Iga Ueno Castle

Connection to Swords

Iga Ueno Castle's connection to swords can be understood along two axes: the sword aesthetic of its builder Tōdō Takatora and the tradition of specialized weapons in ninja culture. Tōdō Takatora was a rare military commander and castle builder who served three successive rulers—Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu—and throughout his life collected numerous celebrated blades. Takatora received many celebrated swords, including the renowned tachi "Dai Kanemitsu" (Bizen Osafune Kanemitsu, later designated an Important Cultural Property) as Toyotomi Hideyoshi's bequest division. His sword aesthetic survives today through items connected to the Tōdō family. Within Iga Ueno Castle's tenshu (central keep), armor and sword fittings associated with the Tōdō family are displayed, conveying Takatora's aesthetic sensibility and martial spirit. Meanwhile, the weapons systems employed in ninja culture underwent independent development distinct from the Japanese sword. The "shinobigatana" (ninja sword) used by Iga ninja was shorter than a standard Japanese sword and approximated a straight blade, serving as a multi-purpose functional weapon—using the scabbard as a ladder, measuring water depth, and other applications. The guard of the shinobigatana was typically small and square, and many featured a linear cutting point designed to pierce the gaps in armor. The Iga-ryū Ninja Museum displays various ninja tools alongside shinobigatana, allowing visitors to experience the world of ninja practical weaponry in contrast to the elegance of the Japanese sword. Furthermore, the "iaijutsu"-like techniques mastered by ninja influenced later sword schools, and records survive of Iga-born martial artists serving as kenjutsu instructors in various domains during the Edo period. Iga Ueno is a rare place in Japan where the aesthetic world of the Japanese sword and the utilitarian world of ninja weapons intersect, allowing one to experience the diversity of Japanese weapons culture.