* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Ichigoichifuri
一期一振
Also known as: Ichigoichifuri—the sole tachi forged in a lifetime by the master of tanto—the supreme masterpiece of Yoshimitsu, one of the Tenka Sansaku—the tachi most treasured by Hideyoshi
Description
Overview of the Sword
Named 'Ichigoichifuri'—meaning the sole tachi forged by Awataguchi Yoshimitsu, one of the Tenka Sansaku, throughout his entire life—this is the rarest and most storied masterpiece in the history of the Japanese sword. The blade length is said to be 2 shaku 2 sun 8 bu (approximately 68.8 cm); while it has been shortened from its original length through polishing, it nonetheless retains the commanding presence of a true tachi. While Awataguchi Yoshimitsu produced countless masterpieces throughout his life as a master of tanto and swords, he forged only this single tachi. Of Yoshimitsu's extant works, the vast majority are tanto, and this Ichigoichifuri stands as the sole tachi, making its rarity incalculable.
Forging Method and Characteristics
The jigane displays Yoshimitsu's distinctive fine ko-itame grain pattern densely packed, with minute jizui lending a lustrous, pear-skin-like finish. However, following its incineration during the Summer Campaign of Osaka, the sword was retempered; the current hamon is not Yoshimitsu's original work. The retemper is attributed to Echizen Yasushige, executed in a clean, primarily suguha style. What Yoshimitsu's original hamon was like remains an eternal mystery, yet the jigane retains traces of Yoshimitsu's forging hand, preserving its identity as a work of Yoshimitsu. Why Yoshimitsu forged only one tachi remains one of the greatest mysteries in Japanese sword history. One theory holds that Yoshimitsu believed he could express his artistry most fully through tanto, and had little inherent interest in tachi. Yet another tradition holds that for some reason—perhaps imperial command—he forged this tachi, and upon its completion, struck by its perfection, he realized 'I cannot forge a tachi greater than this,' and never again took up tachi smithing.
History and Provenance
Its provenance before Toyotomi Hideyoshi remains unclear, with theories including transmission through the Asakura clan of Echizen, presentation by the Mōri, or passage through the Honami family of Sakai; it is certain that Hideyoshi held it in particular esteem. Following Hideyoshi's death, the blade remained at Osaka Castle. In Keichō 20 (1615), during the Summer Campaign of Osaka, Osaka Castle was engulfed in flames together with the Toyotomi. The Ichigoichifuri burned in those flames, and Yoshimitsu's original hamon was lost forever. Yet the blade itself was recovered from the ashes, and Tokugawa Ieyasu immediately ordered its retemper. Echizen Yasushige performed the retemper, and the Ichigoichifuri was reborn with a new hamon.
Current Custody
Thereafter, it passed through the Tokugawa house and was presented to the Imperial Household, where it is now maintained by the Imperial Household Agency as gomotsu.
Legends & Stories
## Legend and Anecdotes 'Ichigoichifuri'—no other sword bears a name so beautiful in Japanese yet so weighted with meaning. Echoing the tea ceremony spirit of 'ichigo ichie' (one time, one meeting), the name encapsulates in four characters the miracle of Yoshimitsu forging a single tachi in his lifetime, that one blade becoming a masterpiece for a thousand years. Toyotomi Hideyoshi's attachment to the Ichigoichifuri was extraordinary. ## Custody Under the Edo Shogunate In the course of unifying the realm, Hideyoshi assembled celebrated blades from throughout Japan, and many of the masterpieces listed in the Kyōhō Meibutsu-chō passed through his hands; yet among this vast collection, the Ichigoichifuri was said to be his most treasured. While the precise reason for Hideyoshi's attachment remains unclear, one interpretation suggests that the narrative of 'a single tachi forged in a lifetime' resonated with his own unparalleled journey from peasant's son to ruler of the realm. When Hideyoshi died in Keichō 3 (1598), the Ichigoichifuri remained at Osaka Castle. In May of Keichō 20 (1615), during the Summer Campaign of Osaka, the Toyotomi fell, and Osaka Castle was engulfed in flames. The Ichigoichifuri burned in those flames, and Yoshimitsu's original hamon was lost forever. Yet the blade itself was recovered from the ashes, and Tokugawa Ieyasu immediately ordered its retemper. For Ieyasu, too, the Ichigoichifuri was a treasure of the realm and could not be left to remain as a burned blade. Echizen Yasushige performed the retemper, and the Ichigoichifuri was reborn with a new hamon. What the Ichigoichifuri's hamon was like before the burning is now unknowable to all. Based on the fact that most of Yoshimitsu's tanto display clean, primarily suguha patterns, one may conjecture the original Ichigoichifuri was similar, yet this too remains an eternal enigma. 'Yoshimitsu's Lost Hamon'—this narrative of loss itself is part of the Ichigoichifuri's legend. After its presentation from the Tokugawa to the Imperial Household, the Ichigoichifuri has remained a supreme masterpiece maintained by the Imperial Household Agency as gomotsu. In the game 'Touken Ranbu,' it is portrayed as a noble tachi who served Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a character holding memories of Osaka Castle while remaining dignified, and has garnered considerable popularity. The name 'Ichigoichifuri' has become rooted in Japanese aesthetics as a term transcending the blade world, denoting 'something unique and incomparable.'