* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Iwatooshi
岩融
Also known as: Benkei's Naginata
Description
Iwatooshi is the legendary naginata (glaive) said to have been wielded throughout his life by Musashibō Benkei (1155–1189), the loyal retainer of Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Benkei is said to have used this naginata in his famous duel with Yoshitsune on the Gojō Bridge in Kyoto, after which he pledged lifelong loyalty to the young warrior and the weapon became inseparable from his legend. Its name means 'piercer of rocks,' reflecting the tradition that Benkei's superhuman strength could drive the blade through stone itself. The weapon is attributed by tradition to Sanjō Munechika, the great smith of the late Heian period, though historical documentation for this claim is lacking. A naginata features an extended curved blade mounted on a long pole—a weapon befitting Benkei's legendary giant stature. Although a tradition holds that it was once enshrined at Kurama-dera temple, its current whereabouts are unknown, and it endures in Japanese warrior culture as one of the great lost arms. It is also widely recognized today as a popular character in the sword game Tōken Ranbu, where it symbolizes the legendary bond between Benkei and Yoshitsune.
Legends & Stories
The most striking legend concerning Iwatooshi is Benkei's 'standing death' (tachi-ōjō) at the Battle of Koromogawa. Benkei, who faced alone the forces of Fujiwara no Yasuhiro of the Oshu Fujiwara clan while defending Yoshitsune, is said to have been struck by arrows across his entire body yet remained standing until his final moment—and it is said that even unto death, he continued to grip Iwatooshi. After Benkei's death, there is a legend that the naginata became lodged in a rock and could not be removed, an account that is also offered as an explanation for the origin of the name 'Iwatooshi'. Furthermore, it is also transmitted that during his younger days, when Benkei was training on Mount Hiei, he performed martial training while carrying this naginata, and in the legend of his taking swords from a thousand warriors as well, Iwatooshi is frequently depicted as his weapon.