* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Tokugawa Mitsukuni
徳川光圀
Mito Kōmon — Scholar-Lord Who Compiled the Great History of Japan
Description
Scholar-Lord
Tokugawa Mitsukuni, born in Kan'ei 5 (1628) as the third son of Tokugawa Yorifusa, daimyō of Mito domain, is widely known to posterity by the name "Mito Kōmon" and was a virtuous ruler combining both scholarship and virtue. As the second daimyō of Mito domain, he oversaw domain administration while making significant contributions to the promotion of learning and culture during the Genroku era. In particular, the compilation of the Dai Nihon-shi (Great History of Japan), which Mitsukuni initiated, was one of the greatest scholarly projects in the history of Japanese historical research. Even after Mitsukuni's death, compilation continued at the Shōkōkan of Mito domain, requiring over 250 years to completion. This passion for historical research extended to the field of swords: Mitsukuni devoted considerable effort to investigating the provenance of swords transmitted to the Mito Tokugawa family and organizing their records, playing an important role in the historical preservation of sword culture.
Dai Nihon-shi and Sword Records
The collection of historical materials ordered by Mitsukuni extended to ancient documents and records throughout Japan. Through this process, records of sword provenance, inscriptions, and anecdotes transmitted to various regions were systematically collected and organized. Materials documenting the transmission of famous blades since the Kamakura period, biographies of renowned smiths, and historical records concerning swords—the materials gathered by Mitsukuni at the Shōkōkan became the foundation for later sword scholarship. The scholarly tradition of Mito domain would flower as Mito Learning in the late Edo period, becoming the theoretical foundation for the sonno-jōi (revere the emperor, expel the barbarians) ideology; its origins lay in the scholarly path pioneered by Mitsukuni. From the perspective of sword records, the role played by Mitsukuni's enterprise cannot be overestimated.
Mito Tokugawa's Sword Collection
As one of the Three Subsidiary Houses, the Mito Tokugawa family held a rank second only to the shogun's household. During Mitsukuni's lifetime, the Mito domain's collection greatly expanded, and famous blades of renown were placed in the Mito treasure house. Of particular note is the connection to the "Shokudaikiri Mitsutada." This famous blade, known as the beloved sword of Date Masamune, was transmitted from Masamune to the Mito Tokugawa family. Mitsukuni treated the Shokudaikiri Mitsutada as a family treasure and is said to have conducted investigations and recorded research regarding its provenance and the smith Mitsutada. The Bizen Osafune blade by Mitsutada has been positioned since antiquity as the highest caliber, renowned for its exquisite chōji midare and the beauty of its jigane. Mitsukuni deeply recognized its value. This Shokudaikiri Mitsutada subsequently remained in the Mito Tokugawa family, suffered damage in the Great Kantō Earthquake, and after recent restoration, is now housed in the Tokugawa Museum. The history of this famous blade connecting Sendai's Date Masamune and Mito's Tokugawa Mitsukuni holds special significance for TOUKENZA.
The Reality of Kōmon's Travels
The "Mito Kōmon's" travels throughout the provinces, by which Mitsukuni is known, are in fact not historical fact but later fabrication and exaggeration. The actual Mitsukuni did undertake travels within the domain but did not engage in the kind of circumambulation throughout the realm as depicted. However, the image of "Kōmon-sama" had a major impact on the common people, becoming a symbol of justice that, as "Vice-Shogun of All Lands," corrected wrongdoing. The true image of Mitsukuni was a scholar-daimyō who immersed himself in a space surrounded by books, continually pursuing the truth of history. His scholarly attitude was also reflected in his gaze upon swords: rather than merely appreciating famous blades, his stance of seeking to comprehensively understand their provenance, makers, and historical context can be said to be a precursor to modern sword scholarship.
Confucianism and the Spirit of Japanese Swords
Mitsukuni was deeply devoted to Zhu Xi Learning, making ethical principles emphasizing righteousness and propriety the foundation of politics and scholarship. This Confucian spirit resonates deeply with the spirituality of the Japanese sword. The samurai's blade embodying the "Five Virtues" of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust—not merely a lethal instrument but a spiritual pillar for the realization of loyalty to one's lord and justice—this view of swords, coinciding with the spread of Confucianism in Mitsukuni's era, took deep root in samurai society. Furthermore, Mitsukuni actively exchanged with scholars and monks from China and Korea, possessing a broad perspective that contextualized Japanese culture within the framework of East Asia. This international outlook resonates with the contemporary challenge of bringing the beauty and spirituality of the Japanese sword before the world.
Final Years and Legacy
Retiring in Genroku 3 (1690), Mitsukuni moved to Nishiyama-shō two years later and passed away on the twelfth month of Genroku 13 (1700) at age 73. In accordance with his will, the compilation of the Dai Nihon-shi continued, and scholars at the Shōkōkan, inheriting Mitsukuni's spirit, pursued historical research. Mito Learning exerted major influence on the late Edo sonno-jōi movement, becoming one of the ideological foundations of the Meiji Restoration. The legacy of Mitsukuni, who embodied the ideal image of a samurai combining both learning and the martial way, has been inherited by subsequent generations in the preservation and study of sword culture.
Notable Swords
- Shokudaikiri Mitsutada (masterpiece by Bizen Osafune Mitsutada; originally Date Masamune's prize blade, later Mito Tokugawa treasure; Mitsukuni's scholars recorded its history; now at Tokugawa Museum)
- Mito Tokugawa family collection (swords of the highest caliber befitting one of the Three Subsidiary Houses, spanning Kamakura through Muromachi periods)
- Shogunal gifts (blades presented from the shogun's personal armory, reflecting the special relationship between the Mito Tokugawa and the main Tokugawa line)