Odenta Mitsuyo

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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 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.