* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Sohaya no Tsuruki
ソハヤノツルキ
Also known as: Swift Sword — Blade of Sakanoue no Tamuramaro
Description
Sword Overview
Sohaya no Tsurugi, whose formal inscription reads "Myōjun Denjisoroku Sohaya no Tsurugi Utsusonari," is a tachi created in imitation of the "Sohaya no Tsurugi" said to have been the sword worn by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, a warrior of the Heian period. Its maker is traditionally believed to be Miike Tenta Mitsuyo, a renowned smith of Chikugo from the late Heian through early Kamakura period. Later it became known as the sword that Tokugawa Ieyasu kept at his side throughout his life. It is currently housed at Kunozan Tōshōgu, Ieyasu's mausoleum, as one of his treasured possessions, and stands as the most important of "Ieyasu's Guardian Swords." The meaning of "Sohaya" is debated—it may derive from an archaic word meaning "swift," or from a specific place name or person's name—but the true etymology remains uncertain with various theories. The name "Sohaya no Tsurugi (Swift Sword)" is thought to be a tribute to this blade's keen edge and the swift efficacy of its spiritual power.
The Legend of Sakanoue no Tamuramaro
Sakanoue no Tamuramaro (758–811) was the greatest warrior of the Heian period, commanding campaigns against the Emishi (indigenous peoples of the Tōhoku region) during the Enryaku and Daidō eras. In two eastern campaigns (792–793 and 797–802), he subdued Aterui, the leader of the Emishi, and established the imperial court's control over the Tōhoku region. Tamuramaro was believed to be an incarnation of Bishamonten, and his martial prowess and strategic acumen became the ideal of warriors in later ages. The name Sohaya no Tsurugi derives from being a copy of Tamuramaro's worn sword, and it was passed down through the ages as a blade that drew upon the power of this spiritual sword that vanquished the Emishi. That the Tōhoku lands conquered by Tamuramaro later saw Date Masamune rise as the ruler of Ōshū, and that Sendai was subsequently built in that region, demonstrates that the Tōhoku region remained a crucial stage of history from ancient times through the medieval and early modern periods.
Deep Connection with Tokugawa Ieyasu
The circumstances by which Sohaya no Tsurugi came into Ieyasu's possession are not clearly recorded; yet it is evident that Ieyasu's profound trust in this blade's provenance and spiritual efficacy is demonstrated by the fact that he kept it at his side until the very end of his life. As a warrior who survived the chaos of the Sengoku period, Ieyasu possessed deep understanding and reverence for swords and blades. The Sohaya no Tsurugi, with its tradition of being "Sakanoue no Tamuramaro's sword," was more than merely an ancient blade to Ieyasu—it is believed to have been a protective sword dwelling with the spiritual essence of the hero who accomplished the conquest of the Tōhoku. On April 17, Genna 2 (1616), Ieyasu closed his life of seventy-five years at Sunpu Castle. At his deathbed, Ieyasu commanded: "Enshrine Sohaya no Tsurugi at Kunozan," and desired that this blade remain at his mausoleum, Kunozan Tōshōgu, even after his death. This wish was faithfully honored, and Sohaya no Tsurugi continues to be preserved at Kunozan Tōshōgu as one of Ieyasu's treasured possessions.
Characteristics of the Blade
Sohaya no Tsurugi possesses the magnificent form of a tachi with shallow curvature, with a blade length of approximately 69.6 cm. Attributed to Miike Tenta Mitsuyo, it displays the classical elegance characteristic of the late Heian through early Kamakura period. Engravings adorn the blade, said to express its character as a mystical sword. After continuous transmission since the Kamakura period, it maintains high esteem today as an Important Cultural Property, a result of both the sword's superior quality and subsequent efforts to preserve it.
Kunozan Tōshōgu
Kunozan Tōshōgu is a shrine that Tokugawa Ieyasu himself ordered to be built and designated as his mausoleum after his death. Built at an elevation of 200 meters atop a mountain overlooking Suruga Bay, it received the reverence of the shogunal house throughout the Edo period as a key strategic point on the Tōkaidō. It houses numerous treasures from Ieyasu's collection, and among them Sohaya no Tsurugi occupies the most important position as a sword of exceptional significance. As "the sword in which Ieyasu's spirit dwells," Sohaya no Tsurugi stands as a symbol of the spiritual legacy of the man who laid the foundation for three centuries of Tokugawa peace.
Legends & Stories
The legend of Sohayanotsurugi bridges Japan's distant past and the dawn of the Edo period in a single blade. Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, revered as a manifestation of the war-god Bishamonten, led two great campaigns into the northeast of Honshu at the end of the 8th century. His conquest of the Emishi — accomplished with this sword at his side, according to tradition — established the northern frontier of the Japanese state and opened the way for what would become the cultural heartland of the north, including the land later ruled from Sendai by Date Masamune. When Tokugawa Ieyasu, dying in Sunpu Castle in 1616, chose to have this ancient sword enshrined at his tomb rather than his famous Masamune blades, he was making a profound statement. Just as Tamuramaro had unified the northeast, Ieyasu had unified all of Japan. By keeping Tamuramaro's sword close in death, Ieyasu perhaps identified himself with the ancient hero-general who had tamed chaos and imposed order on a resistant land. The sword still rests at Kunōzan Tōshōgū today, where Ieyasu's spirit is enshrined — a guardian blade for the spirit of the man who ended Japan's age of war.