* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Ōdachi, Unsigned, Attributed to Bungo Tomoyuki
大太刀 無銘 伝豊後友行
Also known as: Odachi attributed to Bungo Tomoyuki, National Treasure with 180cm blade, Oyamazumi Shrine, Omori Hikoshichi
Description
Bungo Tomoyuki and Swordsmithing in Oita
Bungo Tomoyuki, a swordsmith said to have been active in Bungo Province (present-day Oita Prefecture) during the Nanboku-chō period, is traditionally regarded as one of the master smiths representing sword production in Bungo. Bungo was home to religious centers such as Rokugō Manzan and nurtured a distinctive culture based on the warrior class, temples and shrines, and agriculture; many swordsmiths were active there in the medieval period. Few signed works by Tomoyuki survive with certainty, but he has long been highly regarded for his ability to forge large, powerful blades, as exemplified by this ōdachi.
Ōdachi Dimensions and the Nodachi Culture of the Nanboku-chō Period
The Nanboku-chō period (1336–1392) was marked by prolonged and violent civil war, and as fighting intensified, larger swords came to be demanded. The specifications of this ōdachi, a blade length of 180 cm and a curvature (sori) of 5.4 cm, place it among the largest surviving Japanese swords. The nodachi was a large sword that mounted warriors swung downward from horseback, and it also held a special status as an offering to shrines.
Provenance: Connection to Ōmori Hikoshichi
This ōdachi is traditionally said to have been the beloved sword of Ōmori Hikoshichi, a warrior of Iyo Province (Ehime Prefecture) during the Nanboku-chō period. Ōmori Hikoshichi is said to have fought on the side of Ashikaga Takauji and to have killed Kusunoki Masashige at the Battle of Minatogawa in the 1st year of Engen / 3rd year of Kenmu (1336), and he was based in Iyo Province. The ōdachi has been transmitted together with its nodachi koshirae (sword mounting) at Oyamazumi Shrine, and it is said that Hikoshichi dedicated it to the shrine.
Characteristics of the Sword
Despite its enormous blade, reaching 180 cm in length, the sword retains sound forging and a well-balanced form, which attests to the high level of swordsmithing skill of the Nanboku-chō period.
Cultural Property Designation
It was designated a National Treasure on 8 February 1958. The nodachi koshirae was also designated together with it as an attachment (tsuketari), and it is a rare surviving artifact in that both the mounting and the blade have survived together.
Legends & Stories
Said to have been dedicated to Oyamazumi Shrine by the warrior Ōmori Hikoshichi, who fought in the fierce battles of the Nanboku-chō period. Its astonishing blade length of 180 cm clearly shows that it was among the largest weapons produced in the turbulent age of the Nanboku-chō period.