to him, one while he was at Kurama Temple, and another after his accomplishments.

#1. Yoshitsune’s Secret Teachings on War Strategies

Let’s talk about the one that comes after his success as a general first. A documentation bearing numerous titles including “Yoshitsune Tora no Maki” (義経虎の巻), and “Hyōhō Tora no Maki” (兵法虎の巻)⁵, this documentation has a great emphasis on esoteric methods such as the use of Kuji no hō (九字の法) and Jūji (十字). To elaborate further, Kuji no hō, or “9-Hand Seals”, is a method of energy-attuning through the use of 9-syllable mudras and mantras, while Jūji, or “10th-Seal” is a tenth component of this method to activate the desired result. These are methods widely associated with Mikkyō (密教) and Shugendō (修験道), both a form of esoteric Buddhism, while different groups have made use of these methods, which includes military commanders, strategists, and practitioners of ninjutsu.

The ritualistic methods of using Kuji no hō is for the sake of protection, as well as preparing for battle that coincides with how the Japanese fought battles around the Kamakura period. This is explained in different sections regarding a multitude of situations one can face and how to handle them. Here are some of them.

  • 軍場出作法事 = Preparations for heading out to the battlefield
  • 敵打行時酒飲作法之叓 = Performing a sake ritual when leaving to eradicate the enemy
  • 軍神送時聲作ル作法事 = How to evoke protection from the God of War
  • 甲冑箭不融秘術之事 = Secret method for making one’s armor arrow-proof
  • 魔録者切秘術之叓 = The enchantment done by the conjuror
  • 神道弓作事 = Secret technique for crafting a Shintō bow

There are numerous versions of this particular Tora no maki, with no indication as to which is the original version. Many of them are replicas of another, and distributed for different purposes. Can the contents of this Tora no maki truly be linked to Yoshitsune? This is one area I can’t give a definitive answer, but due to its popularity, many have viewed this as valuable enough to want to collect and learn from.

From the pages of “Yoshitsune no Tora no maki – Hyōhō Hijutsu” (義経虎巻 兵法秘術), which features descriptions on how to handle varying situations, and ending with mantras that are accompanied with hand seals (left). Also included are arranging specific environments for the sake of auspicious practices (right).

#2. The Tiger Strategy book

The next type of of Tora no Maki is the one that originated from China, and which came into Yoshitsune’s hands through Kiichi Hōgen, one of his teachers at Kurama Temple. This is not its official label, nor is it a single documentation of its own; rather, it is like a volume from a larger documentation called simply “Rikutō” (六韜)⁶, or ” Six Secret Teachings” in English. The author of this is Jiang Ziya, a figure who was hailed as being a wise and talented general during the Zhou Dynasty. It is often identified as part of an important collection of Chinese-developed classical war stratagems, which includes the military text by Sun Tzu’s widely known as “Art of War”, and the thesis on civil, political, and war strategies known as “Thirty-Six Stratagems”. In the Six Secret Teachings, there are 6 books, so to speak, that make it a complete package.

  • 文韜 = Civil Strategy
  • 武韜 = Military Strategy
  • 龍韜 = Dragon Strategy
  • 虎韜 = Tiger Strategy
  • 豹韜 = Leopard Strategy
  • 犬韜 = Dog Strategy

Each book covers a vast amount of topics, from the perspective of Jiang Ziya taking the role as an advisor to King Wen, who would ask about various topics of concern, then receiving advice with great insight. These topics were compiled and centered around a specific theme that makes up each book. The Tiger Strategy book, or Tiger book for short, covers scenarios concerning war and combat. The following are the topics in the Tiger book, along with a brief outline of their contents.

  • 軍用 = Inventory of your army’s weapons and tools
  • 三陳 = Three battle formations
  • 疾戦 = Swiftly surrounding the opposition
  • 必出 = Escaping an enemy’s encirclement
  • 軍略 = Strategies on army deployment
  • 臨鏡 = Skirmishes within another territory’s borders
  • 動静 = Halting an enemy’s covert actions after gathering intel
  • 金鼓 = Knowing when to advance and retreat (nicknamed “utilizing war gongs and drums”)
  • 絶道 = Tactics when communications have been cut off
  • 略地 = Territorial invasion
  • 火戦 = Military prowess through the use of fire
  • 壘虚 = Uncovering the specifics about the enemy’s encampment

To summarize the Tiger book, it closely covers tactics on the battlefield, from understanding one’s own strengths, use of guerilla warfare, performing fast maneuvers with an army, to using fire attacks. Yoshitsune’s battlefield tactics closely resembles what is discussed in this book, thus thought to be the prime inspiration for his style of fighting, and in turn, making his campaigns very successful. Although part of a bigger collection, since the topics of the Tiger book focuses solely on military prowess and going into battle, it actually can be a stand-alone in its own rights.

Pic of the 1st pages in the Tiger Strategy section from the Six Secret Teachings, written in Chinese.

How did such a foreign writing get associated with Yoshitsune? First, we must understand that many cultural influences were brought over from China for several centuries during Japan’s prehistoric times. Although this would slow down at some point, literature from China, including documents on war, would continue to be a source of interest as Japan became more enthralled in war and conflict during the Heian and Kamakura periods. However, something like the Six Secret Teachings was a scarce material, only accessible by few of high status, or those who had some form of connection with those who make the journey to trade with China. Kiichi is portrayed as not your ordinary monk, and probably had connections in order to gain a copy of the Six Secret Teachings…or maybe just the Tiger book?

In historical chronicles like Gikeiki, it’s explained that Yoshitsune was able to read the Tiger book behind Kiichi’s back⁷. So, it’s possible that this was the only volume that Kiichi possessed…or maybe he did have all 6 books, but the most interesting one to Yoshitsune was the Tiger book?

MEANING BEHIND USING THE “YOSHITSUNE” LABEL

Let’s revisit the phenomenon where tribute to Minamoto no Yoshitsune’s legacy is given through concepts compiled and passed down as a form of working method. One of the more obvious representations of this can be found in particular martial arts styles that use the name “Yoshitsune” in their title.

Pics of the cover of “Iga Nin Hi no kan” (いが忍火之巻) (left), and a page describing a torch-like device called “Yoshitsune no Hi” (義経火) (right).

Outside of Yoshitsune Tora no maki and the many versions out there with similar contents, these martial arts styles have scrolls, manuscripts, and the like with listings of skills and/or techniques for combat, or “secret” teachings. Many of these styles are shitsuden (失伝), which means they are no longer active due to no current successor, indicating the lineage has ended. Are the contents genuinely linked to him? It is hard to say yes. While there are those that are paying recognition to his skills and tactics, there are others that use his name just to bolster the image of their style. This isn’t unusual, for this became a common practice from the Edo period onward.

Let’s take one, titled “Yoshitsune ryū Jūjutsu” (義経流柔術). This manual was written around the Edo period, and comes from the collection of the late Tokugawa Muneyoshi, a 2nd Lieutenant of the Imperial Japanese Army. Outside of the standard hand-to-hand fighting and grappling techniques, from what I understand, there were unique training methods within this style, which includes developing strong & agile legs through jumping out from a deep hole in the ground. As special as this sounds, it’s actually a focus many other jūjutsu systems adopted, even around the same time. Being a hand-to-hand system, it’s safe to say that Yoshitsune ryū Jūjutsu has no real connection to Yoshitsune. Is it just a case where this system has “Yoshitsune” tagged in the title to attract attention? Possibly so. However, it is also thought that this system was inspired by the many heroic tales of Yoshitsune and how he handled opponents with swift movements, which may have influenced this style to go in the same direction with their fighting techniques…or at least stand out amongst other jūjutsu schools.

Pics from Mansenshukai (満川集海), vol. 21 entitled, “Ninki” (忍器) (left). On page 15, a fire technique called “Yoshitsune Mizu Kagari-bi” (義経水炬火) (right).

There are also those documents that are military/wartime-centric, where the focus is on larger environments and combat against groups and survival are of greater importance. The types of documents, whether in the form of manuals or scrolls, pay tribute to Yoshitsune’s fighting methods by simply referring to it.

Let’s take “Mansenshukai” (満川集海) as an example. Being a renown collection of skills and teachings associated with ninjutsu, there are a few techniques that are tributed to Yoshitsune. There’s one called “Yoshitsune Mizu Kagari-bi” (義経水炬火), which is a special torch used in water environments. Another document is “Iga Kajutsu no maki” (伊賀火術の巻), which is a ninjutsu manual possessing a collection of skills used by those from the Iga region. Here, we see a technique called “Yoshitsune no Hi” (義経火), which is described as a form of handheld torch. Manuals like these that have skills concerning fire seem to have been inspired by the strategies used by Yoshitsune and his followers during battles against the Taira clan. This includes a particular impromptu skirmish at Mikusayama, Harima Province⁸ in 1184, where Yoshitsune devised torches which were used by him and his followers to set ablaze the fields and the shrubbery around a nearby mountain to not only halt Taira troops that were moving at night to group up, but foil them from amassing into a large army that would have otherwise overwhelm the Minamoto force if they clashed the following day⁹.

CONCLUSION

We come to the end on this 2-part series on Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and the numerous recorded combat knowledge that contribute to his legacy. With his life experiences and the tools used recorded within the pages of history, and expanded on as new information is uncovered, there’s no slowing down in how he remains popular with each new generation…not just in Japan, but worldwide. It’s safe to say that having access to all this knowledge is a way of having a strong connection to this famous general, whether they were actually devised by him, or emulated from descriptions of his exploits.

1) Another thought is that he jumped a distance of about 8-boats length. Interpretation can go either way based on a few factors. For example, these boats the warriors were fighting on were small ones like skiffs, and not the size of ships. If we read into this and imagine Yoshitsune jumping a great distance to escape, while onlookers are dazzled by his great feat that they liken the jump distance to being able to cross over 8 small boats, then yes this could make sense. Still, the popular opinion is not the jump distance, but the agility to leap repeatedly from numerous boats, which shows great skills and endurance especially since Yoshitsune was wearing full armor.

2) This word is also used in competitive matches or games. Based on interpretation, Kinji Te can be translated as either “forbidden tactic” or “dirty move”.

3) It is said that, due to failing relations with his half brother Yoritomo after the Minamoto gained control over the Capital, Yoshitsune was forced to commit suicide after being overwhelmed by an unexpected attack and betrayed by Fujiwara no Yasuhira, an indivudual who swore to protect him. However, there are other claims that Yoshitsune actually escaped and survived, with one even stating he sailed out to Mongolia and changed his name to a famous conqueror Genghis Khan!

4) Tora no maki is an old word, but its meaning has evolved over the years. Originally it referred to secret teachings and methodologies concerning combat on a very large scale, such as on the battlefield. Over the centuries, the term was slowly being used for not just martial arts, but areas related to the arts and crafts as a whole, such as flower arrangement and the like. In modern times, Tora no maki evolved to also mean secret tips or hints to better a person in various fields, which is especially common in the educational field, where it is used to aid students in their studies, exams, and the like.

5) Pronounced “Liu Tao” in Chinese.

6) There are even those that are callled “Kiichi Hōgen Hyōhō Tora no maki” (鬼一法眼兵法虎之巻), “Kiichi Hōgen Sanryaku” (鬼一法眼三略), and other similar naming convention. Despite Yoshitsune’s teacher’s name is used here, for the most part, the contents are in line with other variants, although how they are presented may be written in a different format. A good example of this is the one kept at the temple Kuramadera. This can be viewed online here.

7) How Yoshitsune acquired the Tiger book differs between sources. One of the more interesting ones is how Yoshitsune was able to sway the daughter of Kiichi Hōgen to take the Tora no maki and deliver it to him in secret.

8) Present day Katōshi City, Hyōgo Prefecture.

9) As told in the 9th volume of Heike Monogatari, in the section entitled, “Mikusa no Gassen” (三草合戦).

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Tale of a Samurai Losing to a Red Bean Mochi Cake

Winter is officially over today in the US on 3/20¹. The same can be said in Japan, as it ended on the day of shunbun (春分)². As Spring is now upon us, we all expect life of mother nature to revive as the weather gets warmer, and flowers start blooming. Those who follow traditions in Japan may eat specific snacks on the day of shunbun, such as botamochi (ぼた餅), which is a mashed rice cake covered in sweet red bean paste.  

A pic of botamochi. From Photo-AC.

In accordance to the 1st day of Spring, this article will introduce a rather interesting fable from Yamagata Prefecture, which is about botamochi and terms used to describe it. These terms are enough to make anyone fear for their life…including a samurai!

Han Goroshi to Hon Goroshi³ (Half-Beating and Full-Beating)

There’s a story a long time ago, where a lone samurai from the Capital⁴ sets off on a journey, which takes him into the mountains⁵. He traverses through the mountains all day till late in the night, where he finds himself wandering around aimlessly, until he finally comes to a single mountain hut. He knocks on the door, which was then opened by an old man. The samurai requests to stay in the hut for the night. The old man sits in front of an open hearth next to an old lady who is his wife, and after consulting with her, they both agree as long as the samurai was okay with their shabby hut.

Given warm thin rice porridge as a meal by his hosts, the samurai eats his fill, then retreats to a room prepared for him to rest. He falls asleep almost instantly, as he was tired from his long trip. However, in the middle of the night, he wakes up to the low conversation between the elderly couple, which prompts him to eavesdrop for awhile. The part of the conversation he hears wakes him up completely.

“Should we give him one ‘half beating’ tomorrow? Or what about a ‘pounding by hand’?” Asks the old man.

“This samurai’s from Edo, right? A ‘half beating’ should be enough for him.” The old lady replies.

Hearing this dialogue, the samurai was shocked. He concludes that this plot to beat him, possibly to death, could only be that of mountain bandits, and he just so happened to fall into their den. No longer able to sleep with those troubling thoughts on his mind, he lays down on his bedding, clutching his sheathed sword tightly to him. He remained vigilant, staying on full alert to defend himself, all night long until sun rise.

With morning upon him, the samurai was sleep-deprived. Expecting an attack from his would-be assailants while they thought he was asleep, he was surprised that no such incident occurred. Still, despite being tired, he stayed alert, with his hand ready on the handle of his sword.

A pic of a samurai, poised to draw his katana. From illust-AC.

Just then, the samurai could hear sounds coming from the area around the open hearth, along with the voices of his hosts.

“Hey, you done with the ‘half beating’ yet?” The old man calls to the old lady from a different room.

“Not yet, wait a little longer.” She responds, sounding like she was beside the open hearth. From their conversation, the samurai was certain they were about to set their plan into motion and attack him at any moment. Wanting to get the upper hand, he gets up and quickly bursts out from his room, ready to strike his would-be assailants.

Surprised that the samurai was already awake, the old lady greets him in good spirits. The sleep-deprived warrior calms down as he analyzes what’s before him; the old lady sits down on a mat with a mortar beside her, while kneading something in her hands. As he looked confused, the old lady offered him something.

“We don’t have anything else here, but thought you could at least eat a ‘half-beating’.” In the old woman’s hand, a dark-colored mochi s presented to him. The samurai immediately recognizes it to be a botamochi.

“Wha…this ‘half-beating’ is actually an azuki bean⁶ mochi? Then, what’s a ’pounding by hand’?” He ask curiously.

“Ahh, ‘pounding by hand’? That’s our homemade soba noodles. And a ‘full-beating’ is for mochi⁷.” The old lady responds with a smile.

Realizing his misunderstanding, the samurai loses all power in his legs and collapses onto his bottom down on the floor.

~ The end ~

In the original tale, the terms that the samurai heard from the elder couple are the following:

  • Te uchi (手打ち)
  • Han goroshi (半殺し)
  • Hon goroshi (本殺し)

Normally, these terms are of a violent context, which you would hear in relations to fighting. Te uchi means “to strike” or “to slap” someone with one’s bare hands, han goroshi means “to beat a person to the point where they’re on the brink of death”, and hon goroshi means “to certainly beat a person to death”. Anyone, especially a samurai who trains expecting death in combat, would immediately interpret such terms as dangerous, especially when applied towards someone. However, it seems that these terms have a unique usage in Yamagata when making treats or food. Since the samurai was from Edo and not from Yamagata⁸, hearing the colloquial use of those words that are normally used for violence alarmed him. From his perspective, one can understand how he felt. In present day, all countries have words that possess multiple meanings and usages, especially for cooking. In English, “beating” an egg is commonplace, but imagine a time when using such expression was unheard of.

ENDING

This concludes today’s article. The tale itself is light-hearted, and illustrates the unique culture of different prefectures in the past. Here’s looking to a fresh start on the 1st day of Spring!

1) I say this figuratively, for where I’m at it is wet & snowing outside.

2) Also known as “Shunbun no Hi” (春分の日), this year it falls on 3/19 in Japan, which slightly coincides with the US date of 3/20.

3) Title in Japanese is “半殺しと本殺し”. Here’s a version of the tale here.

4) The word “Capital” is not mentioned here, but later in the story it is, through the word “Edo”. Adding this for context purposes. Speaking of which, the Capital city at this time is Edo (Tōkyō), meaning that this tale takes place during Edo period, possibly as early as the late 1600s.

5) Most likely the samurai was on a musha shugyo (武者修行), or training journey.

6) Azuki (小豆) is the Japanese word for red bean.

7) In other words, mochi with nothing added to it is “hon goroshi”, with “hon” (本) indicating standard, or base.

8) Edo is present-day Tōkyō City, in the east. Yamagata is in the northeastern region of Japan, and is north of Tōkyō.

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Gunbai: a tool & method that leads to victory

When asked to name one thing a warrior would carry with them onto the battlefield during Japan’s warring periods, what would you say? I’m sure popular responses would be bow & arrow, spear, sword, and possibly rifle, depending on the time period. But what about the gunbai? Although it’s not viewed as a weapon to kill an opposing soldier, a gunbai holds a very high level of respect in Japan’s military history. In fact, it can be said that it embodies the idea of obtaining victory on a non-physical level.

In this post, we will discuss about what a gunbai is and its design. Along with this, we’ll explore what it represents physically, as well as the conceptual practices in regards to the success in military campaigns.

WHAT IS A GUNBAI?

A gunbai (軍配)¹ is categorized as a type of fan, with an alternative name being “uchiwa” (団扇). The full name for this is “gunbai-uchiwa” (軍配団扇) , or “war fan” in English. It is recorded that this tool came from China, and seen its start as an essential item for military purposes around the Muromachi period. A gunbai was symbolic as a sign of authority by those who wield it, which is generally the commander, a leader, or someone equivelant in term of strategy know-how. With a gunbai in hand, the one in charge directs the army’s movements and actions. However, it was more than just a tool for signaling, as there was a concept that went beyond this physical tool, where one learns to predict the conditions going into war, as well as the potnential outcome. Despite its physical appearance, the physical gunbai had a special place in the study of military strategy more than just “fanning” to keep a person cool.

To the left, an artwork of Takeda Shingen sitting with a black gunbai in the right hand. By Utagawa Kuniyoshi, from ukiyo-e.org. To the right, a screenshot of a referee monitoring a sumo match while holding a gunbai in the right hand. From Wikipedia.

Nowadays, antiquated war fans can be seen in museums, in the property of those who may have acquired it as an heirloom, or even purchasable at auctions . On another note, gunbai are widely seen in modern day sumo competitions, with the gyōji (行司, referee) using it in dictating the progression of a match, as well as to ward away evil spirits to ensure safe competition.

DESIGNS AND PRESENTATION

The structure and design of a gunbai follows a specific format. A common look is a rod around 2 ft long, with two broad planks attached on either side on the top half of the rod, and a long tassle(s) on the opposite end. The planks come in different shapes, usually roundish. A gunbai is made out of either metal and/or wood, and is painted or lacquered.

An image of a wooden gunbai. Note that the cords are wrapped around the planks when put in storage. From pixta.jp.

It is not unccommon for a gunbai to have different kanji (漢字, Chinese characters) or even esoteric writings such as bonji (梵字, Sankrit) written on them; the combination of these characters may carry significant, power-attuning meanings. There were those that may even possess diagrams that follow auspicious practices or systems. More on this later.

USAGE AND PRACTICES

On a fundamental level, a gunbai is used for commanding one’s army, such as making orders, dictating formations, etc. If you look at woodblock paintings, or even better, watch any programs that has a setting dated back to Japan’s warring periods, you’ll most likely see it in the hands of a commanding officer, while out on the battlefield or in a camp. It’s similar in use to another tool called the saihai (采配), which consisted of a baton with a bushy long hairs like a horsetail on one end, and a long tassel on the opposite end.

On a deeper, surreal level, it is connected to specific beliefs, including energy attuning, reading the weather, fortune predictions, discerning luck based on a particular days and directions, and understanding positions of the stars. While such practices are usually associated with particular priests or shamans, those specializing in military activities are also documented to have taken this serious as well. Also, Chinese-influenced concepts such Inyō Gogyō no setsu (陰陽五行説) and Hakke (八卦) were part of this unique study with the gunbai, for it was not unusual to have illustrations of the diagrams of said concepts drawn on one side of this war fan.

Such a vast level of metaphysical and spiritual practice was viewed as essential for the sake of victory. This wasn’t seen as strange, since the nation of Japan in the past was very superstitious on many topics.

DIFFERENT STYLES

As mentioned earlier, the concept of the “gunbai” goes beyond a mere tool, as it represented the study of dictating the outcome of a battle in one’s favor. This encompassed strategies from old Chinese military text, applicable control of battlefield movements, and auspicious practices to assist in one’s decision making. As a whole, this is coined “gunbai no jutsu” (軍配術), or “gunbai hyōhō” (軍配兵法). Those who study this are nicknamed “gunbaisha” (軍配者).

Here’s an illustration of a gunbai, with different diagrams used for fortune telling and reading possible (un)lucky days, which determines when and how long one would go out to war. From the 8th volume of Kunetsushu (訓閲集).

Below are a few examples of schools on utilizing gunbai in its strategy form:

  • Takeda gungaku (武田軍学)
  • Sankoku ryū gunbai (三極流軍配)
  • Iga Fuzan ryū hyōhō (伊賀風山兵法)

Many of these different schools tend to reference the source of this study being Minamoto no Yoshitsune’s legendary Tora no maki (虎の卷). Along with this, scholars use Takeda gungaku as a valuable research point, as comprehensive documentation regarding practices of gunbai as military study is made available publicly, such as Kōyō Gunkan (甲陽軍鑑). Much of Takeda gungaku’s acclamations is contributed to Yamamoto Kansuke’s knowledge, who is said to have been a brilliant strategist and warrior.

Statues at Kawanakajima Kōsen jōshi seki Kōen in Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture. These depict the clash between Uesugi Kenshin (right) and Takeda Shingen (left), where Shingen shielded himself with a metal gunbai against sword strikes. From Photo-ac.com.

Typically not seen as an instrument for physical combat, there is one interesting case. There is an iconic story that took place in 1561, where 2 rivaling warlords by the name of Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin were prepared to clash against one another in an ongoing battlefield campaign at Kawanakajima (present-day Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture). It is said that Shingen was at his camp, as his army were preparing to head out to the battlefield, when Kenshin rushed into the camp on horseback. Charging straight at his long time rival, Uesugi brandished his long sword and swung for the vulnerable Shingen, who in response cooly held up his metal gunbai and effortlessly blocked the attack. This exchange continued, for as Kenshin lashed with more sword strokes, Shingen held his ground and deflected them all with his gunbai. Things finally at a standstill, with Kenshin quickly departing from the camp just as he had entered. This story has been immortalized as an example of valor and martial expertise…but is this tale actually fictional? It is hard to verify, but what can be taken from this is the claimed sturdyness of a metal gunbai.

ENDING

We come to the close on this discussion on the gunbai. Researching the ins and outs of this, especially the fortune-telling concepts attached to its use in military-related purposes, is a dedicated study on its own. While a gunbai’s popular, physical form as a fan is what is usually presented, it’s important to remember that there is also the strategic concept that can stand alone as well.

1) Also said to use the kanji “軍敗”, although personally I’ve not come across this variation before.

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An Old Dragon Tale to End the Dragon Year

2024 is coming to a close. Being the year of the dragon, there were plans to have much more articles related to the Zodiac animal. Unfortunately, real life events took precedence, keeping me away from writing as much as I had intended. Now that things have slowed down, I have this window of opportunity to put out one(!) article in accordance to the dragon-theme. It’s a nice one.

An imagery of how dragons are affiliated with water. Here, we see water flowing from the mouth of a dragon statue at the shrinte Oguji Jinja (小梳神社), which is used to cleanse oneself before entering. from Photo-AC.

In Asia, dragons are greatly associated with water of all forms, which includes rivers, clouds, and rain. There are all sorts of cultural practices related to old tales of dragons in Japan. One story in particular that will be discussed today is tied to a unique folklore dance called “Gaku Odori”, which is preserved as a cultural practice in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Entitled, “Ryū-Ou Baasan ” (竜王ばあさん, Dragon Lord Grandma), this version of the story¹ gives a superstitious account on how the Gaku Odori came to be, and why it is important to the people. It comes from the following website here.

Below is the full folktale of Ryū-Ou Baasan. To the left is the original Japanese text, along with my English transliteration to the right.

むかしむかし、中村という所に、赤ちゃんの取り上げが上手なおばあさんがいました。

どんなに難産でも、このおばあさんの手にかかればすぐに産まれるので、『中村の取り上げばあさま』と呼ばれていました。		A long time ago, there was an old woman who, residing in a place known as Central Village, was skilled in assisting in child birth.

She was called “Midwife grandma of Central Village”, for no matter how complicated the birth, she was able to resolve the situation and have the baby delivered.
ある日の真夜中、おばあさんが寝ていると家の戸を叩く者がいます。

ドンドン、ドンドンドン。

こんな時間に来るのは急産の取り上げに違いないと思い、おばあさんはすぐに支度(したく)をすると外へ飛び出しました。		One late night, someone came knocking on the door while she was sleeping.

KNOCK KNOCK, KNOCK KNOCK

Thinking that no one would show up unless there was an emergency with someone in labor, the old woman got up, prepared the necessary supplies, and headed out.
外には、使いの男がいて、

「こんなに遅くにすまんが、一緒に来て下さい」

と、言いました。

「それは良いが、どこの家かいの？」
おばあさんが尋ねると男は、

「ずっと遠くです。案内しますから、足元に気をつけてください」

と、先に立ってどんどん歩いて行きました。		As she opened the door, she met a messenger boy².

“I’m sorry to disturb you so late in the night, but I need you to please come with me,”

He said to her.

“I’d gladly do so…but to which house?”
The old woman inquired, in which he answered,

“It’s one that’s very far away. I’ll take you there. Please watch your step,”

With that, they started walking, with the messenger boy taking the lead.
外に真暗闇(まっくらやみ)ですが、なぜか足元だけは明るいので、おばあさんは何とか転ばずに歩けました。

そのうち波の音が聞こえて来たので、

(これは、海の近くだな)

と、思ったとたん、おばあさんは気を失ってしまいました。		Although it was pitch dark outside, not once did the woman stumble while walking, as the path they took was surprisingly bright.

Just then, sounds of waves of water could be heard in the distance.

“We must be near the ocean,”

She thought to herself. At the same moment, everything became black as the old woman lost consciousness.
おばあさんが気がつくと、そこは金銀(きんぎん)がキラキラと光り輝く龍宮城(りゅうぐうじょう)だったのです。

おばあさんがびっくりしていると、龍宮城の主の龍王が現れました。

「夜中に、遠い所をごくろうであった。そちに、姫のお産のかいぞえを頼みたいのだ」

「お産？」

お産と聞いては、ジッとしていられません。

おばあさんがさっそく姫の部屋へ行くと、それはひどい難産(なんざん)で、姫の顔には血の気がありませんでした。		When the old woman came to, she discovered that she was at the Dragon Palace³, (竜宮城, Ryūgūjō), a place that shimmered with lots of precious gold and silver treasures around⁴.

As she looked surprised at her surroundings, the Dragon Lord⁵, ruler of the Dragon Palace, appeared before her.

“I thank you for making such a long trip in the middle of the night to reach here. I wish to make a request, that you assist as a midlady for the princess’ childbirth.”

“The princess⁶ is having a baby now?”

Upon hearing the word “childbirth”, the old woman didn’t pause for a moment to help where she was needed. She hastily went to the princess’ room, and saw before her the princess as pale as a ghost, as she was having labor dystocia⁷.
「よしよし、すぐに楽にしてやるからな」
　
おばあさんはさっそく仕度に取りかかり、それからすぐに玉の様な男の子が産まれました。

「おおっ、良くやってくれた。お礼に、何でもやろう」

　龍王は大喜びで、おばあさんの前にお礼の金銀サンゴを山の様に積み上げました。
　けれど、おばあさんはそれを受取ろうとしません。

「どうした？　気に入らんのか？　・・・そちは一体、何が欲しいのじゃ？　何なりと取らせるゆえ、申してみるがよい」

　龍王がそう言うと、おばあさんは恐る恐る答えました。
“Very well. We will proceed with the deliver after administering some medicine,”

The old woman made the necessary preparations, and in due time the princess was successful in giving birth to a baby boy, who looked as cute as a round gemstone.

“Oh, you did it! To show my appreciation for your assistance in the delivery of the princess’ baby, I will grant you whatever you wish.”

Filled with joy, the Dragon Lord had a heap of gold & silver coral ornaments brought before the old woman as a reward. However, the old woman made no movement to accept it.

“What’s wrong, you don’t have any interest in something like this? Please tell me, what is it you want? Say whatever’s on your mind, for I will grant it no matter what it is.”

Hearing this, the old woman’s voice trembled as she responded to the Dragon Lord.
「はい。実はわたくしの村にあまり雨が降らず、田んぼのイネが枯れようとしています。どうか龍王さまのお力で、雨を降らせてもらいたいのです」

この村人を思う気持ちに感心して、龍王はその願いを聞き入れました。

「それでは、今後はわしをまつって、豊年踊りを踊るがよい。さすれば大雨を降らせよう」
“Okay, I will. Actually, the rice crops in the fields are drying up in my village, as we haven’t had any rain. Dragon Lord, is there any way you can use your power to make it rain for us?”

Moved by her feelings for her fellow villagers, the Dragon Lord accepted her wish.

“From now on, your people must give worship to me, and perform the Harvest Dance (豊年踊り, Hōnen Odori). If followed as so, I will then let forth great rainfall for your fields⁸.”
さて、それからおばあさんが龍宮城を去って村に帰りつくと、いなくなったおばあさんを探して村中が大騒ぎでした。

おばあさんが訳を話して龍王との約束を伝えると、村人は大喜びです。

「これで、村は救われる！」

「取り上げばあさまは、ありがとう」
　
この時から村人たちは、このおばあさんの事を『龍王ばあさま』と呼ぶようになりました。
With all that’s said & done, the old woman left the Dragon Palace and returned back to her village. There, she found the villagers to be in an uproar, as they were out & about looking for her during her absence.

She explained to the villagers what happened while she was away, and the promise that was made to her by the Dragon Lord. Hearing her tale made the villagers very excited.

“If this is so, then we can save out village!”

“Thank you so much, Midwife grandma!”

From this day on, the old woman was then nicknamed “Dragon Lord Grandma” by the villagers.
そしてこの踊りが山口県に今に伝えられる、楽踊り(がくおどり)の始まりだという事です。
Within Yamaguchi Prefecture, the origins of “Gaku Odori” is passed down to present day as coming from this special dance.

To summarize, this folklore refers to showing appreciation for bountiful harvests each year when it rains. The rain is through the auspicious power of a dragon, thus farmers can give praise and worship to divine beings as such…with one method being the Hōnen Odori (豊年踊り), or Harvest Dance. There are many different types of Hōnen Odori still preserved today.

This concludes the final article of 2024, closing on the dragon theme. Wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year!

1) Take note that there are different versions of the story, each with slight variations. This version, as told in Yamaguchi Prefecture, may have been styled in a way to fit local practices there.

2) There may have been an event prior to the messenger boy coming to pick up the old woman. Possibly, one where she had to deliver a baby of spiritual beings posing as human, as a test.

3) Although not mentioned in this story, it is hinted that the old woman may have been carried on the back of a dragon to the Dragon Palace.

4) Where is the Dragon Palace located? A hidden island? Up in the clouds? We have to use our imagination for this one.

5) This divine being is inspired from Buddhism, which tells of a deity beast of the same name. Or, we can go even further and say the idea dates back to Hindu beliefs, which depicts various god-like beings with snake-like bodies.

6) While it’s not mentioned, it’s no secret that the princess is the Dragon Lord’s daughter.

7) There are various reasons for the difficult childbirth. In one version of this story, it is said that the baby complained it was facing the wrong direction, so the old woman had to turn it the right direcion manually. Yes, this is not a typo, the baby told her.

8) The details to performing this special dance was actually explained to the old woman by the Dragon Lord, although it is not stated in this version of the story.

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Tenga Goken: The 5 Great Swords of Japan ~ Part 6

Today we will look at the last sword from the Tenga Goken, which is named Ōdenta Mitsuyo (大典太光世). Like the other swords in this prestigious category, it has its own fair share of claims and stories that elevate it to a level of excellency, with plenty of auspicious beliefs behind it. To start, let’s examine its details.

Image of the Ōdenta Mitsuyo, just the blade itself with no swrd handle or sheath. From the website “Touken World“.
  • Status: national treasure
  • Maker: Mitsuyo
  • Signature: Mitsuyo-saku (crafted by Mitsuyo)
  • Blade length: 66 cm
  • Blade curve: 2.7 cm
  • Base of the blade: 3.5 cm
  • Blade tip: 2.5 cm

The Ōdenta is deemed as a national treasure of Japan. Through an acculmination of stories attached to it, this sword has qualities similar to the other swords of the Tenga Goken. For example, at an early time its worth was understood, and was in the possession of elite individuals. On top of this, it fell into the safekeep of one prestigious family exclusively for many centuries, whom valued it on the level of a lucky charm. This attention to its worth is based on certain factors over the course of history. Unlike the others, the Ōdenta Mitsuyo was actually crafted as a pair to another sword, which makes it unique in the Tenga Goken. These and more will be explored throughout this article.

To this day, the Ōdenta Mitsuyo is part of the remaining collection of the Maeda family, who have held onto this sword the longest.

MITSUYO THE MIIKE SWORDSMITH

Ōdenta Mitsuyo, or Ōdenta for short from here on forward, was crafted by a swordsmith known as Mitsuyo. Living around late Heian period, Mitsuyo resided in Miike, Chikugo Country. Based on his geography, he was part of the Miike smith group, who were respected sword makers during the Heian period. Mitsuyo was known under other titles, including the nickname “Denta”¹, and a Buddhist name generally pronounced as “Genshin” (元真). Speaking of which, this Denta nickname was one that was passed down in Mitsuyo’s family line, but each iteration used different kanji. For example Mitsuyo is recorded to be 1st generation, and used the kanji “典太”. Other use cases includes “傳太”,The 2nd generation used “伝多”, the 3rd generation used “伝田”. Due to this, it is not unusual to see Ōdenta written with any of those versions of those kanji both in documents and online.

Regarding his works, Mitsuyo is recognized as crafting about 3 swords that are in existence today. This doesn’t mean these are all that he made, but they are the ones in which historians can give direct credit to. Interestingly, 2 of those swords were paired as “sibling” swords. The longest of the 2 is called “Ōdenta” (大典太), and the shorter one is called “Kodenta” (小典太)². The meaning of both names are very simple, as Ōdenta can be read as “Big Denta”, while kodenta can be read as “Little Denta”. Why were they named as so? There are some speculations, such as the Ōdenta having a larger curve than the Kodenta, as well as following the same naming convention of adding “Ō” (大) at the front like other swords at that time such as Ōkanehira (大包平).

If you haven’t guessed, the names Ōdenta and Kodenta were inspired from Mitsuyo’s nickname. While popularly known as “Ōdenta”, the other name used to identify this sword is “Miike Ōdenta Mitsuyo” (三池典太光世).

IN THE HANDS OF POWERFUL FIGURES

Like with most swords that were valued as exquite treasures, the Ashikaga family gained possession of Ōdenta³. There is no specific details as to when and how they acquired it, except for a rumor (more on this in another section below). Later, the 15th Ashikaga shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiaki (足利義昭) presented it, along with 2 other swords, Onimaru Kunitsuna and Futatsumei Norimune, to Toyotomi Hideyoshi.  Hideyoshi was awarded many things from elite individuals, but not necessarily did he keep them. As mentioned in a previous article, the Onimaru was one of such items he didn’t keep close by within his possession due to negative superstition. However, in the case of the Ōdenta, Hideyoshi kept it within his family line, even past his own death. While it did stay in the possession of the Toyotomi family until their defeat to Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Eastern force, eventually it was given to Maeda Toshiie (前田利家) of the prestigious Maeda family of Kaga Domain. This parting wasn’t a mere distribution in the form of a gift, but more of cementing an ongoing association  between the Ōdenta and Toshiie, for there were several incidents between the two, with the following being the first.

One day, a sickly Toyotomi Hideyoshi conversed with a few of his loyal retainers who had gathered at Ōsaka Castle, including Maeda Toshiie. He told them a spooky tale that took place late night in the castle, while walking through the hallway of the Senjojiki (千畳敷, a large structure with many rooms famed for having around 1000 tatatmi mats). Hideyoshi heard someone was in front of him, but couldn’t see who it was. He motioned to draw his sword as he shouted for that person to reveal themself, but after a few moments, he quickly withdrew, worried that there was something haunting the hallway.

An artwork depicting Maeda Toshiie. Artist is unknown. From Wikipedia.

After hearing this tale, Toshiie refuted it, saying that such a thing was silly. In fact, he was bold enough to say he was willing to go and see if there was truly something down there. To test his conviction, he was instructed to retrieve a gunsen (軍扇), or a commander’s war fan, that was placed further down in the passageway. In a move to ensure his vassal’s safety, Hideyoshi handed the Ōdenta to Toshiie as an aid in his task. With this legendary sword hanging on his waist, he traveled down into the passageway, and fulfilled his task with nothing out of the ordinary happening.

After this incident, it seemed like Toshiie took a liking to the Ōdenta. There would be 3 more interactions with this great sword before he acquired full ownership. Taking its existence seriously, Toshiie kept it within his family’s own personal collection. In fact, he regarded it as a special treasure within the Maeda family line out of the many items they’ve collected, alongside two other acquired weapons crafted by Sanjō Munechika, which are a shorter sword and the acclaimed naginata of Shizuka Gozen⁴.

KEEPSAKE OF THE MAEDA FAMILY

Before going on, it’s worth mentioning that much of the Ōdenta’s story comes from the Maeda family. Out of all its owners, the Maeda have the most interaction with it. Other sources include “Kyōhō Meibutsucho” (享保名物帳), along with more modern publications such as “Tōkendan” (刀剣談) and “Karakizuihitsu” (嘉良喜隨筆).

It is said that Toshiie held high value of the Ōdenta. After his death a year later in 1599, it remained in the Maeda family as a memento to him. Years later, in 1669, a representative of the Maeda family made a request to the reputable sword evaluator Honami Kōho (本阿弥光甫) to have new fittings made for the Ōdenta to uplift its appearance. The style of fittings requested was the Onimaru-koshirae (鬼丸拵), which consisted of brownish color hide wrapped entwined with golden color thread wrappings, and a swordguard painted black. Kōho took on the request and did just so. Along with this, he changed the signia on the swords’ habaki and menuki from the kirimon (桐紋)⁵ motif to the Maeda family’s umebachimon (梅鉢紋) motif.

An image of the umebachimon, the family crest of the Maeda

An interesting practice of the Maeda family was using the Ōdenta as a mamorigatana (守刀), or guardian sword in English. Introduced by Toshiie himself, there are several cases where he placed the sword next to family members as a way to heal or bestow good fortune on them. This is primarily due to the belief that this very sword had some form of divine power. As an example, Maeda Tsunanori had the Ōdenta designated as a guardian sword for his 3rd son named Hisamaru, born in 1689. This child was the product between him and his conbuine, Mirui (美類), or popularly known as Horinin (法林院). Unfortunately, Hisamaru died later within the same year.

As a whole, the Maeda family fully trusted in the spiritual powers of the Ōdenta. It should be mentioned that this practice wasn’t unusual in Japan, considering how superstition played a significant role culturaly. Also, this special level of trust wasn’t solely reserved for Ōdenta; the Maeda family had other treasures they believed to have strong spiritual powers as well, and utilized them in the same fashion⁶.

TIME’S CHANGED, BUT CLASSIC SWORD REMAINS

Over the generations, the Maeda family had amassed a great number of swords. The count was about 36.  This was following a tradition of sword-collecting, which was started by Maeda Toshiie. However, it just so happened that the 15th head, Maeda Toshinari (前田利為), had no interest in this tradition. Being the early 1900s, the old ways of samurai and swords were a thing of the past, while society was moving progressively towards business and commerce. Instead, Toshinari was more interested in establishing a literature foundation. To acquire funding for this, he had 33 swords from their collection sold. Surprisingly, only 3 swords were kept, which were the Tomitagyo (富田郷), Tarōsaku Masamune (太郎作正宗), and Ōdenta.

Japan was rapidly modernizing, yet some old rules still held. The Maeda family continued to hold on to their high status earned centuries ago since Toshiie was a daimyo, and still had a level of influence. July 8th of 1910, the Meiji Emperor took a royal visit to the Maeda’s former mansion, Marquis of Maeda (前田侯爵邸, Maeda Kōshakutei ) in Tokyo. During this royal visit, several of their aniquated treasures were presented for their visitor’s delight. This included the Ōdenta, amongst other swords. The Emperor took great pleasure in seeing this famous sword, for despite the change in times, there was still an appreciation in classical swords.

Pics of Marquis of Maeda (前田侯爵邸), former estate of the Maeda family. From Photo-AC.

Its value would finally get its recognition on a national level, for the Ōdenta was appointed as an important cultural asset in June 28th of 1956. On February 19th of the following year, it was then deemed as a national treasure. While it has been elevated to such a prestigious level of worth, the Ōdenta remains in the safe keeping of the Maeda family, as it is kept in the Maeda Kutokukai Foundation (前田育徳会, Maeda Kutokukai).

WONDERS OF ŌDENTA

The following are accounts regarding the Ōdenta. While the main source can be considered documentations from the Maeda family, there are others that kept detailed records on this acclaimed sword. This includes the Toyotomi family, and the Honami family.

The follow pages are from 2 resources. To the left, a page from “Maeda-ke Meibutsu narabi ni Osashiryo Ongatana wakizashi” (前田家名物並御指料御刀脇指) about Ōdenta, including when it received Onimaru koshirae by Honami Kōho. To the right, a page from the 5th volume of “Kaga-han Shiryō” (加賀藩史料 第5編), which mentions certain key details about Ōdenta being used as a guardian sword in different occasions.

#1 PROPERTY OF KUSUNOKI

It is claimed by the Maeda family that Ōdenta was once owned by Kusunoki Masashige, one of Japan’s legendary warriors and highly decorated military strategist. Active during the early 1300s in the Nanbokucho period, Masanari took part in warfare as a large supporter of Emperor Godaigo, assisting in successful battles including those against the opposing Ashikaga shogunate. Unfortunately, he met his defeat at the battle of Minatogawa by the Ashikaga and their allies in 1336. Outmatched, he was killed within the same year.

Apparently, Masashige had Ōdenta in his possession, although it is not explained if it was with him during his last battle, or if it was in his castle. It is thought that from his death is when the Ashikaga were able to obtain the sword. There appears to be no other source other than what is documented by the Maeda family on this, making it hard to validate this as truth.

#2: TAMESHIGIRI

On August 19th of 1792, a tameshigiri event took place at Kozukahara prison in Senju, Edo (present day Arakawa Ward, Tōkyō)⁷. The tameshigiri was conducted on criminals sentenced to death, which was used as an opportunity to also pressure test specific swords’ sharpness and durability. Ōdenta was one of these swords⁸, which was tasked to the well-versed sword tester by the name of Yamada Asaemon⁹. Having a good number of dead criminals’ bodies, Asaemon swung Ōdenta in 4 different cutting scenarios, with the last one testing its cutting strength on 3 bodies.

It is reported that the Ōdenta did fairly well in the first 3 cutting tests, which included cutting through a torso, stomach, and chest. The 4th test didn’t go as expected, for against 3 bodies piled on the ground, the Ōdenta was only able to cut through the top 2, but got stuck on the 3rd body’s pelvis bone.

#3 THE 3 “BORROWS”

Previously, it was stated that 3 other incidents took place before Toshiie received Ōdenta from Hideyoshi. While the first interaction for Toshiie was from having it lent to him, these next three were from him and his family requesting to borrow the sword for the sake of saving certain relatives. In these 3 cases, the Ōdenta wasn’t used to physically cut down would-be assailants, but to ward off “illnesses” that haunted members of the Maeda family at different times.

・Gōhime’s unknonw illness

In 1574, Maeda Toshiie’s 4th daughter, Gōhime, was taken in as Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s adopted daughter. With her status, she was able to marry Ukita Hideie, a young lord of a prominent family from Bizen Country (present day southeastern part of Okayama Prefecture).

At one point during her period of giving child birth, Gōhime’s health deteriorated to the point where she became sickly. After evaluating her condition, Hideie was informed that she was being cursed by an evil fox spirit. The help of priests from an Inari Shrine, where fox spirits are worshipped, was seeked to exorcise this evil fox spirit, but were not able to remove this ailment.

News of her condition reached Toyotomi all the way in Osaka. Infuriated, Toyotomi made a decree that all foxes in Japan must be hunted and eliminated if there was no means to rid this evil fox spirit. He also had a message written and sent to these Inari Shrines.

It is rumored that to resolve Gōhime’s ordeal, Toshiie borrowed Ōdenta and had it delivered to her residence in Bizen Country¹⁰. It was kept in a room next to where she was bedridden. After a few days, she miraculously recovered from her poor condition.

・Maahime’s grave illness

The second case where Toshiie borrowed the Ōdenta was when his 3rd daughter, Maahime¹¹, was ill. At the time, Maahime was bewedded to a court noble named Madenokouji Atsufusa (万里小路 充房). It is said that Toshiie received permission to borrow the Ōdenta and had it delivered to his sick daughter, where it was placed beside her pillow with hopes that it would heal her in the same way Gōhime was saved.

Unfortunately, the Ōdenta didn’t demonstrate the same miraculous power, for Maahime didn’t get better and passed away. Having failed, Toshiie returned the sword back to the Toyotomi family¹².

・ Treating the Shogun’s daughter’s illness

The 3rd case involved Toshitsune, the 3rd successor of the Maeda family. Toshitsune’s wife, Tamahime, was diagnosed as having an unusual illness, which, to some, was caused by a vile aura. Around this time, the Ōdenta was property of the Tokugawa shogunate, due to Tokugawa Ieyasu’s success in defeating the Toyotomi family and confiscating their possessions. It also so happened that Tamahime was the daughter of the 2nd generation Tokugawa shogunate, Tokugawa Hidetada. With this connection, Toshitsune was able to get permission to borrow the Ōdenta and cleanse Tamahime of this bad aura by keeping it by her bedside. In record time, she was cured.

After this case, the Maeda family were allowed to keep the Ōdenta due to their frequent requests to borrow it.

#4: SCARING THE CROWS AWAY

There’s another story of the Ōdenta’s acclaimed spiritual properties. In 1583, Toshiie was given the responsibility of managing Hideyoshi’s recently acquired Kanazawa castle in Kaga Country. At some point over the years, this castle had a reputation of attracting crows, which would perch on rooftops. What attracted these crows was not known, nor was a viable solution to drive them away discovered.

In around 1601, Maeda Toshitsune was allowed to bring the Ōdenta into safekeeping within Kanazawa Castle’s storage vault known as Takigi no Maru (薪の丸). In the same year, he also acquired Shizuka Gozen’s naginata through marraige with Tokugawa Hidetada’s daughter, Tamahime. Viewed as an equally valuable piece, this naginata was also kept within the same storage vault. After both treasured weapons were placed there, the crows suddenly stopped perching on top of the castle. It is thought that the Ōdenta (and in some circles of critics, Shizuka Gozen’s naginata) had some special power within it to drive the crows away. Through this episode, Kanazawa castle gained the nickname:

“烏とまらずの蔵”

Which translates to “vault where no crows land on”¹³.

Is this just a case of coincidence? No one can say for sure.

ENDING

Here we come to an end with the history and stories about the Odenta. While there isn’t any real concrete info on it being used on the battlefield, it is amazing to see how individuals like the Maeda family placed great fate in a sword to provide luck, grant safety and cure any illnesses. Whether the newest generation have the same fate or not, it doesn’t seem like they will be parting from the Odenta any time soon. This also closes out the series on the Tenga Goken.

1) It can also pronounced as “Tenta”. This includes all other versions of this nickname, as well as the paired swords (Ōtenta and Kotenta)…although popular way is with the “d” sound.

2) In this case, they are not daisho (大小, long sword and short sword), as both swords are considered long swords.

3) What ever happened to the Kodenta? how did it get separated from its bigger sibling? Did it truly exist? There is one rumor that the Maeda family are in possession of it, possibly acquiring it at a later date. However, this has yet to be proven, as it is not in their records of swords they’ve collected over the centuries.

4) This is claimed by the Maeda family, but not necessarily proven. Also, there are others that claim to have the naginata used by Shizuka Gozen as well.

5) While the kirimon was used by the Imperial family, Take note that there were other versions of it, which were used by other powerful families such as the Ashikaga and the Toyotomi. While not specific, it’s possible that the version of this kirimon belonged to either the Ashikaga or the Toyotomi.

6) An example of this involves Shizuka Gozen’s naginata, which was kept in women’s chambers of the Maeda’s home in Kaga Domain. The belief here is that it would bestow luck and protection due to its association with a famous female warrior.

7) Around this time, Kozukahara prison became part of Senjushuku, which was an execution ground controlled by the Tokugawa Shogunate. 

8) The term for this is “gotameshi goyō” (御様御用). This also means “executioner”, which was also his appointed profession at the prison.

9) In the actual records of tameshigiri accounts, it didn’t mention this sword by the usual “Ōdenta” title. Instead, there was “Miike Gotō” (三池御刀, the renown sword from Miike) written there. This was possibly a shorthand, as it’s also addressed with “Miike” in its title.

10) There is another version written by Honami Kōzan. In it is stated that Shizuka Gozen’s naginata was used to heal Gōhime, for Toshiie was not able to get permission from Hideyoshi to borrow the Ōdenta.

11) Another commonly used formal title by her in her teens onward was “Kaga-dono”, which translates to something like “Madame Kaga”. However, we can consider this nickname passed down to other women within the Maeda family over the gnerations, for Maahime wasn’t the only one recorded to have used it. This may have been her distinguished title from around her mid-late teens.

12) It seems that there is a discrepency with the recording of this event, raising questions as to whether this even happened while Toyotomi Hideyoshi was still alive, and if Maeda Toshiie truly requested to borrow Ōdenta directly from him. In the end, it appears that Maahime died in 1605, which is over a decade after the passing of Hideyoshi. From a surviving document, it’s recorded that Ōdenta was still in the possession of the Toyotomi family even after Hideyoshi’s death, so it is thought that Toshiie got permission from some member of the Toyotomi household.

13) There has been a bit of back & forth in regards to how to properly read this. It has to do with whether the 1st kanji in the nickname is “鳥” (bird) or “烏” (crow). The difference between the 2 is there is one extra horizontal line in the bird kanji. Some researchers who reviewed the original documentation thought that the kanji in question had that one extra line, thus it was supposed to be read as “bird”. However, there are those researchers who believe that it’s actually the crow kanji , reasoning that it fits better the narration, and that there may have been a deviation in how it was written, causing an error. It is not unusual for such errors to appear in old documents, making this speculation feasible. For the most part, there is more of a lean towards the idea that this statement uses the crow kanji.

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Standard Bō Techniques During the 19th century

The image of kōryu bujutsu, or traditional martial arts, is a collection of systems predating Edo period that are exclusive, with each bearing unique, signature methodology and techniques. While there’s some truth to this, the reality is that many of them were born from preceeding systems, so there will be some level of universal skills.  This becomes even more apparent once Japan is unified under the Tokugawa shogunate, where there was more accessibility to studying multiple styles, cultural exchange between complying schools took place, and competitive meets between different schools became increasingly the norm. At some point, before the 1900s, most martial systems had a level of shared knowledge, with a separation through each respected schools’ methodology, approach, and history.

Recently I reviewed a post-Edo documentation that supports this movement. Bearing an unusually long title of “Enden ryū yari naginata, Sekiguchi ryū iai, Hōen ryū Heihō, dōryū iai, dōryū bō” (圓傳流鎗長刀 關口流居合 方圓流兵法 同流居合 同流棒), it’s a listing of specific techniques from Japanese martial systems that have become a standard of sorts as of 1841, which is the same date it was written. One can view this as a development according to the more social-bureacratic structure, where martial arts was interjected into society steadily in a form of recreation, giving it a purpose on a business level. This document covers certain techniques from a specific number of disciplines, including kenjutsu, sōjutsu, iai, and bōjutsu. What piqued my interest the most was the bōjutsu section, since there’s a great number of schools that have a bōjutsu curriculum, it’ll be fun to piece their similarities..

To the left, the cover of the documentation. To the right, the listing of standard bō techniques, found on page 13.

Today I want to go over this short list of techniques for bōjutsu that are pointed to as being standardized techniques. One of the challenges here includes understanding the technique listed by the name; while many systems may share the same technique by application on a fundamental level, it is not uncommon for the technique to bear different names.

Jōdan (上段)

While this is a common term for something that is high, as an upper stance or high strike, there are no details explaining which one is being referred to. So we will refer to jōdan uchi (上段打ち), jōdan uke (上段受け), and jōdan no kamae (上段の構え).

A demonstration of jōdan uchi

Jōdan uchi is simply a high strike, which all bōjutsu styles have as a standard. There are different ways to executing this based on one’s posture, technique, and situation. Jōdan uke shares many similarities in terms of mechanics, and is applied in a similar motion.

An example of jōdan no kamae

The posture jōdan no kamae has a portion of the bō held above head height. Of course, this can vary greatly between schools based on appearance, philosophy, and application. This doesn’t include the myriad of variations that accompany this posture. What holds true, however, is the fact that all schools have a jōdan no kamae, even if it is not named this¹.

Gedan (下段)

Just like jōdan, gedan (下段) is a common name for something that is low or down. In martial arts, it is used to distinguish low attacks and blocks, as well as lower postures. Gedan uchi (下段打ち) is a strike generally aimed at a low target, such as the legs. There are very few variations to this, making it a simple technique to execute from any posture. Gedan uke (下段受け), or lower block, shares a similar motion.

Examples of gedan no kamae

Looking at the posture gedan no kamae (下段の構え), this is an emphasis of one end, or the entirety, of the bō low close to the ground. Different variations have the portion held close to the ground either position in front or behind. Since this is a standard posture, there are schools that stick with the name as-is, but it’s not uncommon for other names to be used.

Koshi guruma (腰車)

This is a technique where the bō is held near or behind the hip, and is then swung in a large, sweeping arc. A rather large attack, it is also very strong. While in some instructions the targeting area may be mentioned being the opponent’s chest or hip, realisitically it can target just about anywhere.

Demonstration of a version of koshi guruma in motion

Koshi guruma is not posture-specific, but instead emphasizes utilizing the bō attached to the hip. Of course, this opens the door for some postures to transition into this much easier than others, including those where the back end of the bō is held lower to the ground, or the bō is whirled from behind the back.

Kasa no shita (笠下)

The name kasa no shita literally translates to “under the umbrella”. The bō is held horizontal around shoulder level , either from the front or behind. From my experience, this is a technique that tends to deal with a attack from underneath in a raising manner, or swung to the front in a sweeping manner if held from behind.

Demonstration of a version of kasa no uchi in motion

From my understanding, there is no right or wrong when comparing kasa no shita being done from the front or behind, as both are situational. Of course, certain systems my emphasize one over the other according to their methodology.

Mizuhiki (水引)

This technique is an interesting one. While some other modern references mention about it being a common one for many bojutsu systems, it’s a name I’ve not seen much of, nor is the name itself assuming. Visually I am able to discern this as a standard technique that can be found in many schools, whether as a focused one within a kata or just a stand-alone one.

Demonstration of a version of mizuhiki in motion

Mizuhiki involves the bō aimmed upwards from a crouching position, attacking the opponent’s hands from below. Looking beyond the idea of technique, Mizuhiki represents the strategy of being able to use the bō from a crouching position. One may find themselves needing to swing their bō from a low position whether intentionally or through circumstance.

Kurai (位)

The term kurai refers to manipulating the bō based on the situation. This means one wields it dynamically. In some ways, it is like assuming a kamae. This is an older label that hints more on strategic use of positions and how they directly influence the way of holding the bō.

As an example, if you are facing off against an opponent on a hill and you have the high ground, it would be more natural to take up a gedan no kamae where the bō is held in the front, so to attack & control the opposition much easier. On the opposite side of the coin, if you are on the lower part of the hill, then there is a higher probability that seigan no kamae will be the more effective posture.

Since the concept of kurai is so open-ended based on how each bōjutsu system’s methodolgy is structured, there are no set postures to represent this.

While small and concise, this document can contribute as research material to understanding the development of Japanese martial arts during the 1800s when paired with other sources. Of course it is not perfect, as this is from one person’s (or group of people) perspective, while we do not get any info as to why these techniques are chosen as being standard amongst most bōjutsu systems. Still, this gives some food for thought for those who want to compare the similarities and differences between Japanese martial systems.

1) It was common practice to conceal aspects of one’s style in the past. Sometimes this included naming a technique in an inconspicuous way, making it difficult to know what it is unless demonstrated and explained in person. While sharing of information between martial arts schools is much more abundant in modern times, there are still some styles today that uphold a level of secrecy.

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Tenga Goken: The 5 Great Swords of Japan ~ Part 5

Here is the 5th part of the ongoing series on the Tenga Goken, or the 5 great swords of Japan. Each of these swords has a unique trait that defines its existence as a masterpiece in its own respect. In the case of the Dōjigiri Yasutsuna (童子切安綱), it is not only deemed as the oldest sword, but its beginnings come literally straight out of a fairytale.

Let’s take a look at its details:

A pic of the Dōjigiri Yasutsuna on display. From Wikipedia.
  • Status: national treasure
  • Maker: Yasutsuna
  • Blade length: 80 cm
  • Blade curvature: 2.7 cm
  • Blade base width: 2.9 cm
  • Blade tip width: 1.9 cm
  • Length of back of blade: 3.1 cm

There is a great amount of documentation for it over the centuries. Much of these are related to inventory reports, and various accounts by owners and their associates. Others are story-like accounts related to the sword, with some more believable than others. This high documentation is in thanks to the Dōjigiri always in the possession of some high profile groups, along with a few sword enthusiasts. Today, it is in the care of Tokyo National Museum, as it is part of their National Institutes for Cultural Heritage collection.

For this article, we’ll cover more of the relevant recordings, along with some noteworthy ones that play into the theme of the Tenga Goken.

YASUTSUNA

The swordsmith name on the sword’s tang is “Yasutsuna” (安綱). This points to Ōhara Yasutsuna, who was active in Hōki country (present-day western part of Tottori prefecture) during the early Heian period from 806 to 810. This area was known to be rich in pure iron sand, which was essential material for sword crafting. The style of crafting of the Dōjigiri also matches with the Heian period, such as the curvature of the blade. With these strong evidences, it is estimated as the oldest sword out of the Tenga Goken.

Surviving records such as Chōkyō Meizukushi (長享銘尽) point to Aimi county in Hōki country as where he was living. On paper, Yasutsuna is considered as one of Japan’s most recognized swordsmith from far ancient times.

YORIMITSU VS SHUTEN DŌJI

A drawing of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, from the 10-volume artwork collection “Zenken Kojitsu” (前賢故実), from the Edehon Database. By Kikuchi Yōsai.

The Dōjigiri’s existence is introduced to the world through a popular tale about Minamoto no Yorimitsu (源頼光) and his bravery. Hailing from the famous Minamoto line, Yorimitsu was, according to surviving records, a real person who lived from 948 from 1021. Curiously, the tales about him and his companions include mythical and superstitious events, which is not uncommon considering the times. There is one particular event where Yorimitsu must play the hero as he was tasked to slay a notorious demon, which is where the Dōjigiri comes into the picture. Here’s a synopsis of how that story goes.

In in they year of 995, the Imperial court tasked Minamoto no Yorimitsu (源頼光) with pacifying a gang of demons lead by a mighty ogre called Shuten Dōji. These criminals have done many heinous acts, including kidnapped women from villages to be eaten later. Yorimitsu set out with 4 of his most trusted retainers dubbed Shitennō (四天王, 4 Heavenly Kings)¹, and traveled the demons’ lair, which was on Mount Daie in Tanba country (present-day area between Kyōto and Hyōgo prefecture).

A woodblock called “Yorimitsu-chōshin Shuten Dōji wo taiji no zu” (頼光朝臣酒呑童子ォ退治之図), featuring Yorimitsu and the Shitennō engaging with the notorious demon gang. This scene includes Shuten Dōji tied with chains while Yorimitsu beheads him, but in a fit the head takes flight and attacks Yorimitsu. By Katsukawa Shuntei.

On their way, they met 3 wise men who gave them items that would aid in defeating the demons. This included a special wine called “shinbenki dokushu” (神便鬼毒酒), which was interpreted as a “divinely conceived poisonous wine for demons”, yet had healing properties for humans². Disguising themselves as mountain ascetics, Yorimitsu and his team were able to deceive the demons in order to gain entry into their lair, and as a thanks to their hospitality, entertained their hosts through dance and wine. After drinking the wine, Shuten Dōji and his gang fell asleep from its neutralizing effects. Seizing the chance, Yorimitsu drew his concealed sword and beheaded Shuten Dōji, while the rest of his team fought off and slew the other demons. Taking the demon leader’s head as a trophy, and freeing the captives, Yorimitsu & his crew returned back to the Imperial court in the Capital³ where they received many honors.

It’s from this episode where the name “Dōjigiri” comes from.

To reiterate, Minamoto no Yorimitsu is recorded as a historical figure who truly did exist. Was the journey he embarked on real? Was Shuten Dōji an actual demon? There are many layers to this story, and the other versions that mirror it, which would need its own article to properly analyze it.

As for Dōjigiri, it gets its name from the lore of being sharp enough to behead a mighty demon. As an heirloom of the Minamoto clan, it makes sense that Yorimitsu would gain possession of it. Yet, how and from whom the Minamoto family acquired this sword is not explained.

POSSESSION OF THE MATSUDAIRA FAMILY

After Yorimitsu, the Dōjigiri is passed into the the hands of several high profile individuals, with the first being the Ashikaga family. There is no clear explanation on how this happened, but estimated time is between late 900s to early 1000s. As an elite military family with status through the Imperial court, the Ashikaga family added the Dōjigiri to their growing collection of valuable treasures, and it would remain there for a few centuries even after their family claimed shogunate in the early-mid 1300s.

In the late 1500s the 15th shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki gave the sword to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. A superstitious man, Hideyoshi was not pleased to keep a sword with such a history⁴. So he passed it to the Honami family for safe keeping. It’s possible that from this point the Dōjigiri was evaluated, and the name of the swordsmith was discovered. At a later date, Hideyoshi then parted with the sword as he gave it to Tokugawa Ieyasu. After becoming shogun and establishing total control over Japan, Ieyasu gave the Dōjigiri to his son, Hidetada.

An artwrk of Matsudaira Tadanao. From Wikipedia.

On a celebratory day in November of 1611, Hidetada’s daughter Katsuhime was be-wedded to Matsudaira Tadanao, a lord of Kita-no-Sho Domain in Echizen country. Hidetada gave the Dōjigiri to Tadanao as a gift in honor of their family’s unity; while the Tokugawa name was reputable at this point, the same can be said for the Matsudaira mainly due to their long established line, as well as historical connection with the Tokugawa line. The latter saw tremendous benefits, for once the Tokugawa Shogunate was established, this gave opportunities for the Matsudaira families to be positioned as lords over numerous lands. While Tadanao was bringing his land in Echizen country into this unison, Katsuhime’s family was bringing their Takada domain, which was located in Echigo country⁵.

After relinquishing his duties due to old age and retiring into priesthood⁶, Tadanao had his 8-year old son, Mitsunaga, in line to take over the the Kita-no-Sho domain. When he came of age, Mitsunaga would instead became lord of the Takada domain in Echigo country due to political issues. From this point, the Dōjigiri, along with other treasured items of his father, would be left to him.

The Dōjigiri remained as a Matsudaira treasure for several centuries, up until modern time⁷. There were a few cases where it passed into other hands, due to land ownership issues. During those cases, where it was on the land that was up for redistribution, the Dōjigiri ended up on the assets assessment lists drafted up. This made this particular sword well documented, and easily tracked. In 1933, it was appointed as a national treasure by the Ministry of Education (文部省, Monbushō) under the old system. It was also present in the Yūshūkan Sword Exhibition in 1940.

THE PRICE OF BIG SPENDING AND DEBT

Starting around the early 1940s, the Dōjigiri finally leaves the possession of the Matsudaira family, as it would get caught in a power struggle by those willing to pay a hefty price for it. This first went into motion as a Nakajima Kiyoichi had his eyes set on purchasing the Dōjigiri from the Matsudaira family. He made a request to Ishigurō Kuro, a renown sword dealer from Ishikawa prefecture, to see if he could buy it straight from the prestigious owners. At the time, Kuro made attempts, initially purchasing 2 different swords. It wouldn’t be until 1946 when he was finally successful in securing the Dōjigiri, paying ¥80,000⁸ for it. When Kuro reached out to his client to come and buy the sword from him, it seemed as if the deal was gonna go sour, for Kiyoichi didn’t have the money for it.

Reaching out to the Honami family for help, Kiyoichi used their connections to find a business man name Tamari Sannosuke, who was willing to lend money. Sannosuke paid Kuro ¥100,000 for the Dōjigiri. Having such an exclusive sword, Sannosuke relieved the flustered client from being in his debt by offering to take care of the sword. While in his possession, the Dōjigiri was re-evaluated and once again appointed as a national treasure under the new system.

In the mid 1900s, the Dōjigiri was associated to large sums of money, as individuals invested a great amount to get their hands on it. From Photo-AC.

Some drama would unfold a little later, where Sannosuke’s business went bankrupt. He made several attempts to borrow money using the sword, including transferring the sword to a Mr. Murayama for safe keeping and financial support. In 1950, a sword enthusiast named Watanabe Saburō heard about this and contacted Mr. Murayama, as he was willing to pay ¥500,000 as a lending fee, in which Sannosuke agreed. However, several months later into the new year of 1951, Saburō passed away. Sannosuke, who felt that their deal was void due to the death, reached out to the Watanabe family to send back the money and have the Dōjigiri returned to him. As this didn’t go as smoothly as anticipated, both sides would have to try and resolve the matter in court, which spanned for almost a decade.

In 1963, a resolution to end the fight over ownership for the Dōjigiri was made by a member from the Bunkazai Hogoiinkai (文化財保護委員会, National Commission for Protection of Cultural Properties), who would buy the sword completely by paying a hefty price of ¥26,300,000. This amount was split at a specific rate between ¥20,000,000 for Sannosuke, and ¥6,000,000 for the Watanabe family.

With the Dōjigiri in the possession of the Bunkazai Hogoiinkai, it was free from the bidding wars of sword enthusiasts. It was eventually donated to the Tokyo National Museum, where it can be put up on display in exhibits for the public to see.

FUN FACTS

As mentioned earlier, there is an abundant amount of writings on the Dōjigiri, some more interesting than others. While this sword has had its fair share of territorial and ownership disputes, there are a good amount of stories claiming unusual events. Then there are those that are heresay, and can be viewed as baseless rumors or fantasy. Below are a select few that give different perspectives in which how this special sword was interacted with.

1. MORE THAN ONE DEMON-SLAYING SWORD?

As with most old stories from Japan’s ancient times, there are different versions to the famed story of Minamoto no Yorimitsu and his quest to quell Shuten Dōji. The differences vary, from the names used to identify certain individuals, the appearances of certain individuals, to certain details included to give more wilder context (i.e Shuten Dōji’s flying head after decapitation). Fortunately, all these versions share the core parts, which includes Yorimitsu, his loyal followers, Shuten Dōji and his gang at their lair, and the wine that weakened Shuten Dōji enough where Yorimitsu was able to behead him with a sword.

An artwork entitled ” Ichijo Modori bashi no atari nite Higegirimaru no tachi wo motte Ibaraki Dōji no ude wo kiru” (一條戻り橋の邉にて髭切丸の太刀を以茨鬼童子の腕を斬). Watanabe no Tsuna is shown about to cut off the arm of Ibaraki Dōji as they engage in a struggle on the Ichijo Modori bridge. By Utagawa Kuniyoshi.

These differences also affect the representation of Dōjigiri, for while it sounds like this was the key item to Yorimitsu’s victory, there tends to be mentioned of 2 other swords, which are the Onigiri (鬼切) and Higegiri (髭切). Depending on the source, Dōjigiri may be omitted and replaced by one of these 2 other swords, or they appear in the same story but used to fulfill a different task. Here’s an explanation about these other 2 swords:

Onigiri – It’s name can be interpreted as, for the sake of popularity, “Demon-Slayer”. However, its full title is stated as either “Onigirimaru” (鬼切丸) or “Onigiri Yasutsuna” (鬼切安綱). It is argued that the Onigiri is another sword in Yorimitsu’s possession, an heirloom of sorts passed down his family line. In few sources the name “Onigiri” is stated as the sword used to slay Shuten Dōji. Or, that the Dōjigiri’s name was changed to “Onigiri” after the task was done. However, neither are correct. In reality, this sword exists in its own respect, as it is kept as a valuable cultural treasure at the shrine Kitano Tenmangu in Kyōto. Furthermore, the maker’s name on the sword tang is supposedly Yasutsuna, meaning that it and the Dōjigiri are siblings, so to speak.

Despite its existence, there are some oddities surrounding it, leading to questions including the legitimacy as a Yasutsuna-crafted sword. On another note, this is the same sword as the Higegiri. More on this below.

Higegiri – Its name translating as “Whisker-Splitter”, this is another sword that was wielded for the sake of pacifying demons. Origin is that it was a treasured sword of the Minamoto clan, and got its name when it was used to behead a criminal, cutting clean not only through the neck, but the hairs from his beard as well. After their task of ridding Shuten Dōji and his gang, Minamoto no Yorimitsu lent this sword to his retainer Watanabe no Tsuna (渡辺綱) as he went to investigate some troubles in the Capital. As he headed there on horseback, he encountered a woman in distress at a bridge called “Ichijo Modori” (一条通り). Watanabe gave her a hand and lifted her up to sit behind him on his horse, when moments later she transformed into a demon known as Ibaraki Dōji (茨木童子) and grabbed the warrior. A sworn brother of Shuten Dōji, he had escaped from Mt. Daie when Yorimitsu and his retainers terminated his brethrens, and was now attempting to get revenge. Drawing the Higegiri out quickly, Watanabe seized the demon’s right arm, and cut upwards, slicing the arm clean off. After this episode, its name was changed to “Onigiri”.

This sword still exists, as mentioned above, for it is at the shrine Kitano Tenmangu in Kyōto, where it is kept as a cultural treasure. Since the Higegiri is the same sword as the Onigiri, it shares the same discrepancies, as there are questions regarding the legitimacy of its story and other details.

2. OUTRANKING MASAMUNE

Towards the ending of the 1600s, the Matsudaira family who owned Tsuyama Domain in Sakushu (present-day northern part of Okayama Prefecture) gained possession of the Dōjigiri. They also owned 2 other high-quality swords, one was “Inabagō” (稲葉郷) and the other was “Ishida Masamune” (石田正宗).

A pic of the Ishida Masamune on display. From Wikipedia.

All three swords are expertly crafted and high quality. The Ishida Masamune also has an impressive backstory, especially as it is one from the famed Masamune line known for its unrivaled sharpness. Yet, when a member of the Honami family had a chance to evaluate both swords, the Dōjiri was judged to be the better sword.

3. GUARDIAN FOXES

By lore and superstition, there are creatures used as messengers of the gods known as shinshi (神使) in Japan. These creatures existed for the sake of serving or protecting things that are special one way or the other. They are said to take the form of common animals, reptiles, and amphibians, with one of the more popular one being a fox.

There is another tale from Tsuyama Domain’s Matsudaira family, which is said to take place around the same time as the one previously mentioned above. One day, the Dōjigiri was sent out to be delivered for evaluation to Honami Saburobei’s home in Hirokouji, Ueno (an area in present-day Tokyo). While crossing the Sujikai Bridge (筋違橋) on the way to Saburobei’s home, it is said that there were foxes that came out and approached the individual with the Dōjigiri. There was no interaction with the foxes, just their sudden appearance and their momentary company down the same road, until they finally made their way towards a path to Yanaka in Ueno.

The take from this story is that these foxes acted as shinshi, and came to assist in guiding the Dōjigiri safely to its destination.

4. KATSUHIME’S SAYAGAKI

Starting around the late 1500s was a practice called “sayagaki” (鞘書き) through the permission of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, with the particulars including a person writing on the shirasaya of a reputable sword that is generally placed in storage. Swords that will not be used, or to help preserve during the humid summer, have their normal fittings taken off, and are placed in a simple unlacquered wooden sheath known as a shirasaya (白鞘), with an equally simple wooden sword handle. A peculiar practice, it allowed details about the sword to be written on the sheath without the need to draw it out.

An example of sayagaki.

In 1623, the Dōjigiri was stored in a shirasaya while it, along with other properties, was under the ownership of Katsuhime until her son was old enough to inherit them. There was sayagaki on the sheath of the Dōjigiri, and it is thought to have been done by Katsuhime herself, based on the writing style at that time.

This is what was written on the shirasaya of the Dojigiri:

JAPANESE:
表　童子切貳尺六寸五分
裏　鎺元ニテ壹寸横手下ニテ六分半重子厚サ貳分

ENGLISH:
Front: Dōjigiri, measuring at 2 shaku 6 sun 5 bu
Back: There is a hole measuring 1 sun at the base of the habaki (鎺, metal collar between the sword and the hand guard), 6 1/2 bu line below the yokote (横手, line on the side of the blade between the tip and the cutting edge), with a thickness of 2 bu

There is a description about these lines and how it is judged to be written by a woman, most likely Katsuhime. However, I am not sure who made this judgement.

5. EAST VS WEST

Within Asian culture there is a rather unique labeling of 2 things that are considered equal in strength and quality. Influenced by the ying-yang theory, these 2 things stand side-by-side and represent balance, even if both objects are rivals or mortal enemies.

Amongst sword enthusiasts, there is a statement that declares both the Dōjigiri and another sword called Ōkanehira (大包平) as equals. The line goes as follows:

“日本刀の東西の両横綱”

This translates to “Japan’s best 2 swords from the East and the West”. The East-West comparison is due to the fact that the Dōjigiri was crafted in Hōki country, which is located in western Japan, while the Ōkanehira was made in Bizen country⁹, located in eastern Japan. Looking at the history of the Ōkanehira, it was made during the late Heian period by an individual known as “Kanehira”, who belonged to the swordsmith group called “Ko-Bizen” (古備前). Like the Dōjigiri, the style of the Ōkanehira is stated as exquisite, as it has unique qualities matching the era it was crafted.

The reasoning behind this assertion points to how old both swords are estimated to be, for they have survived centuries up until present day.

6. CUTTING TEST

Sometime around the ending of the 1600s during the Edo period, the sharpness of the Dōjigiri was put to the test. While the sword was still in the possession of the Matsudaira family of Tsuyama Domain, there was a request to test just how strong it was. This event was set up as a “tameshigiri”, or “test cutting”, where an attempt would be made to cut through as many human bodies with the Dōjigiri in one swing. Not an unusual practice, tameshigiri was a means to evaluate the cutting power of swords of all types, and rate them by the number of targets they are able to cleave through…with the targets being close to or being exactly that of the human body. In the case of the Dōjigiri, the dead bodies of criminals were used.

A reputable swordsman within the area by the name of Machida Chōdayū (町田長太夫), who was a renown expert at tameshigiri, was given the task of testing this legendary sword’s sharpness. At its finest moment, Chōdayuu was able to completely slice through not only 6 dead bodies in one motion while wielding the Dōjigiri, but also split in half the mat the bodies were laid on.

ENDING

A great deal was shared about the Dōjigiri and it reputation as a special sword both in application, design, and value. All of this documentation and events are what elevate it to a high-profile sword. That covers everything worth mentioning about the Dōjigiri Yasutsuna, illustrating why it is categorized as one of the Tenga Goken. Be on the look out for the last article in this series, which will be on the Odenta Mitsuyo.

1) While Shitennō literally means “4 Heavenly Kings”, in most cases it is a label reserved to 4 very strong & talented individuals. Think of it as 4 pillars to an establishment or group. For Yorimitsu’s group, these 4 individuals were Watanabe no Tsuna (渡辺綱), Sakata no Kintoki (坂田金時),  Usui Sadamitsu (碓井貞光), and Urabe Suetake (卜部季武). The other nickname commonly used is “Raikō Shitennō” (頼光四天王), with “Raiko” being the onyomi (音読み, Chinese-phonetic) reading of “Yorimitsu”. This double-reading of a name was an old practice usually done in honor of someone important or famous.

2) When drank by humans, the pronunciation of the name of this sake is the same, but instead uses the kanji “神変奇特酒” . This version of the name reads something like “mysteriously special wine of the Gods “.

3) Actually, Yorimitsu was not able to bring Shuten Dōji’s head back to the Imperial court, as it became “heavy” and unyielding on the way. This was forewarned while they passed through an area on the outskirts of the Capital that had a koyasu jizō (子安地蔵, statue of Jizō the guardian of childbirth) on the path, which warned them that no one was allowed to bring unclean things into the Capital city. It is thought that the guardian deity there caused this to protect the citizens, since Shuten Dōji was festering with germs, and it was highly possible his head would bring illnesses.

Having no other options, Yorimitsu dug up a tomb for the severed head, which would years later become the grounds for the shrine called Kubizuka Daimyōjin (首塚大明神). Consisting of a simple torii (gate), grave, and an altar, it is a small shrine where, through worshiping Shuten Dōji as a deity, all ailments the severed head was carrying has been lifted…at least, according to lore.

4) The same happened to the Onimaru Kunitsuna, which can be read here.

5) Katsuhime (勝姫) was more than a filler in the Tokugawa lineage; unlike many other women who have remained nameless, she is identified by her real name. This is due to her involvement in familial matters, which included land management and issues. Katsuhime is known under different titles during her lifetime, including the honorific title Takada-sama (高田様, Madame Takada), and her Buddhist name Tensuin (天崇院).

6) Life expectancy was low around this time, so it was not unusual for people to retire from their profession around their 40s or 50s.

7) To elaborate a little, it primarily remains in the possession of the Matsudaira from Tsuyama domain from 1698 up until modern times. Mitsunaga of the Matsudaira line from Echigo domain had a relatively long and intricately difficult time in his later years dealing with land ownership disputes with the Tokugawa Shogunate, which detracts too much from this article’s topic to go over. This also included losing ownership of treasured items temporarily, with the Dōjigiri being one of those possessions. These issues were eventually resolved while he was still alive, and he later had certain possessions, including the Dōjigiri, passed into the safe keeping of the Tsuyama-Matsudaira family line in a formal manner.

8) This, and all money values that follow are reported in Japanese yen, but not at present day’s rate. Note that there was not an official exchange rate of yen to US dollars from around the mid 1940s to early 1950s. This is primarily due to Japan’s lack of a unified currency system in society as a whole, as well as that yen was not yet part of the Bretton Woods system regarding affiliated global exchange rates. This would slowly change starting around around 1952.

Due to the lack of currency value structure for the Japanese yen at the time when the Dōjigiri was being purchased, attempts at a dollar to yen conversion will fluctuate abit, leading to possible (but not guaranteed) estimates. As a starter, the conversion rate between the mid 1940s to early 1950s would look something like $1 = ¥350 ~ ¥400.

9) This is based on the following inscription engraved on the sword, “備前国包平作” (Bizen no kuni Kanehira saku). This translates as “made by Kanehira of Bizen country”