5 Great Swords of Japan

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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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Tenga Goken: The 5 Great Swords of Japan ~ Part 4

The next sword from the Tenga Goken will be the Juzumaru Tsunesugu (数珠恒次). This time around, we go in a different direction in terms of how Japanese swords are viewed both physically and in application. Going the opposite direction of them being used for killing by warriors, we will explore the idea of how a sword like the Juzumaru Tsunesugu played a symbolic role in Buddhist practices. Before going over its history, let’s first review its specifications.

A snapshot of Juzumaru Tsunetsugu without any fittings or handle, from the site “Touken World“.
  • Status: valuable cultural asset
  • Blade length: 82.1 cm
  • Curvature: 3.0 cm
  • Width (base): 4.0 cm
  • Width (tip): 2.0 cm
  • Maker: Aoe Tsunetsugu

An interesting point worth taking note of is that the Juzumaru Tsunetsugu’s status is that of a cultural piece, as opposed to a national treasure. This is because, while being an intangible piece of  history with traceable history, it is neither in the possession of a national establishment nor part of an Imperial collection. Due to this, proper validation cannot be done on its authenticity. Still, its stated existence is accepted as being important on a cultural level, which isn’t an unusual thing as many historical items around Japan can be deemed as invaluable objects, yet stay in the hands of those outside of government-funded organizations and Imperial property.

Juzumaru Tsunetsugu exists today as part of the collection of artifacts at the temple Honkōji, where it can be viewed by visitors around the world.

BEGINNINGS

The Juzumaru Tsunetsugu was crafted by a swordsmith who’s addressed as  “Aoe Tsunetsugu” (青江常次). Like many others in the same profession, Tsunetsugu’s surname is unknown. Instead, he is identified by where he comes from, which was Aoe in Bitchu Province (present day Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture). He was a member of the Aoe group of swordsmiths, which was started by his father, Aoe Moritsugu. Taking a quick look at the Aoe group timeline, Moritsugu and his group were active from the ending of Heian period to the early term of Kamakura period (1100s ~ 1200s), where Tsunetsugu, being the 2nd son out of 3 children, took over after his father at some point. To further bolster up his resume, Tsunetsugu was commissioned as the sole blacksmith by the Imperial palace to craft swords during 82nd Imperial successor Emperor Gotoba’s reign…but this should be taken with a grain of salt, as there were other blacksmiths who were utilized by the Imperial court as well.

After being brought to life by Tsunetsugu, the Juzumaru Tsunetsugu, or Juzumaru for short, was the property of the Buddhist temple Kuonji throughout most of its documented history.  Its tie-in with Buddhism is key to the name “Juzumaru”, which there are are 2 symbolic meanings behind this. The first is the idea that “juzumaru” stands for the salvation of people from suffering, which is connected to the practice of the Buddhist sect Nichiren. The 2nd deals with the sword’s design, as at one point its handle was adorned with jewels in the likeliness of prayer beads, which are called “juzu” in Japanese¹.

ORIGINS THROUGH NICHIREN

Sources regarding the Juzumaru vary abit, but lead to the same point as to being part of the Tenga Goken due its splendor in craftsmanship. One particular source, known as “Shōchuu Tōken Meibutsuchō” (詳註刀剣名物帳), recounts its origin through the life of Nichiren, which goes as follow:

To the left, a statue honoring Nichiren, while to the right is “Founder’s Hall” (祖師堂, Soshidō), one of the buildings of Kuonji where Nichiren is worshiped.

In the past, many travelers feared traversing the paths that lead through the woods and mountains, as it was common knowledge that bandits laid in wait around those areas. Despite this, the saint Nichiren² planned to set off by himself to explore Mt. Minobu in Kai Country (present day Yamanashi Prefecture) during the early 13th century. Despite arguments from loyalists to dissuade such a dangerous journey, Nichiren would not listen. In order to ensure his safety, a sword from a country warrior living around the southern part at the base of the mountain was given to him. Nichiren accepted the sword and, before ascending Mt. Minobu, wrapped prayer beads around the sword handle, symbolically to ward off ill fortune.

Like a miracle, Nichiren was able to climb up and explore the mountain danger-free. Furthermore,  it is said that there was enough supplies within the surroundings on the mountain where he could devise a thatch hut as a place for slumber and to protect him from the elements. After some time, the temple Kuonji, which would become the grounds of the Nichiren sect, was established on Mt. Minobu. It is also written that the sword Nichiren brought with him during his journey was later examined by Honami Kōhō, one of the descendants of the family-run sword evaluation who was also a devout of Nichiren teachings. He was able to identify it as the product of Aoe Tsunetsugu, a renown swordsmith. With that, this sword gained the name  “Juzumaru”, and became a symbolic, treasured item of Kuonji temple and an asset to Buddhism.

More or less, this tale summarizes Juzumaru and its ties to Nichiren’s establishment of his own Buddhist sect. It is considered to be one of 3 keepsake relics of Nichiren after his death, with the other 2 being a his robe and a ceremonial folding fan. Being a Buddhist sword, it’s no surprise that it was not used for physical combat. Further evidence of this is the sword wasn’t even sharpened, but instead it’s edge was dull. This does open up some questions, such as the original purpose of the sword itself. Was it meant for self defense through fighting off bandits in the mountain through mortal combat? Since Nichiren wasn’t a warrior himself, it would go against the social caste during those times to arm a priest with a live sword. Maybe the idea of “self defense” was more of a sword that acted like a ward against ill fortune, thus the reason why the Juzumaru wasn’t sharpened.

Still, let it be known that an unsharpened sword is not unusual. In the past, along with arming warriors with sharp swords, it was not uncommon for swordsmiths to also make ceremonial swords that were unsharpened for non-combative purposes. Symbolically they “eliminated” ill fortune or evil spirits by “cutting” them down in order to ensure life proceeds correctly in the name of justice. Such a concept stems from Buddhism, which is defined by the phrase “hajakenshō” (破邪顕正).

BENEFACTOR OF THE JEWELED HILT #1

As mentioned before, “juzu” means prayer beads. It can also stand for jeweled beads, for beads made out of fine jewel stones represented great value and status in Japanese culture of old. Outside of the abridged “base” story of how Nichiren obtained the sword Juzumaru, there are other sources that can fill the blanks regarding Nichiren’s life up until the establishment of Kuonji temple. However, when it comes to this sword with its unique jeweled hilt, there are fewer sources to turn to. To be specific, there are 2 different versions that give their own take on who contributed to Juzumaru earning its name through the adornment of jewels on the handle. Here’s the 1st version.

There was a supporter, a benefactor of sorts who was Hakii Saburo Sanenaga (波木井三郎実長)³, a notable nobleman of the Imperial Court. A land owner within Kai Country, he became a follower of Buddhist teachings through Nichiren’s preaching around Kamakura. He was a strong supporter of his Buddhist teacher, from the start of his ascent up Mt. Minobu, to the establishment of Kuonji temple. Sanenaga continued to contribute to Kuonji temple after Nichiren’s death, which includes having the Juzumaru adorned with jeweled beads on the hilt.

A example of prayer beads, which is the likeliness the jewels fitted on Juzumaru’s sword handle was described to be. From Photo-AC.

Sanenaga appears to have been greatly involved in both Buddhism and the development of Kuonji temple per what is mentioned in remaining documentations. Thus, this version is considered factual for the most part. One can look at his involvement in having jewels adorned on Juzumaru’s sword handle a parallel to when Nichiren wrapped prayer beads around the sword handle during his journey. Along with it having an unsharpened edge, this majestic look of jewels in the form of prayer beads fit with the ideologies of Buddhism, thus adding to Juzumaru’s supernatural status, as well as netting it the nickname “Hajakenshō no ken” (破邪顕正の剣).

BENEFACTOR OF THE JEWELED HILT #2

There’s another take on a different individual who may have contributed to Juzumaru’s jeweled hilt it’s famous for. This second claim is through Hōjō Yagenta (北条弥源太), a warrior from a related branch of the Hōjō clan. The source of this information comes from personal writings by Yagenta known as ”Zenaku Nitō Gosho” (善悪二刀御書).

Living in Kamakura, he was one of many followers of the Buddhism teachings of Nichiren. When Nichiren declared his departure from Kamakura and going into isolation, Yagenta provided him with a daisho (大小), which is a long sword & short sword set, 3 months before his journey up Mt. Minobu. These swords were no simple items for mere self-defense, but were specially crafted to aid Nichiren in warding evil spirits which were to be (ritually) slain by these blessed blades. As one would guess, the long sword is said to be Juzumaru.

There is a little more to this version, which comes in the form of  details pertaining to sword descriptions of this long-short sword pair. This description is taken from a documentation called “Fuji Daisekiji Meishoshi” (富士大石寺明細誌), which pertains records from a Buddhist temple Daisekiji in Shizuoka Prefecture.  The sword descriptions (both original Japanese and my English transliteration) go as follow:

A digital version of ”Fuji Daisekiji Meishoshi”, with the sword descriptions presented in the red box. This can be viewed on the following website here.

JAPANESE
①
太刀　三条小鍛冶宗近作　二尺一寸　一腰
　蓮祖の所持諸弘通の節之レを帯す、北条弥源太殿より之レを献ず
　

②
劔　久国作　九寸五分　一口
　蓮祖弘通の節笈中に入る

ENGLISH
1)
Long sword / Crafted by Sanjō Kokaji Munechika / 2 shaku 1 sun / single sword⁴
From Hōjō Yagenta, this was given to the saintly Nichiren, who wore this at his hip during his  journey to where he would find his new home

2)
Sword (short) / Crafted by Hisaku /  9 sun 5bu 　/ single blade⁵
A sword part of the sacred items carried during Nichiren’s journey

There are a few points to unravel to get a clearer narrative. The 1st description is interpreted as Juzumaru being crafted by the famous Sanjō Munechika, while 2nd description speaks of the paired short sword being crafted by Hisaku from the Awataguchi clan. Hisaku was of a line of swordsmiths that predates Munechika, but they were apparently good friends⁶. On top of that, it is said that they were commissioned as official blacksmiths by Emperor Gotoba during his reign. Hōjō Yagenta, being a supporter of Nichiren, was made aware of his Buddhist teacher’s intended journey, and supposedly made preparations by commissioning a long sword be made for him by Munechika. As an extra, Hisaku also crafted a short sword, most likely from the same material. Yagenta was able to present this long and short sword set to Nichiren 3 months before the journey.

It’s safe to say that this story varies differently from the first version mentioned earlier, which raises many puzzling questions. The 1st point of concern is by whom hands Juzumaru was created by. Most sources state that Aoe Tsunetsugu is recorded as swordsmith who crafted Juzumaru, as his name can be verified to be on the tang of this same sword. Why the inconsistency here? Sanjō Munechika can be considered to have more claim to his name than Tsunetsugu, so attaching Juzumaru to him would play into the splendor of this sword. Could it be that in documenting the sword descriptions that the smith’s name was interpreted incorrectly? Or, if a sword by Munechika commissioned by Yagenta truly did exist⁷, it is possible that it was completely different from that made by Tsunetsugu. Maybe this “other” sword is mistakenly thought to be the Juzumaru. It is also a possibility for someone like Nichiren to have had several swords made for him as a form of protection on his journey up Mt. Minobu. The question here is would he have carried with him this multitude of swords? Most likely not, unless he had company to assist with such load.

The 2nd point of concern is Juzumaru being part of a long & short sword set, with a short sword crafted in the same liking as it. There are no records or surviving evidence that it was accompanied by a shorter sword…at least one by Tsunetsugu. While the idea of another great swordsmith like Hisaku crafting a pairing short sword to the Juzumaru does sound cool, it literally gets no mention outside of this version of the story. On top of this, there are no traces of this short sword, for it has yet to have been discovered.

Taking all of these aforementioned points into consideration, the consensus is that this long-short sword pair from Yagenta does not fit with the general take on Juzumaru’s origin, if the details themselves are factual at all. On one hand, this long & short sword set may have been completely different, but mistaken to be that of the legendary sword. It’s also possible that Nichiren was gifted with these swords, but didn’t take it with him on his journey? On the other hand, the entry about the sword details in the aforementioned documentation from Daisekiji temple doesn’t mention the name of the long sword, so blame should not be shifted here, but from any other sources that points to it being the one & only Juzumaru.

OTHER ADORNMENTS

Along with the jeweled hilt that resembles prayer beads, Juzumaru is described to have also been decorated with quality fittings. Early in this article, it was mentioned that the sword evaluator Honami Kōhō had examined this sword and judged its value. There is a document called “Kyōhō Meibutsucho” (享保名物帳), a record of antiquated swords, that mentions Kōhō also donated fine quality sword fittings, which were labeled as “Kōhō monozuki no koshirae” (光甫物数寄の拵). Apparently, these consisted of metallic components with a motif of renge (蓮華, lotus flowers) etched on them. The choice of renge, or lotus flowers, is most likely due to the deep connection this flower has with Buddhism, as well as the Lotus sutra recited in the Nichiren sect. It is also noted that Kōhō had donated these sword fittings sometime in the 1600s of early Edo period, which was centuries after the Juzumaru was crafted.

The section from the 1857 edition of “Kyōhō Meibutsucho”. The words “Juzumaru” and “Kōhō monozuki no koshirae” are highlighed by red lines as reference.

While Juzumaru is described as a well-adorned sword, these descriptions are only found on paper. Unfortunately, much of the adornment that were claimed to once have decorated this sword are currently not on the actual sword. This includes the prayer beads and the jewels fitted on the sword handle. The reasoning can be viewed from a couple of angles, the most suitable one is that these adornments were stolen. It’s highly possible that they were removed from Juzumaru for personal gain, which could include netting a high price to those who would buy them. Why would anyone want to purchase adornments that belong to a legendary sword like the Juzumaru? The simplest answer is that most people never heard of this sword, let alone have seen it unless they’ve made a trip to Kuonji temple, so any prospective buyer wouldn’t know the source of the fittings.

Another question would be as to when and how these adornments were removed from Juzumaru. While there are no solid answers to this, the following below will put this all into perspective.

FATE OF THE JUZUMARU

Stories about this legendary sword indicate that it’s synonymous with the Kuonji temple for centuries since Nichiren set out on his journey. However, an unusual incident happened where the Juzumaru was nowhere to be found sometime in the early 1700s; at a time, scholars and researchers alike could only go based on the writings about it, which painted a picture that it once existed. Why was it no longer at Kuonji temple? Was it stolen, or sold to support the temple? This point is still unknown⁸.

In 1919, a notable sword researcher named Sugihara Shōzō (杉原祥造) from Amagasaki city in Hyōgo prefecture, traveled around Japan studying the many swords that have survived, as well a purchasing those that were of antiquated value. One day, he discovered the Juzumaru at an auction house in his hometown, where items of aristocratic and nobility were sold to the highest bidder. Shōzō bought it and put notice to this discovery, as it was then reported in newspapers. What happens next is quite interesting, for he headed to Honkōji, the nearest Nichiren-sect temple in his hometown, and donated the sword there for safe keeping.

A picture of Juzumaru present-day, with no sword fittings, on display at Honkōji temple. This is from Amagasaki City website.

Why not return the Juzumaru to its original home at Kuonji? Speculations include that Shōzō had conflicting thoughts regarding Kuonji actually having possession of this particular sword in the first place, or if it was a fabrication all along. What was most important to him was to return this sacred relic to the rightful environment it belonged to, which was that of a Buddhist temple.

About a year later, Juzumaru was declared a former national treasure by Japan’s Ministry of Education and Culture under the following description:

Japanese

丙種　刀劍
太刀　銘恒次（数珠丸）　一口
兵庫県尼崎市別所村　本興寺

English

3rd class / sword
Long sword / sword name Tsunetsugu (Juzumaru) / single blade
Honkōji / located in a forest in Amagasaki city, Hyōgo Prefecture

in 1950, it would once again be re-evaluated by the Agency of Cultural Affairs, and be declared its new status as it now viewed as an important cultural property⁹.

ENDING

We come to a close on this treasured sword called Juzumaru Tsunetsugu. While it may never had tasted the impact of another sword on any of Japan’s numerous battlefields, the tales of it protecting a saint as a ward on his journey to establish his own Buddhist temple, as well as symbolically aided in the rituals performed there is the support that elevates this sword to the high recognition it holds now. Stay tuned for part five of the Tenga Goken series, which will feature the next sword known as Dōjigiri Yasutsuna.

1) While a minor topic, there has been a small debate in regards to this sword’s naming convention. While popular choice of kanji combination found in documents is “数珠”, there appears to be some that use “球数” instead. While both essentially mean the same thing, which is prayer beads, the former is the proper name, while the latter usually relates to the number count of the beads. It’s also not certain if the pronunciation would stay the same or switch to “suju” if the latter was the proper name. At the end of the day, the former, along with “juzu” is what sticks.

2) Saint Nichiren (日蓮上人, Nichiren Jōnin) can also be read as “priest Nichiren”, as he was a Buddhist priest. He was an actual person who was a scholar of Mahayana Buddhism, then declared his own version based on the same teachings, especially on the Lotus sutra. His climb up Mt. Minobu was actually due to self exile, for Nichiren faced many hardships (including imprisonments and banishment) for the sake of spreading Buddhist teachings, followed by depreciation by the government even after proving his teachings are of great value to the whole of Japan due to coincidental predictions of foreign invasion. 

3) Also known by the saint name “Hakii Nanbu” (波木井南部).

4) The term “hitokoshi” (一腰) is another counter used for swords. This one is unique, as it identifies a sword that is slung at the hip, which is normal practice by warriors alike. Since this is a specialized counter, note that any swords not slung at the hip would most likely be identified by a different counter.

5) Just like hitokoshi, the term “hitokuchi” (一口) is another unique term not just for swords, but for bladed objects as a whole. In this case, a sword with a particular pattern along the blade near the edge identified as a kiriguchi (切り口) are referenced by this counter.

6) The two swordsmiths had a good relationship probably because they come from the same area in Japan, which was Yamashiro Country at the time. This area is now presently known as the southern area in Kyōto.

7) There was a police report of this “other” sword being stolen at night from a storage house (guessing at Kuonji temple?) in June of 1940. Apparently the lock was smashed and various valuable items, including this sword, were taken. However, there are some oddities to this claim, the main one being it was disclosed later to the police that this sword, along with other like items, was noticed to have been missing since April of the same year. Not much is known with this case afterwards.

8) Interestingly, there are a couple of documentations that mention the Juzumaru being relocated outside Kuonji temple for safe keeping at a time. However, in these cases this supposedly happened much earlier before the sword’s inevitable disappearance in the early 1700s. On top of this, those documentations are considered to be like diary entries, so they cannot be viewed as factual, especially since such records are also not found in Kuonji temple.

9) The page where the Juzumaru is listed on the Agency of Cultural Affairs can be found here.

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Tenga Goken: The 5 Great Swords of Japan ~ Part 3

The second sword we are looking at from the famed Tenga Goken is the Mikazuki Munechika (三日月宗近). This sword has a history of passing through the hands of elite families, all the way up to modern times. Let’s take a look at the specifics:

Images of the Mikazuki Munechika (blade only, top) and its saya (scabbard, bottom). From Wikipedia.

  • Status: national treasure
  • Blade length: around 78.2 cm
  • Curvature: 2.7 cm
  • Width: 2.9 cm
  • Wrapping: tachi-style with (silk?) thread-wrapped handle, paired with a scabbard
  • Maker: Sanjō Munechika

Unlike the Onimaru Kunitsuna, there is more info on the Mikazuki’s construction, from the number of mekugi ana (holes for rivets on a sword hilt) in its tang, to the type of threads and brass that adorns its handle. Due to how detailed the descriptions are about its features, the Mikazuki Munechika is considered the most lavishly adorned out of the Tenga Goken. As a national treasure, it is currently being kept at the Tokyo Kokuritsu Senbutsukan (Tokyo National Museum).

Specific info regarding the origins of the Mikazuki Munechika come from a 1488 old record called “Chōkyō Meizukuri” (長享銘尽). As an example, it is though to have been made sometime in the 10th century of the Heian era, during the reign of the Emperor Tenjō. There are also info about it bearing the signature “Sanjō” on its tang, and is made by “Sanjō Kokaji Munechika” (三条小鍛冶宗近)¹ of the Sanjō craftsman group, are listed. This sword’s name being  “Mikazuki” is also stated here. The following line from the “Kyōhō Meibutsucho” (享保名物帳) hints on how this name came to be. The original Japanese is presented, followed by my transliteration.

JAPANESE:「三ヶ月と申す仔細は三ヶ月形の打のけ数々有之依て名付たる由」

TRANS: “The reason behind it getting the name “Mikazuki” is based on the client’s request, where, under specific instructions, the blade was struck repeatedly during the crafting process into a thin blade bearing the shape of a 3rd-day moon (crescent moon)”

While there is an “accepted” history, the list of owners of the Mikazuki Munechika is not definitively confirmed, as there seems to be varying sources. We’ll begin with the 1st theory, which begins with Hino Uchimitsu.

THEORY #1: ORIGIN THROUGH UCHIMITSU

Hino Uchimitsu (日野 内光) was the 2nd son of  Tokudaiji Saneatsu, a senior court official in the Imperial Court during the Muromachi period. Born in 1489, he was a high-ranking noble who held different ranks in the Imperial court. It’s not stated how Uchimitsu acquired the Mikazuki, but most accepted sources say that its history starts with him.

Uchimitsu took part  in the conflicts that erupted between Hosokawa Takakuni and the loyal followers of Kozai Motomori, Hatano Motokiyo and Yanagimoto Kataharu. When Takakuni had Motomori commit suicide, the two brothers revolted against him, raising a force to attack his castles. Different influential individuals were called to assist from both sides, with Uchimitsu siding with the brothers.

In the 2nd month of 1527 Uchimitsu took part in one of the battles, which occurred within the region of Katsurakawara in Kyoto prefecture. He led his force and faced off against Hosokawa Takakuni’s army, wielding the Mikazuki. However, Uchimitsu was killed during the course of the battle. It is said that to this day, you can see a chip in the sword, being proof of him using this sword in battle.

The faith of Uchimitsu and the Mikazuki was not left unchecked. It is said that Hatake Bokuzan, a fellow companion and feudal lord from the East, had given this fallen warrior a funeral, and offered the Mikazuki to a temple called Kōyasan (高野山) located in Wakayama prefecture. Bokuzan did so as a means to wish him good fortune in the afterlife.

While it may be so that the Mikazuki was once kept in Kōyasan, there seems to be doubt as to who actually brought it there. You see, Bokuzan actually passed away in 1522, 5 years before Uchimitsu’s death in battle. Was there a miscalculation in the dates? Probably not. Is it possible that another member of the Hatake did this? Currently there is no evidence on other Hatake members being involved with this matter. What is accepted, however, is that this fine sword was later taken from Kōyasan by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the few successful rulers to unify Japan during its warring period.

FROM ONE OWNER TO ANOTHER

From records found in the collection of  Hideyoshi’s wife, Kōdaiin (高台院)², is a written account about the Mikazuki. It is listed as a memento, as it appears she kept the Mikazuki, even after Hideyoshi’s death.  She even kept it after power of rule was taken by Tokugawa Ieyasu in the early 1600s, who established the centuries-long Tokugawa Shogunate. Kōdaiin lived until the age 78, and passed away in 1624.

Artwork of Kodaiin during her period as a Buddhist nun.

In the same year of Kodaiin’s death, this memento was inherited by Tokugawa Hidetada, the third son of Ieyasu who became the 2nd shogun in 1605. From here on, the Mikazuki is recorded as a sword part of the Tokugawa family’s collection. Talk about it can be found in the “Onkoshimono Motocho” (御腰物元帳), a document written in 1868 about swords collected and owned by the many Tokugawa shoguns. There are other documents that give details of how it was passed down within the Tokugawa family as a family heirloom.

The Mikazuki would remain in the Tokugawa family for many generations, even after the Tokugawa Shogunate was dissolved. The last member of this illustrious family to hold onto it was Tokugawa Iesato, who was a prince/duke at the time. In 1929, Iesato brought attention to this old relic when he had it put up for display at the Japan Renown Treasure Exhibition (日本名宝展覧会).

With attention brought back to the Mikazuki, people seek out to learn more about it. One of these happened to be Honma Junji, a respected researcher on ancient swords, was given the chance to inspect it sometime between 1930 and 1931. He He then wrote about it in a publication called “Kenzan Tōwa” (薫山刀話), giving the sword high praise in regards to its craftsmanship. In time, the Mikazuki was given a grade as an antique, being categorized as an ancient national treasure.

In 1945, the Mikazuki will leave the centuries-long possession of the Tokugawa family, and be passed around a few times in the hands of avid antique collectors. In 1992, it would make its new home at the Japan National Museum, where it is part of its vast collections of ancient and modern works of art. This is where the Mikazuki can be found today.

THEORY #2: ORIGIN THROUGH YAMANAKA YUKIMORI

The other supposed origin of the Mikazuki comes from the Chōkyō Meizukushi (長享銘尽), a document about particular swords that is estimated to have been written around 1488. In this, it is mentioned that a Yamanaka Yukimori (山中幸盛), a warrior from Sanin area of Central Japan, had initially possessed the Mikazuki. At this time, this sword had a mikazuki (crescent moon) motif, thus how it got its namesake.

Artwork of Yamanaka Yukimori from the ukiyoe series “One-Hundred Aspects of the Moon” (月百姿), entitled “Crescent Moon of Faith – Yukimori” (信仰の三日月 幸盛). By Tsukioka Yoshitoshi.

The issue with this theory is in regards to when Yukimori was alive. Records show that he was born in 1545, which is almost 60 years after the Chōkyō Meizukushi was written. Unless this said document was updated to include his data, this is a discrepancy which can debunk this theory. With this being said, it is not impossible for this to be the case; as with anything that is a form of records, it is not unusual for documents to get added information over the years,  in order to keep it up-to-date for the times. Speaking of records, Yukimori is quite a famous figure, as there are many tales and paintings that hail him with praise & merit. In fact, he is glorified based on a particular courageous last stand in Harima Province’s Kozuki castle against the mighty force of the invading Mōri clan in 1578, where he worked hard in assisting in the revival of his benefactor, the once-elite Amago clan. Before his inevitable fall, it is said that Yukimori went to Kōyasan, prayed before the Mikazuki that was kept there as he put his faith in the strength of the sword, then proceeded to take it with him³.

Was it truly the same “Mikazuki” in which this article is about? There is a possibility it is not, as it conflicts greatly with other official documents that state it was in the safekeeping of the Toyotomi family. On another note, “Mikazuki” is not an unusual title, so there is a high possibility that there were other swords that bore the same namesake, which could be the case for Yukimori.

Here’s some other key points regarding this version of the Mikazuki:

  • Measures at 2 shaku 2 sun 8 bu (about 60 cm)
  • It was nicknamed “Hangetsumaru” due to the unique hamon (pattern created along the blade) visible on it.
  • Part of its fittings included a handle wrap that had an elite family emblem called “kikukiri”
  • There are accounts of other swords that were owned by him, all about the size of a wakizashi. This includes one that had the length of 64 cm⁴, was crafted by Sukesada, a famous swordsmith⁵, and had a record of it being kept in the possession of Namazue Sakyou-no-suke.
An image of the kikukiri emblem.

With this, along with some other info related to Yamanaka Yukimori, the consensus about this version of the Mikazuki is that it most likely is not the same as the one that had its start with Hino Uchimitsu, if this one actually did exist.

ENDING

This article on Mikazuki comes to a close. A work of fine details and appealing design, the Mikazuki was not a weapon used on the battlefield, or much for combat for that matter. Instead, it was held as a trophy, and an item of status that significant individuals took pride in acquiring. Stay tuned for the next part of this series, which will feature the Juzumaru Tsunetsugu as the next sword from the Tenga Goken.

1) What is actually written is “Sanjō Kokaji”, but this is historically known to be tied to Munechika.

2) “Kōdaiin” is her Buddhist name, which was taken up after Hideyoshi passed away, and she established the temple Kōdaiji. Her other names prior to this included “Nene”, and “Toyotomi Yoshiko”.

3) This scene is often depicted as poetic, where Yukimori declares his faith to the moon in the sky. At this time, the phase of the moon is said to be that of a crescent moon. There are other artworks that show him doing so under the moon. However, it seems that him actually taking the Mikazuki Munechika from the temple at Kōyasan while performing this could have been an add-on to strengthen his connection with this sword.

4) In Japanese old measurements, 2 shaku 1 sun 2 bu

5) As a quick background reference, Sukesada is said to have come from Bizen no kuni (Bizen country), and learned to be a swordsmith under the Osafune. He made a name for himself as being very talented. However, there are many swords that have “Sukesada” engraved on the sword tang, indicating the name itself became a brand that others used. Due to this, it is tricky to credit him for all the swords that bear his signature.

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Tenga Goken: The 5 Great Swords of Japan ~ Part 2

The first sword we will cover in depth is the Onimaru Kunitsuna (鬼丸国綱). This sword was actually introduced in another article, entitled “Unique Swords with the Finest Edge“. Wielded by those of nobility and military status, it is portrayed as a mystical sword able to dispatch evil spirits, thus protecting its owner. Bearing such an illustrious profile, one would imagine it’s a true treasure with such power anyone would never bear to part from it. To be honest, this perception is not 100% accurate, for at a time the Onimaru Kunitsuna had a very negative reputation. Before we go into its rather rocky history, let’s examine this sword’s specifications.

Images of the blade of the Onimaru Kunitsuna. From Wikipedia.
  • Status: Imperial treasure
  • Blade length: 78.2 cm
  • Curvature: 3.2 cm
  • Maker: Kunitsuna

Out of the 5 swords, the Onimaru Kunitsuna is deemed a treasure of the Imperial Palace. This, however, does not mean it’s a national treasure, for it is rarely on display for public viewing, while few publishing have pictures of it. This may have to do with its rather complex history, and how it came to be included in the safekeeping of the Imperial Palace. Much of its extra-ordinary status comes from documents considered recordings of actual past events, like the novel-styled historical writings from the “Taiheiki” (太平記), and the Imperial logs of legendary and political matters from the “Gobutsu Chōsho” (御物調書). When reviewing the actual documents or sites that reference these same sources that pertain to the Onimaru Kunitsuna, you notice that much of it is unusually detailed dialogues and labeling just for a sword, which can range from its passing from one owner to another as a spoils of war, to reference during a simple evaluation by order of a government official. While I can’t say that all that’s written about the Onimaru Kunitsuna is factual or not, I will say that some of the info is a little over the top, and should be taken with a grain of salt.

BELOVED SWORD OF THE HŌJŌ CLAN

The origins of this sword is traced to around mid 1200s, during the Kamakura period. Hōjō Tokimasa, the 5th Regent who was in control of the government body known as Kamakura Bakufu, commissioned the swordsmith Awataguchi Kunitsuna to craft him a special sword. This was fulfilled, with the sword being called “Kunitsuna” based on the name signed on it.

An ukiyoe of Hōjō Tokimasa. From Wikipedia.

This sword would also gain an addition to its name, “Onimaru”¹, a little later. This came about when Tokimasa was tormented by nightmares caused by a demon while sleeping. As if willed by an unknown power from his keepsake sword, Tokimasa drew Kunitsuna out of its sheath and swung it down, cleaving off a part of the leg of his light stand that had the mark of a demon on it. From this, Tokimasa would give his sword the full title “Onimaru Kunitsuna”, as he believed it was good luck against mystical danger. Thus, it was a treasure of the Hōjō family for several generations.

However, this “good luck” of the Onimaru (title choice for remainder of article) was not witnessed again outside of the Hōjō household. This beloved sword was safely in the possession of this family up until the 14th successor Hōjō Takatoki, and after his passing, would later fall into the possession of Nagoe Takaie, who was the son of Hōjō Tokiie². It is said that in 1333, as many groups rose to oppose the Kamakura Bakufu rule controlled by the Hōjō clan, a particular rivalry between the Nagoe (Hōjō) clan and Akamatsu clan erupted, leading to skirmishes between both sides. The Hojo clan made an attempt to claim Yamazaki (present-day Ōyamazaki Town, Kyoto) from the Akamatsu clan. Takaie took part in this as he rode into the fray with the Onimaru at his side at Koganawate (present day Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City)³. However, he suffered the ill fate of being shot between the eyebrows by an arrow, dropping him dead in battle. Due to this tragedy, the Onimaru would later be returned back to his father Takatoki.

MISFORTUNES AS AN IMPLEMENT FOR WAR

A war commander by the name of Nitta Yoshisada would be next to gain possession of the Onimaru. This happened during an assault on Kamakura later in the same year, where it became evident that the might of the Hōjō clan was waning. Hōjō Kunitoki made an attempt to repel the assault, but things were looking grim on his side. At this time, he would have in his possession the Onimaru, and attempted to escape. However, he was caught by a subordinate of Nitta Yoshisada, assembled with other family members at a temple called Tōshōji, and was forced to commit suicide. Here is where the beloved sword would switch to the hands of Yoshisada. To claim such a treasure from a powerful family such as the Hōjō would mean good things to come…or so that was the thought.

An artwork entitled, “Nitta Yoshisada Ikuta no Mori no tatakai ni oite Koyamada Takaie Yoshisada no migawari to naru” (新田義貞生田林の戦に於て小山田高家義貞の身代りとなる). Depicted here is Nitta Yoshisada who is wielding the Onimaru Kunitsuna in a difficult battle. Created by Tsuchiya Koitsu. From Wikipedia.

We turn to the Ashikaga clan, who originally were supporters of the Hōjō clan, and rose in power by establishing their own military government in Kamakura by the new shogun Ashikaga Takauji. Not in agreement of the sudden change of power, Nitta Yoshisada opposed Ashikaga Takauji, resulting in them going to war. At first nothing impactful took place between the two sides, but soon Takauji would start to get the upper hand. In 1338, during the battle at Fujishima in Echizen Province, Yoshisada rode out into battle with the Onimaru and another sword known as the “Onikiri” (鬼切), attempting to prevail through his 2 auspicious swords. However, being caught by a rain of arrows from the enemy, he was shot dead as one of the arrows pierced between his eyebrows. Yet again, another display of the Onimaru providing no protection to those who attempt to wield it in physical battle

As the spoils of war, the Onimaru, along with the Onikiri, were taken by Shiba Takatsune, a commander who was in the service of the new shogun. Learning of the successful victory over Nitta Yoshisada and his army, Takauji sent a messenger to learn the whereabouts of the swords. When questioned by the messenger, Takatsune lied that both swords were kept in a training center, but was lost in a fire that erupted inside, destroying the building and everything inside. It would later be discovered that this was a lie, which Takauji lamented over this fact. Eventually, Takauji managed to secure the auspicious sword in his possession.

An interesting observation worth noting is that from this point on, the Onimaru will not be taken to the battlefield again, due to the misfortune of defeat and death that befell those thinking its surreal spiritual power would transfer to victorious physical strength⁴. Instead, it stayed as one of many valuable treasures within the position of the Ashikaga clan.

THE VALUABLE TREASURE MANY REFUSED TO TAKE IN

From here on forward, the Onimaru will pass through the hands of other prominent figures in Japan outside of being a spoils of war. This first takes place sometime around the late 1560s to early 1570s, when the 15th Ashikaga shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki gave potential rival Oda Nobunaga the sword as a peace offering. In turn, Nobunaga gave it years later to his vassal, Toyotomi Hideyoshi⁵. By now, the Onimaru had a reputation of being a mystical blade that can eradicate evil spirits, but bearing the potential of bringing ill luck to those who wield it out on the battlefield. Taking an interesting turn by believing in the tales of its ability to ward away evil spirits, Hideyoshi had it evaluated by the Honami clan, and lent it to Honami Kōtoku for safe keeping.

The Onimaru stayed as part of the Toyotomi family’s collection for a few decades. However, this would change after their demise when they lost during a war on their home, Ōsaka castle, by Tokugawa Ieyasu and supporters from eastern Japan in mid 1615⁶. Ieyasu would seize control over Japan as the new shogun, and establish the Tokugawa Shogunate. As if following protocol, Kōtoku would give the sword to the new Shogun, as it now has a new owner. Despite receiving this great sword, Ieyasu decided to follow suite and pass it back to Kōtoku for continued safe keeping…possible due to suspicion of its “unlucky” reputation.

Artwork of Tokugawa Ieyasu, from the series “Mikawa Eiyuden” (三河英雄伝). By Utagawa Yoshitora. From Wikipedia.

In 1626, Ieyasu’s granddaughter, Tokugawa Masako, gave birth to the 2nd prince of the Imperial family, whose name was Sukehitoshinō. As she was be-wedded to Emperor Gomizunō and tied the Tokugawa family’s lineage to the Imperial line, this was an honorable occasion. As an offering, the Tokugawa family had the Onimaru delivered to the Imperial family, as a sign of their connecting with the newborn prince. Unfortunately, Sukehitoshinō would suddenly pass away in 1628, after his 3rd birthday⁷. The cause of death was thought to have been due to the “unlucky” sword, thus having it returned back to The Honami clan for safe keeping yet again.

The Onimaru remained in the care of the Honami clan for some time. They were also rewarded for their dedicated service at some point, as the sword was maintained in exceptional condition. However, after being unclaimed for a few centuries, the faith of the Onimaru would finally be decided in 1867, with rule over Japan being restored to the Imperial line after the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate. With this change in power, the sword was no longer an item of the Tokugawa family, but instead recognized as an Imperial treasure. It would then be added into the collection of the Emperor and the Imperial Palace in 1881, after the Honami clan fell into a decline in a successor to properly fulfill the job of sword care & evaluations. This is how the extraordinary sword known as Onimaru Kunitsuna would find its last home, and remain as part of the Imperial collection to this day.

ENDING

We close this article on the 1st sword out of the Tenga Goken, Onimaru Kunitsuna. Bearing the reputation of its spiritual powers to eradicate evil spirits, it received quite a reputation during a time where many were superstitious. On the flip side, it was also deemed bad luck, which stemmed from providing no protection against physical dangers, to bringing untimely death. Are all these tales about the Onimaru Kunitsuna warrant? It’s impossible to get full clarity, but it does indeed make for an interesting tale. Stay tuned part 3, which will cover the the next sword known as Juzumaru Tsunesugu.

1) This is also the shorthand name for the sword

2) The Nagoe clan was a related branch of the Hōjō line

3) This particular clash is properly know as Koganawate no Gassen (Battle at Koganawate)

4) It is rumored that the 13th shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru (1536~1565), a skilled swordsman, wielded the Onimaru against overwhelming odds at Nijō Gojo in Kyoto. This is a statement without a reliable source, so can’t say that this is true.

5) Toyotomi Hideyoshi is the name he’s most recognized by after he became shogun of Japan in late 1500s. While he was serving under Oda Nobunaga, he went by a different name, which was Hashiba Hideyoshi.

6) This war is known as “Ōsaka no Jin” (Siege of Ōsaka), which was a 2-part assault with the 1st taking place in the winter of 1614, then the 2nd in the summer of 1615.

7) This is based on the traditional age calculating method primarily used in Eastern Asian, where a newborn baby is considered one year old, then gets one more year added after the New Year.

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Tenga Goken: The 5 Great Swords of Japan ~ Part 1

There are several icons related to Japan stand out. One of them being the katana. Both historically and culturally, there was a strong viewpoint regarding the importance of swords, way back when the warrior class still existed. In fact, there is the famous saying that “the sword is the soul of the warrior”¹. Although it was not the strongest weapon used during wars, it was nonetheless held at a high value, as a sword also represented status.

There are many stories about amazing swords coming from Japan, especially in fiction. Usually these stories are based on real versions crafted generations ago, which, in themselves, come with their own rumors and tales about being extra ordinary. Interestingly, there is one group of swords that are considered the best of their kind, known as “Tenga Goken” (天下五剣)², which can be read as “5 Great Swords of Japan” in English.

An auspicious example where tales paint a picture of a fine sword blade being enhanced through mystic means. Artwork entitled “Gekkō Zuihitsu Inabayama Kokaji”, a swordsmith by the name of Sanjō Munechika is helped by his family patreon deity Inari-myojin, who appears in child form. By Ogata Gekkō.

What could be so special about these swords that grant them such a title? What’s their origin? Who were the owners of each these five swords? Which ones were deemed supernatural? All of this will be covered in a multi-part series. Today’s article will be part 1 of this series, which will cover the origins of this claim. This will include the individuals who were experts in evaluating swords, along with recordings in the form of official documents that determine the quality level of these unique swords.

A WORD OF CAUTION

Before we proceed, let’s cover some notes that will give a broader view on this topic. While there are fairly aged books that have information regarding the Tenga Goken, it should be understood that a definitive name, along with cohesive details, were not nicely written in one go. On the contrary, it’s taken many generations, along with slightly varying descriptions, before we have an actual picture of said 5 great swords. However, is this picture real and accurate?

For starters, it is said that the following 5 swords make up the Tenga Goken:

  • Mikazuki Munechika (日月宗近)
  • Onimaru Kunitsuna (鬼丸国綱)
  • Dōjigiri Yasutsuna (童子切安綱)
  • Juzumaru Tsunetsugu (数珠丸恒次)
  • Odenta Mitsuyo (大典太光世)

These are judged as 5 exemplary swords, and were supposedly chosen sometime during the Muromachi period³. However, the individual(s) who made this assessment is unknown. On top of this, the label used to group these swords, Tenga Goken, was not originally as a headline for some listing. Instead, this was derived from descriptions regarding the 5 swords from said older documents. If anything, the name and the determination of the five swords grouped as Tenga Goken was something that came into play later in the Edo period. So, while this claim of 5 great swords may have been something finalized at a much later date, what we do know is that they do exist, and some documentation about them did take place. For what it’s worth, all 5 swords are said to still exist present day, and are in safe keeping as antiques. More about this in the upcoming articles.

ORIGINS WITH THE HONAMI CLAN

We get the 1st documentation that speaks on the Tenga Goken, which is called “Meikenden” (名劔伝)⁴. Part of the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, the Meikenden was compiled in 1769 in a document entitled, “Honnami-ke no Meibutsu Hikae-cho” (本阿彌家の名物扣帳). This is a listing of established blacksmiths around Japan, and swords that are their prized works. In listings like this, each sword is judged by certain traits, which will then put each into varying categories such as their grade of quality, being a visually fine piece of work, to having a unique story in its creation.

Here is the cover of the Meikenden (left), and the page that mentions the 5 swords that make up Tenga Goken (right). The swords are identified by a red mark above them.

So, who were the Honami clan and what was so special about them? They had a long history of being recognized as sword polishers, and later as experts in evaluating sword. In surviving records, the 1st head of this clan, Honami Myōhon, established his clan’s rise during the early Nanbokucho period (1337-1392) by being employed under Ashikaga Takauji, a war commander who would later establish the 1st shogunate under the Ashikaga rule and start the Muromachi bakufu around 1338. With Myōhon establishing this connection, the Honami clan became a dōboūshū (同朋衆) to the Ashikaga clan, which means they were personal artisans of whom were considered the most powerful at the time. Although being known to have such a prestigious relationship, the Honami clan didn’t just stay idle; they also took up the occupation as merchants and traveled abit throughout Japan over the centuries. Another point to take note is that, as their clan expanded, they also branched into other arts, such as calligraphy (書道, shodō), lacquer decorations using metal powder (蒔絵, makie), pottery (陶芸, tōgei) and tea ceremony (茶道, chadō).

OFFICIAL SWORD EVALUATIONS

It wasn’t until Honami Kōtoku, 9th successor, was recognized as an expert in sword evaluation, from where his clan was permitted in establishing methods for sword polishing, as well as determining the quality and style of swords being crafted. In due time, Honami Kōshitsu (本阿弥光室), the 10th successor, created a log in the form of an orihon (折本) that list detailed analysis on different swords of the time sometime between the late 1500s to early 1600s. While the Honami clan were famous due to their start by serving the Ashikaga shogunate, over the generations they also provided service to those who seeked their expertise. This includes Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 1500s. Lastly, in 1719, when Tokugawa Yoshimune, 8th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, had the 13th successor Honami Kōchū commissioned to document the know-how about his clan’s lifework as sword polishers, Kōchū created a catalog called “Kyōhō Meibutsucho” (享保名物帳). It’s highly probable that this was used as one of the bases for in the aforementioned book, “Meikenden”.

DESCRIPTIONS OF 5 GREAT SWORDS

The next book of interest is “Shoka Meikenshu” (諸家名剣集), which was compiled in 1828. What’s interesting here is that this is a copy of the older book Kyōhō Meibutsucho, which is coupled with descriptions about each of the 5 swords. This is where we get many references that lead to the label “Tenga Goken”. Below are the pages from this book where each of these 5 swords are mentioned. The name of the sword and the particular phrase are indicated by a red line. (this is placed to the right of the text in the image) This will also be accompanied by the typed Japanese text, followed by my English transliteration.

三日月宗近
「右五振ノ内也」

Mikazuki Munechika
“To the right, one of the 5 swords“

Note that this sword and its descriptions are mentioned on a previous page (left), while the phrase above continues onto the following page (right)

鬼丸国綱
「右五振之内随一と申也」

Onimaru Kunitsuna
“To the right, this is said to be #1 out of the 5 swords”

Note that descriptions for this sword spans around 8 pages, and the phrase mentioned above appears on the 7th page (right)

童子切安綱
「誠ニ天下出群之名刀ニ而右五振之内也」

Dōjigiri Yasutsuna
“One of the 5 renown swords, This sword to the right is famous as being “truly unrivaled” in excellence“

数珠丸恒次
「天下出群之名劒にて右五振ノ内也」

Juzumaru Tsunetsugu
“To the right, one of the 5 swords due to it being a famous sword unrivaled in excellence“

大典太光世
「 是又天下出群之名剣五振之内也」

Odenta Mitsuyo
“To the right, this is also among the 5 swords due to it being a famous sword unrivaled in excellence“

Key words to take away here are “5 swords” (五振)⁵ and “unrivaled” (天下). Although the word “unrivaled” appears for 3 out of the 5 swords, it’s most likely assumed that the other 2 swords should be of the same caliber if grouped in the same category.

ENDING

This concludes our look at the origins to the categorizing of the Tenga Goken. In the following articles more details will cover each sword, from the swordsmiths who made each one, to how they made their marks in history.

1) In Japanese, it is “katana wa bushi no tamashii” (刀は武士の魂).

2) Can also be pronounced “Tenka Goken”.

3) Note that the term for these swords used is “tachi” (太刀). In the past, swords were classified as a tachi based on having a bigger curve in the blade, meeting the standard length of a battlefield sword, and used while riding horseback. This is different from swords that were made for fighting on foot, such as the katana. On another note, the Tenga Goken were also praised as being works of art based on the craftsmanship that made them look magically appealing.

4) Note that there is 1 extra sword mentioned on the same page as the Tenga Goken in the book Meikenden, which is “Kanze Masamune” (観世正宗). This sword was made by the renown blacksmith group Masamune. While swords by Masamune are considered works of art in their own rights, they are not categorized along with the previous 5 swords, as the Tenga Goken were held in a class of their own years before this book was written.

5) This is read as go-furi (5 swords) in Japanese, whereas furi is a counter for swords as an object that is swung. Even though the word “sword” is not present, the counter itself lets the reader know what is being referenced here.