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The legendary warriors of Japan and the swords they cherished
Discover the sword culture of Japan's great fortresses
Legendary blades that shaped history
450 entries
Shimazu Yoshihisa
Eldest of the Shimazu Four Brothers, the Satsuma general who unified Kyushu and commanded the Sengoku period's mightiest army
Shimazu Yoshihisa (1533–1611) was a Sengoku daimyo of Satsuma Province (present-day Kagoshima Prefec...
Hōjō Genan
Senior retainer and cultural figure of the Later Hōjō clan; uncle of Ujiyasu, the third-generation daimyo of Sagami
Hōjō Genan (1493–1589) was born as the son of Hōjō Sōun, founder of the Later Hōjō clan, and was a r...
Yamana Sozen
Aka-Nyudo (the Red Monk) — The Great Daimyo Called the "One-Sixth Lord," Who Led the Western Army in the Onin War and Set Kyoto Aflame Despite His Advanced Age
## The Rise of the One-Sixth Lord Yamana Sozen (born Yamana Mochitoyoshi) was born in 1404 (Ōei 11),...
Kondō Isami
Commander of the Shinsengumi
Kondō Isami was the commander of the Shinsengumi who dominated Bakumatsu-era Kyoto as a master sword...
Sakuma Morimasa
Oni Genba—Nemesis of the Seven Spears of Shizugatake
Sakuma Morimasa (1554–1583) was a fierce Sengoku warrior known by the epithet "Oni Genba" (Demon Gen...
Mōri Hidemoto
The Mōri clan elder remembered for the "Saishō-dono's Empty Lunchbox" episode at Sekigahara, and first lord of Chōfu Domain
Mōri Hidemoto (1579-1650) was a military commander and daimyo active from the Azuchi-Momoyama throug...
Minamoto no Yoritomo
Founder of the Kamakura Shogunate—The lonely hegemon who destroyed the Taira and established the first samurai regime, transforming Japanese history
## The Exiled Prince Born in 1147 as the third son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Minamoto no Yoritomo wa...
Kusaka Gensui
Flag-bearer of the Chōshū sonnō jōi movement · Brother-in-law of Yoshida Shōin
Kusaka Gensui (1840–1864) was a bakumatsu loyalist and a central figure in the sonnō jōi (revere the...
Ikeda Terumasa
Architect of Himeji Castle—The Great Warlord Called 'The General of the West' Who Dominated the Western Domains Through His Achievements at Sekigahara
## The Great Warlord Called 'The General of the West' Ikeda Terumasa, born in Eiroku 7 (1564), acqu...
Maeda Toshinaga
Eldest son of Maeda Toshiie who inherited Kaga Hyakumangoku; a wise commander who sided with the Tokugawa at the Battle of Sekigahara
Maeda Toshinaga (1562-1614) was a samurai commander and daimyo who flourished from the Sengoku perio...
Hojo Ujiteru
Commander of the Late Hojo, Lord of Hachioji Castle
## Life and Origins Hojo Ujiteru (1542–1590) was the third son of Hojo Ujiyasu, the celebrated seco...
Honami Kōetsu
Sword Appraiser, Artist, and Cultural Figure of Early Edo Period
Honami Kōetsu (1558-1637) was a leading cultural figure of early Edo period Japan, born into the Hon...