* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Oda Nobunaga
織田信長
The Demon King of the Sixth Heaven — Revolutionary visionary who shattered the old order and forged a new era under the banner of Tenka Fubu
Description
The Rise of a Revolutionary
Born in Nagoya Castle, Owari Province, in Tenbun 3 (1534), Oda Nobunaga embodied a revolutionary military leader who manifested Japan's transition from the medieval to the early modern period under the grand aspiration of Tenka Fubu ('Pacification of the realm through military prowess'). Nobunaga systematically dismantled existing authority and convention, achieving pioneering innovations across all domains—from the economic policies of rakuichiza (free markets) to the large-scale deployment of firearms and the construction of Azuchi Castle. Known for his austere temperament, he is said to have called himself the "Demon King of the Sixth Heaven," an epithet reflecting his characteristic arrogance and self-importance, identifying himself with the Sixth Heaven, the supreme demon king who opposes the Buddha.
Revolutionary Policies
Nobunaga's relationship with the sword transcended that of a mere collector; he is particularly noted for his masterful use of blades as instruments of political power. The bestowal of celebrated swords was one of his most important means of controlling his vassals—he generously awarded supreme swords to meritorious retainers while relentlessly confiscating them from those who fell from favor. This political instrumentalization of the sword would be inherited by his successors, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Passion for Sword Collecting
The "Heshikiri Hasebe" is the most famous anecdote associated with Nobunaga's swords. When a favored tea servant committed some offense, the servant fled and hid under a food shelf. Enraged, Nobunaga is said to have used this blade to cleave through the shelf and kill the servant. The name "heshikiri" (pressing cut) derives from this act of pressing through. This tachi by Hasebe Kuninshige is characterized by the powerful, all-hardened hamon of the Soshu school, possessing a severe beauty that mirrors Nobunaga's own austere temperament. The blade was later bestowed upon Kuroda Kanbei and descended through the Kuroda family as a treasured heirloom; it is now designated as a National Treasure.
Beloved Blades and Legends
The "Sōzu Sadaitsuji" was war booty seized from Imagawa Yoshimoto at the Battle of Okehazama in Eiroku 3 (1560). It is also called the "Yoshimoto Sadaitsuji" because Yoshimoto wore this blade. Sadaitsuji was a swordsmith of Chikuzen Province who, during the Northern and Southern Courts period, adopted Soshu school techniques to establish his own distinctive style. Nobunaga kept this blade at his side throughout his life as a cherished treasure, regarding it as symbolic of his victory at Okehazama and his first step toward the conquest of the realm. After Nobunaga's death, the sword passed to Hideyoshi and then to Ieyasu, becoming a rare blade possessed by three hegemons as the proof of their rule of the realm.
Firearms and Matchlock Guns
The "Fudou Yukimitsu," a work by Soshu Yukimitsu, was a short sword that Nobunaga held in particularly high regard. Nobunaga is said to have danced with this blade at a sake gathering, singing "Fudou Yukimitsu, ninety-nine hairs." Yukimitsu's blades are characterized by fine nie and exquisite jigane, and this short sword stands out for its concentrated beauty. The "Yakuzen Tougaro," also by Awataribe Yoshimitsu, is a renowned short sword with an anecdote: when a man attempted to stab his lord, the blade could not pierce the armor, but it easily penetrated a yakuzen (a stone mortar for grinding medicine), hence the name. Nobunaga housed these celebrated blades in Azuchi Castle, amassing a magnificent collection of swords.
The Path to Tenka Fubu
On June 2 of Tensho 10 (1582), the Honnō-ji Incident occurred. Nobunaga perished in flames due to the treachery of Akechi Mitsuhide. At that moment, the countless celebrated swords housed in Azuchi Castle and Honnō-ji burned to ash—a loss that must be counted among the greatest in the history of Japanese swords. Many irreplaceable masterpieces, beginning with the Yakuzen Tougaro, vanished into history's darkness along with Nobunaga, never to return. Though Nobunaga's life spanned only forty-nine years, his influence on sword culture was immeasurable. His conviction that "the realm is conquered through celebrated blades" became decisive in establishing the sword's place in Japanese samurai society.
Notable Swords
- Heshikiri Hasebe (By Hasebe Kuninshige, National Treasure. The all-hardened hamon of the Soshu school radiates fierce beauty. Renowned for the anecdote of cleaving through a shelf and a tea servant.)
- Sōzu Sadaitsuji (Also called Yoshimoto Sadaitsuji. Cherished by Nobunaga throughout his life as war booty from the Battle of Okehazama. A masterwork by Chikuzen Sadaitsuji.)
- Fudou Yukimitsu (By Soshu Yukimitsu. A beloved blade danced by Nobunaga at sake gatherings. A short sword with fine nie and exquisite jigane.)
- Yakuzen Tougaro (By Awataribe Yoshimitsu. A celebrated short sword with an anecdote of piercing a yakuzen but failing to penetrate armor. Lost in the Honnō-ji Incident.)