Tokushima Castle

Connection to Swords

Tokushima Castle and the Hachisuka family's sword culture originate from their deep relationship with Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Hachisuka Koroku (Masakatsu) served Hideyoshi from the time when he was Kinoshita Tokichiro, becoming one of his first trusted retainers; the relationship between the two transcended mere lord-vassal relations, based instead on profound trust. Hideyoshi is known for confiscating celebrated swords from daimyo throughout Japan during his rise to power, and the Toyotomi clan's collection of famous swords was Japan's largest in scale. The Hachisuka family obtained opportunities to acquire high-quality swords through their involvement in Hideyoshi's sword collecting activities. Iemasa participated in all of Hideyoshi's major campaigns—the conquest of Kyushu, the Siege of Odawara, and the Korean invasions—and swords acquired through battles in various regions are believed to have been added to the Hachisuka family treasures. In Awa Province, local sword smiths called the "Abe School" (Abe-to) have been documented as active since the medieval period, centered in the Abe River valley; under the patronage of the Abe clan, distinctive sword-making was recorded from the Kamakura period through the end of the Edo period. These Awa sword smiths not only met the demands of regional warriors but also developed their distinctive style through the influx of techniques from Yamato and Bizen provinces. Historical sources on the Hachisuka family's official smiths are limited, but it is confirmed that throughout the period of clan governance, there existed retainers skilled in sword authentication and preservation. The Tokushima Castle Museum houses Hachisuka family–transmitted swords, sword fittings, and armor; particularly, the magnificent sword fittings from the Momoyama period reflect the aesthetic sensibilities of the Hideyoshi era and constitute precious historical materials. The vivid indigo color visible in Awa Odori costumes testifies both to the prosperity of the Awa indigo dye industry and to a distinctive aesthetic sensibility that permeated the clan from samurai to commoners. This aesthetic sense is also reflected in the design of sword fittings, speaking to the cultural richness of the Awa region.