* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Nihongō
日本号
Also known as: Japan's Supreme Spear; One of the Three Great Spears of Japan; The Legendary Spear of the Kuroda Ballad; The Spear Won Through Sake
Description
Overview
One of the Three Great Spears of Japan and lauded as 'Japan's Supreme Spear,' this renowned spear stands at the pinnacle of Japanese yari. The blade measures approximately 79.2 cm (26 sun, 1 bu, 5 rin), a stately large-bodied spear that possesses the longest blade among the Three Great Spears. The blade features a bamboo-leaf shape with exquisite carved Kurikara dragons (serpents embodying Fudō Myōō wrapped around a sword) and Sanskrit characters on both faces—a masterwork that exemplifies the finest traditions of Japanese metalwork in both refinement and majesty.
Construction and Characteristics
The blade features well-forged itame grain with prominent jifu, while the hamon is primarily straight (suguha), demonstrating noble craftsmanship that balances martial functionality with artistic refinement at the highest level. The smith is unknown, with various theories—including attribution to the Yamato Kanebō school—though no definitive conclusion has been reached.
Provenance
Its lineage is remarkably illustrious, originally said to have been an imperial treasure. It was bestowed by Emperor Ōgimachi to Ashikaga Yoshiaki, the last shogun of the Muromachi shogunate; then passed to Oda Nobunaga, and subsequently to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. This progression from imperial court to shogun to unifier of the realm is one reason the spear earned the title 'Japan's Supreme Spear.' Hideyoshi gifted this legendary spear to his retainer Fukushima Masanori, but it subsequently passed to Mōri Taheiji Tomonobu, a retainer of the Kuroda clan, through a dramatic wager at a sake banquet. This 'Kuroda Ballad' tale, known to all Japanese as an exhilarating legend, was immortalized in folk song and secured the eternal fame of the Nihongō. For over four centuries thereafter, it remained a treasured heirloom of the Chikuzen Kuroda clan, passed down in Fukuoka.
Current Collection
Today it is housed at the Fukuoka City Museum and serves as one of the institution's premier exhibits on permanent display. The Nihongō is the only one among the Three Great Spears to embody both imperial heritage and a thrilling tale beloved by commoners, truly worthy of its appellation as 'Japan's Supreme Spear.'
Legends & Stories
## Legend and Anecdote The most celebrated legend of the Nihongō concerns an exhilarating episode between Fukushima Masanori and Mōri Taheiji at a sake banquet. On a certain day during the Keichō period, Mōri Taheiji Tomonobu, a retainer of Kuroda Nagamasa, the daimyō of Chikuzen (Fukuoka), visited Fukushima Masanori's residence as his lord's envoy. Fukushima Masanori was renowned as one of the Seven Spears of Shizugatake and celebrated throughout the realm as a fierce warrior and prodigious drinker. Masanori customarily pressed enormous cups of sake upon his guests and compelled them to drink; he now offered a great cup to Taheiji. However, Taheiji had been strictly ordered by his lord Nagamasa that "you must absolutely not drink at Masanori's residence," and he respectfully declined. Thereupon Masanori taunted him, saying, "Are the Kuroda samurai cowards who cannot even drink?" and further boasted, "If you can drain this cup, I will give you anything in this residence you desire." Stung by the insult, Taheiji's eyes flashed, and he replied, "Then I shall drink!" He proceeded to drain three great cups in succession, each said to measure over one shaku in diameter. Astonished, Masanori asked, "What do you wish for?" Taheiji replied without hesitation, "I desire the Nihongō." Masanori's face went pale. The Nihongō was the realm's most celebrated spear, passed from the imperial court to shoguns and unifiers of the land—Masanori's most treasured possession. Yet a samurai's word cannot be broken—bound by his promise, Masanori reluctantly handed over the Nihongō to Taheiji. Taheiji shouldered the spear and walked calmly from Fukushima's residence. This bold tale was later immortalized as the "Kuroda Ballad," a folk song with lyrics that spread throughout the land: "Drink, drink! If you drink, if you drink enough to win Japan's supreme spear through sake, then you are a true warrior of the Kuroda clan." A bronze statue of Mōri Taheiji (Tomonobu) holding the Nihongō stands in the grounds of Kōunji Shrine at Nishi Park in Fukuoka, cherished as a source of local pride. The Nihongō itself is preserved at the Fukuoka City Museum. The Kuroda Ballad, a folk song of Fukuoka Prefecture, continues to be sung at celebrations, ensuring the eternal renown of the Nihongō. This exhilarating tale of winning the realm's finest spear through sake prowess rather than martial force perfectly embodies the spirit of "elegance" and "audacious courage" cherished by the Japanese, elevating the Nihongō beyond a mere weapon to the status of a cultural icon.