* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Honebami Tōshirō
骨喰藤四郎
Also known as: Bone Eater
Description
Overview of the Sword
A work by Awataguchi Yoshimitsu, one of the three greatest swordsmith masters, this renowned wakizashi has followed a remarkable fate of destruction and rebirth. Originally forged as a naginata, it was later reshaped and shortened into a wakizashi, retaining the form of a "naginata-reforged" blade. The blade is approximately 58 cm long with a shallow curve, and its distinctive shape, derived from the naginata, displays a powerful profile clearly distinct from ordinary wakizashi. As a naginata-reforged blade, it possesses considerable width and thickness, retaining much of the original naginata's imposing presence. The name "Honebami" (Bone Eater) derives from a formidable legend: merely pointing this blade at an enemy would shatter their bones. The supernatural power to harm without the blade touching reveals that Honebami transcends a mere weapon and possesses a spiritual nature.
Provenance of the Sword
Its history traces back to the Ōtomo clan of Bungo Province (present-day Ōita Prefecture). The Ōtomo clan was a prominent Kyushu family since the Kamakura period, and Honebami was treasured as their most precious heirloom, passed down through generations. Its name was spoken with awe throughout Kyushu's warrior society and symbolized the Ōtomo clan's martial prowess. During the Tenshō era, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi conducted the conquest of Kyushu, it was presented to Hideyoshi by the Ōtomo clan. Hideyoshi placed this renowned blade in the Osaka Castle treasury, but when the castle fell during the Osaka Summer Campaign of Keichō 20 (1615), it was miraculously found intact in the ruins. Later, it was damaged and charred in the Great Meireki Fire of Meireki 3 (1657), but was restored through re-tempering by the renowned Echizen master Echizen Yasunori. The tale of this wakizashi, which rose like a phoenix from ashes to be reborn, continues to captivate people as "the sword that was re-tempered and rose again."
Current Location
It is currently housed at Toyokuni Shrine in Kyoto as an Important Cultural Property.
Legends & Stories
## Legend and Anecdotes The legend of Bone Eater Tōjirō consists of three elements. First, a supernatural power to shatter bones merely by pointing the blade. Second, transmission as a family treasure through the Ōtomo clan for several centuries. Third, dramatic resurrection from the flames of Osaka Castle. Regarding the origin of the name "Bone Eater," the most widely known tradition holds that bones were shattered merely by pointing the blade at someone, but precisely when and against whom this occurred remains unclear in the historical record. However, the core of this legend lies not in specific factual circumstances, but in the terrifying image itself of "a blade that harms without contact." ## In the Hands of Warriors The Ōtomo clan, appointed guardians of Bungo Province in Kenpo 6 (1218) during the Kamakura period, ruled the northeastern Kyūshū for approximately four hundred years. At their zenith under Ōtomo Sōrin (Yoshishige), they became a great daimyo controlling six provinces of Kyūshū. Throughout this long history, Bone Eater Tōjirō was preserved as a family treasure of the Ōtomo clan, and its name became an object of awe among Kyūshū warriors. ## Presented to Hideyoshi In Tenshō 13 (1585), the Ōtomo clan presented Bone Eater Tōjirō to Toyotomi Hideyoshi through the intermediation of Matsui Tomoyoshi and Sen no Rikyū (a letter of thanks from Hideyoshi dated the twenty-seventh day of the ninth month of that year survives). This occurred prior to the Kyūshū Campaign of Tenshō 15 (1587). Hideyoshi possessed a passion for collecting celebrated swords of the realm, and Bone Eater Tōjirō was added to his collection and housed in Osaka Castle. In the fifth month of Keichō 20 (1615), when Osaka Castle burned during the Summer Siege of Osaka and the Toyotomi clan fell, Bone Eater Tōjirō was presumed destroyed, but was discovered unharmed and presented to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Afterwards, during the Great Fire of Meireki in Meireki 3 (1657), the blade burned together with Edo Castle and became scorched. This was restored through re-tempering by Echizen Yasutsugu, the third generation, and Bone Eater Tōjirō was reborn with a new blade pattern. Re-tempering means re-forging; the original blade pattern by Yoshimitsu was forever lost, but traces of Yoshimitsu's forging remain in the steel body of the blade, and it is still recognized today as a work of Yoshimitsu. "A blade reborn from fire"—this narrative overlaid "immortality" upon Bone Eater Tōjirō and perfected its legend as "an eternal masterpiece that devours bone and overcomes fire." In the game Touken Ranbu, it is depicted as a wakizashi who has lost his memories. This skillfully incorporates the historical fact that the blade pattern (= memories) was lost through burning into the character design, and the character embodies both "the sorrow of what was lost" and "the strength to endure," capturing the hearts of many fans.