Karatsu Castle

Connection to Swords

The connection between Karatsu Castle and sword culture is most vividly expressed through the historical event of the Bunroku-Keicho Campaign. Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Korean invasions constituted an unprecedented mobilization that assembled tens of thousands of soldiers from across Japan at Karatsu and Nagoya, and the port of Karatsu naturally overflowed with the finest swords of the era. Warriors departing for the campaign carried the best blades, staking their family honor, and before crossing the sea, they offered prayers for victory at Karatsu's temples and shrines. Some scholars contend that Korean sword techniques and metalworking skills transmitted during this period subsequently influenced the design of sword fittings in Kyushu. Terasawa Hirotaka, who left the most significant mark as Karatsu Castle lord, is considered to have possessed swords of the highest standard as a warrior who survived the Bunroku-Keicho Campaign. Following Hirotaka, Ogasawara Nagayuki, who held key positions such as rōjū (senior councilor) to the shogunate in the late Edo period, is said to have worn swords that combined both refined craftsmanship and practical effectiveness. Just as Karatsu-yaki pottery receives the highest evaluation as tea ceremony ware, the aesthetic sensibility of Karatsu is deeply reflected in sword appreciation, displaying the refined aspects of samurai culture in northern Kyushu. Within Karatsu Castle keep are displayed swords, armor, battle surcoats, and other items associated with successive Karatsu domain lords, providing a valuable exhibition from which one can comprehensively view the transformations of Karatsu's samurai culture from the Bunroku-Keicho Campaign through the late Edo period. Furthermore, the Nagoya Castle Museum (Chinzei Town, Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture) displays swords, weapons, ceramics, and other materials related to the Korean invasions, functioning as the finest venue for understanding Karatsu's sword culture within the context of continental exchange. Karatsu, as the "port to cross to foreign lands," stands as a witness to the history of Japanese swords that crossed the sea.