* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Banke no Hoken
坂家宝剣
Also known as: Sakanoue no Hoken / Chinkoku-ken
Description
Overview
Banke no Hoken is a treasured sword passed down among the emperors as a guardian of the court, also called Chinkoku-ken ("sword that protects the nation"). Anecdote collections such as the Kojidan write it as Sakanoue no Hoken. "Banke" refers to Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, and the sword is said to have been his personal blade.
History
When Sakanoue no Tamuramaro died in 811 (Konin 2), Emperor Saga is said to have chosen one of his swords and placed it in the imperial storehouse. The Fukego, Kojidan and Kokon Chomonju tell of the time Emperor Daigo took it out on a hunting progress and the pommel fitting fell off, only for a hunting dog to bring it back, and of its spiritual power to slip from its scabbard by itself during thunder. It is also said to have been kept constantly by Prince Atsuzane, and was later called in by the retired emperor Shirakawa.
Role in the Dual Imperial Lines
According to the Masukagami, after Emperor Gosaga died, Emperor Kameyama secretly took this sword, which had been Emperor Gofukakusa's protective blade, citing the late retired emperor's wishes. Gofukakusa's resentment drew in the shogunate and became the start of the alternating imperial succession. The Kinhira Koki records that in 1303 (Kengen 2) it was used in the sword-bestowing ceremony at the birth of Prince Tsuneaki, son of Kameyama.
Form
The Kinhira Koki describes a sharkskin hilt, a silver-fitted guard, and a blade with a catfish-tail tip, inlaid in gold on both sides with the inscriptions "Jo jo jo, fu toku takke, kore o mote chikai to nasu, tsutsushinde omou" and "Banke hoken, shukun kore o mote na to nasu". The scabbard is described as a flat scabbard in black lacquer with makie of continental hunters. Mizuno Masayoshi has suggested from the blade and fittings that it was a fine sword brought from China.
Legends & Stories
An imperial treasure sword tied to Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, said to have slipped from its scabbard in thunder.