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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
523 entries
Minamoto no Yoshinaka (Kiso Yoshinaka)
The "Rising Sun Shōgun" Who Drove the Taira from the Capital — Cousin and Rival of Minamoto no Yoritomo, Slain at Awazu
## Life Minamoto no Yoshinaka, also known as Kiso Yoshinaka, was born in 1154 as the son of Minamoto...
Yamanaka Shikanosuke
Fierce Warrior Who Devoted His Life to the Amago Restoration, the Loyal Warrior Who Wished Upon the Crescent Moon
Yamanaka Shikanosuke (1545-1578) was a fierce warrior of the Sengoku period who fought throughout hi...
Nakanishi Chūta
Founder of the Ittō-ryū Nakanishi-ha, originator of the shinai training lineage that shaped early modern kendo
## Life Nakanishi Chūta Shisada was a native of Edo. He studied swordsmanship under Ono Jirōemon Tad...
Yoshioka Seijūrō
Yoshioka Seijūrō was the head of the Yoshioka school, a prestigious Kyoto family that for generation...
Takahashi Jōun
Righteous General of Bungo Who Fell at Iwaya Castle, Comrade of Tachibana Dōsetsu
Takahashi Jōun (1548-1586) was a military commander of Bungo who served the Ōtomo clan. He was a val...
Musō Gonnosuke
Founder of Shintō Musōryū Jōjutsu; martial artist who established the origins of modern Jōdō
Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi (dates of birth and death unknown; active in the first half of the 17th ce...
Hōjō Tokimune
The Young Regent Who Repelled the Mongol Invasions
## The Young Regent Who Faced a National Crisis Hōjō Tokimune was born in the 3rd year of Kenchō (12...
Nabeshima Mitsushige
Second daimyo of Saga domain — banned junshi, ranked the branch domains, and was known as a poet
## Origins and Succession Nabeshima Mitsushige (1632-1700) was born in 1632, the eldest son of Nabe...
Shimazu Toshihisa
The Third of the Shimazu Four Brothers—A Fierce Satsuma General Who Resisted Toyotomi Hideyoshi to the End and Died for Righteousness
## A Wise Strategist and Fierce Warrior among the Four Shimazu Brothers Born in Satsuma Province in...
Ii Naosuke
Great Elder (Tairō) of the Bakumatsu Era — Lord of Hikone Who Marked History with the Ansei Purge and the Sakuradamon Incident
Ii Naosuke (1815-1860) was the daimyō of the Hikone Domain in Ōmi (present-day Hikone City, Shiga Pr...
Takeda Nobuyoshi
Ieyasu's fifth son who revived the Takeda house and became young lord of Mito's 150,000-koku domain
## Origins and the Revival of the Takeda House Takeda Nobuyoshi (1583-1603) was born in 1583 in Ham...
Minamoto no Yoshiie
Hachimantaro — The First Son of Hachiman, supreme warrior of the Heian age
## The Birth of Hachiman Tarō Minamoto no Yoshiie was born in Chōreki 3 (1039), the eldest son of Mi...