Masamune, also known as Gorō Nyūdō Masamune, is widely recognized as Japan's greatest swordsmith.
He created swords and daggers, known in Japanese as tachi and tantō respectively, in the Soshu
tradition. No exact dates are known for Masamune's life and he has reached an almost legendary
status. It is generally agreed that he made most of his swords in the late 13th and early
14th centuries, 1288–1328. Some stories list his family name as Okazaki, but some
experts believe this is a fabrication to enhance the standing of the Tokugawa family.
Masamune is believed to have worked in Sagami Province during the last part of the Kamakura
Period, and it is thought that he was trained by swordsmiths from Bizen and Yamashiro provinces,
such as Saburo Kunimune, Awataguchi Kunitsuna and Shintōgo Kunimitsu.
An award for swordsmiths called the Masamune prize is awarded at the Japanese Sword Making
Competition. Although not awarded every year, it is presented to a swordsmith who has created
an exceptional work.
Style The swords of Masamune have a reputation for
superior beauty and quality, remarkable in a period where the steel necessary for swords
was often impure. He is considered to have brought to perfection the art of "nie".
Masamune studied under Shintōgo Kunimitsu and made blades in suguha but he made magnificent
notare hamon, where the finish on the leading edge of blade slowly undulates where it was
quenched. There are also some blades with ko-midare, a style which appears to have been
copied from the Old Bizen and Hoki Province styles. His works are well-characterized by
striking chikei, kinsuji and nie. Swords created by Masamune often are referred
to with the smith's name, often with a name for the individual sword as well. The "Honjo
Masamune", a symbol of the Tokugawa shogunate and passed down from shogun to shogun, is
perhaps the best known Masamune sword. Signed works of Masamune are rare. The examples
"Fudo Masamune", "Kyogoku Masamune", and "Daikoku Masamune" are accepted as his genuine works.
Judging from his style, he was active from the late Kamakura period to the Nanboku-chō
period. His swords are the most frequently cited among
those listed in the Kyôho Meibutsu Cho, a catalogue of excellent swords in the collections
of daimyo edited during the Kyōhō era by the Hon'ami family of sword appraisers and
polishers. The catalogue was created on the orders of the Tokugawa Yoshimune of the Tokugawa
Shogunate in 1714 and consists of three books. The first book known as the Nihon Sansaku
is a list of the three greatest swordsmiths in the eyes of Toyotomi Hideyoshi including
Etchu Matsukura Go Umanosuke Yoshihiro, Awataguchi Toshiro Yoshimitsu, and lists 41 blades by
Goro Nyudo Masamune. The three books together list 61 blades by Masamune. There are far
more blades listed for Masamune than the next two swordsmiths combined. It is known that
Hideyoshi had a passion for Soshu swordsmiths which may explain this. A third of all swords
listed are Soshu blades by many of the greatest Soshu masters including Masamune's students.
Comparison with Muramasa The swords of Masamune are often contrasted
with those of Muramasa, another Japanese swordsmith. Muramasa has alternatively been described
as a full contemporary of Masamune, or as Masamune's student. Since Muramasa dated his
work, it is known he worked right around 1500 AD, and as such he lived too late to have
met Masamune. In legend and fantasy, Muramasa's blades are described as bloodthirsty or evil
while Masamune's are considered the mark of an internally peaceful and calm warrior. Swords
created by Masamune were said to be an equal length of 2.7 shaku.
Legends of Masamune and Muramasa A legend tells of a test where Muramasa challenged
his master, Masamune, to see who could make a finer sword. They both worked tirelessly
and eventually, when both swords were finished, they decided to test the results. The contest
was for each to suspend the blades in a small creek with the cutting edge facing the current.
Muramasa's sword, the Juuchi Yosamu cut everything that passed its way; fish, leaves floating
down the river, the very air which blew on it. Highly impressed with his pupil's work,
Masamune lowered his sword, the Yawarakai-Te, into the current and waited patiently. Not
a leaf was cut, the fish swam right up to it, and the air hissed as it gently blew by
the blade. After a while, Muramasa began to scoff at his master for his apparent lack
of skill in the making of his sword. Smiling to himself, Masamune pulled up his sword,
dried it, and sheathed it. All the while, Muramasa was heckling him for his sword's
inability to cut anything. A monk, who had been watching the whole ordeal, walked over
and bowed low to the two sword masters. He then began to explain what he had seen.
"The first of the swords was by all accounts a fine sword, however it is a blood thirsty,
evil blade, as it does not discriminate as to who or what it will cut. It may just as
well be cutting down butterflies as severing heads. The second was by far the finer of
the two, as it does not needlessly cut that which is innocent and undeserving."
In another account of the story, both blades cut the leaves that went down on the river's
current equally well, but the leaves would stick to the blade of Muramasa whereas they
would slip on past Masamune's after being sliced. Or alternatively both leaves were
cut, but those cut by Masamune's blade would reform as it traveled down the stream. Yet
another version has leaves being sliced by Muramasa's blade while the leaves were repelled
by Masamune's, and another again has leaves being sliced by Muramasa's blade and healed
by Masamune's. In yet another story Muramasa and Masamune
were summoned to make swords for the Shogun or Emperor and the finished swords were held
in a waterfall. The result is the same as the other stories, and Masamune's swords are
deemed holy swords. In one version of the story Muramasa is killed for creating evil
swords. While all known legends of the two ever having
met are historically impossible, both smiths are widely regarded as symbols for their respective
eras. Students
Masamune is believed to have trained a great number of sword smiths; 15 are known, 10 of
whom are considered to be the Juttetsu or "Ten Famous Students" or "10 Great Disciples
of Masamune". Great Juttetsu
Chogi (備州長船住長義作—Bishu Osafune
Ju Nagayoshi Saku) Although probably not a direct student of
Masamune due to the dates when he was forging, his works are greatly influenced by Masamune's
work and the Soshu tradition as well as the work of the Soden Bizen swordsmiths. Though
the kanji characters are pronounced in Japanese as 'Nagayoshi', by convention the Chinese
pronunciation of 'Chogi' is used for this smith, and a handful of others.
Kanemitsu (備前國長船住兼光—Bizen Kuni Osafune
Ju Kanemitsu) Considered to have created some of the sharpest
swords ever known as he is one of a handful of smiths rated at Sai-jo O-wazamono [1] and
has famous swords named Kabutowari, Ishikiri, and Teppokiri as relayed in Fujishiro's writings.
Kanemitsu produced swords that were used by great men and generals. He most likely wasn't
taught by Masamune directly but was influenced by the Soshu and was a leader in the Soden
Bizen revolution. Shizu Saburo Kaneuji
(兼氏—Kaneuji) Lived in Yamato province before going to Mino
to study under Masamune where his style radically changed. His swords are most like those of
Masamune and quite often confused with his. The Mishina school can trace its history back
to Kaneuji and through him back to Masamune. Kinju
(金重) Kinju, like Chogi, by convention is pronounced
in Chinese. He is also known as Kaneshige using the Japanese pronunciation of his name.
He and Kaneuji are founders of the Mino style. He was a monk at the Seisen-ji in Tsuruga,
and led to the creation of Echizen swordmaking like Kuniyuki, moving to Mino around the time
of Ryakuo creating the Seki tradition. Kunishige
(長谷部国重—Hasebe Kunishige) Created the Hasebe school producing swords
in the style of the second period of Soshu and Yamashiro. His swords are considered by
some to be equal to Akihiro and Hiromitsu. He created the Heshikiri Hasebe listed in
the Kyoho Meibutsu Cho, owned by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and then by Oda Nobunaga. It bears
a gold appraisal inlay of Honami Kotoku called a Kinzogan. Today the sword is a family heirloom
of the Kuroda Daimyo Ke. The sword takes its name from the story of Oda Nobunaga drawing
it to cut through a table to kill Kannai, a tea master who betrayed him.
Kunitsugu (来源国次—Rai Minamoto Kunitsugu)
Also goes by the name Kamakura Rai as he is the grandson of Rai Kuniyuki. The influence
of the Soshu and Yamashiro traditions can be observed in his works.
Saemonzaburo (左—Sa)
Believed to go by the name Yasuyoshi but signed his work using the first two letters of his
given name. Considered by some to be one of the greatest of Masamune's students. As well
as being a Soshu swordsmith he also created the Chikuzen tradition.
Saeki Norishige (則重—Norishige, 佐伯—Saeki)
Historically considered one of the best of Masamune's students, he is numbered among
the Juttetsu. However, current research indicates that he was a senior student to Masamune,
junior to Yukimitsu, under the great teacher Shintōgo Kunimitsu. He, like Go, hails from
Etchu province and is well known as the only smith to have mastered the style of matsukawa-hada,
making his work unique. Go Yoshihiro
(郷(江)—Go, 義弘—Yoshihiro) Very few works exist by this swordsmith due
to his death at the young age of 27, No known signed works exist. He is believed to have
gone by the names of Go Yoshihiro or simply Go, the name of the town from which he came.
As well as being a Soshu swordsmith he is a member of the Etchu tradition. He is considered
to have the highest skill in forging swords among the Masamune Juttetsu [2].
Naotsuna (石州出羽直綱作—Sekishu Izuwa Naotsuna
Saku) Many theories exist that he may in fact have
been a student of Saemonzaburo among others. His work is considered by many to have been
influenced by Soshu(相州) even if not taught by Masamune directly, he is also influenced
by the Soden Bizen(備前) and Iwami province style.
Other Students Hiromitsu: Along with Akihiro brought about
the second period of the Soshu style. Sadamune: A student and possibly son or adopted
son of Masamune. Like his father he left no signed work, but is considered peerless in
the Soshu tradition after Masamune. Akihiro: A direct student of Masamune, along
with Hiromitsu was responsible for refining the Soshu style to create the Soshu second
period. Swords
Honjo Masamune The Honjo Masamune represented the Shogunate
during most of the Edo period and had been passed down from one Shogun to another. It
is one of the best known of the swords created by Masamune and is believed to be one of the
finest Japanese swords ever made. It was made a Japanese National Treasure in 1939. The
name Honjo possibly came about due to this sword's connection to the general Honjo "Echizen
no kami" Shigenaga who gained the sword in battle.
Honjo Shigenaga, general of Uesugi Kenshin in the 16th century, was attacked by Umanosuke
who already possessed a number of trophy heads. Shigenaga was attacked with the Honjo Masamune
which split his helmet, but he survived and took the sword as a prize. The blade had a
number of chips from the great battle but was still usable. It was kept by Shigenaga
until he was sent to Fushimi Castle, Bunroku around 1592–1595. Shigenaga ran out of funds
and was forced to sell the sword to Toyotomi Hidetsugu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's nephew and
retainer. It was bought for 13 Mai, 13 ōban, which was 13 large gold coins. The blade was
later valued in the Kyoho Meibutsu Cho at 1,000 Mai.
It then went to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Shimazu Hyogo Yoshihiro, again to Hideyoshi, Tokugawa
Ieyasu, Tokugawa Yorinobu, and finally Tokugawa Ietsuna. It remained in the Kii branch of
the Tokugawa family, the last known owner being Tokugawa Iemasa at the end of World
War II. Apparently Tokugawa Iemasa gave the Honjo
Masamune and 14 other swords to a police station at Mejiro in December 1945. Shortly thereafter
in January 1946, the Mejiro police gave these swords to a man identified as "Sgt. Coldy
Bimore" of the Foreign Liquidations Commission of AFWESPAC. The Honjo Masamune is without
a doubt the most important of the missing Nihonto and its current location remains unknown.
Fudo Masamune This is one of the few blades signed by Masamune
that is not in question. It was bought by Toyotomi Hidetsugu in 1601 for 500 Kan and
was passed to Shogun Ieyasu and from him to Maeda Toshiie. Maeda Toshitsune presented
it again to the Shogun, possibly on his retirement. Later, the sword was handed down among the
Owari Tokugawa. This blade is a tantō approximately 25 cm with a carving of roots on the Omote
side. It also has chopstick like grooves on the back and a Dragon at the ura part of blade.
The blade features an engraving of Fudo Myo-o, the buddhist deity which gives this blade
its name. Hōchō Masamune
The "Hōchō" Masamune refers to any one of three particular and unusual tantō attributed
to Masamune. These tantō have a wide body, unlike his normal slim and elegant work, making
them appear quite similar to a Japanese cooking knife. One of the three blades has a Gomabashi
in cutout. It was restored around 1919 and sold for approximately 10 Hiki; this was worth
roughly 14¢ US at the time, rendering the price remarkably low. It is presently on display
in the Tokugawa Art Museum. Kotegiri Masamune
Kotegiri means "Kote cutter". In this case Kote is contracted word of Yugote, items of
samurai that is equipped with his finger for using a bow. This name comes from an episode
that Asakura Ujikage cut an opposing samurai's yugote in the battle of Toji in Kyôto. Oda
Nobunaga gained possession of this sword and had it shortened to its present length. In
1615 it eventually passed down to the Maeda clan who in 1882 presented it as a gift to
Emperor Meiji, a known sword collector. Masamune in Harry S. Truman Library
A Masamune was given to President Harry S. Truman shortly after World War II. It is currently
housed in the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum. About the irony of this
situation, it should be noted that on the second day after the Nagasaki bomb, President
Truman stated: "The only language they seem to understand is the one we have been using
to bombard them. When you have to deal with a beast you have to treat him like a beast.
It is most regrettable but nevertheless true". Descendant
Masamune's 24th generation descendant Tsunahiro Yamamura has a company that creates katanas,
cooking knives, scissors, knives and so on in Kamakura.
Cultural occurrences Both Muramasa and Masamune are recurring names
of weapons through the Final Fantasy series of role-playing games, published by Square,
with Sephiroth's trademark 20-foot long Ōdachi from Final Fantasy VII being the most famous
among them. The two-game series of Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross, also by Square,
features two brothers named Masa and Mune, whose extraordinary powers are made even greater
when the two are magically united. In the video game League of Legends, legendary
items named "Manamune" and "Muramana" pays tribute to Masamune.
The PC game Realm of the Mad God features a katana called Masamune, which is one of
the best weapons for the in-game Ninja class. Masamune Nakatsukasa is the alternate name
for the Uncanny Sword in the Soul Eater anime and manga.
In the Samurai Deeper Kyo anime and manga franchise both Masamune and Muramasa are characters.
Bontenmaru was the child name of Date Masamune, a famous Sengoku Daimyo. Muramasa is a master
swordsmith. The Honjo Masamune is mentioned briefly in
passing at the end of the pilot episode of the 2014 TV series Forever as being found
at a murder scene. The protagonist knows what it is.
In the Movie Highlander from 1986, Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez tells the story of his
sword to Connor MacLeod and claims it was made by Masamune.
See also Hikoshiro Hiromitsu
List of Wazamono References
^ Fujishiro, Yoshio; Fujishiro Matsuo. Nihon Toko Jiten. p. 386.
^ Fujishiro, Yoshio; Fujishiro Matsuo. Nihon Toko Jiten. p. 387.
^ Japanese Sword Making Competition THE MIYAIRI SCHOOL
^ a b c d http:internal.tbi.netff9ref2.htm History of Masamune by Jim Kurrasch
^ The Japanese Sword Society of the United States
^ Mishina School ^ Ura Nihon no Toko By Yoshikawa Kentaro
^ Jim Kurrach, Honjo Masamune and Important Missing Nihonto, Japanese Sword Society of
Southern California newsletter, 1996 ^ Site containing pictures of his blades and
a portrait of Masamune ^ Tanto:"Hocho Masamune". TOKUGAWA ART MUSEUM
- Exhibition Room 1. Accessed 19 August 2009. ^ Zukai Nihonto jiten. Kabushiki kaisha Gakushuu
Kenkyujo. 2007. p. 282. ISBN 4-05-403276-1. ^ Suzanne P Cole. "Rare samurai sword was
a gift to Harry S. Truman". Kansas City Star. ^ Shutsubotsu! Adomachikku tengoku. 1999.