Katana are closely associated with the Japanese samurai, who wore their katana not only as a weapon but also as a symbol of their class. During the Meiji Restoration at the end of the 19th century (the birth of modern Japan), many samurai rebelled when the government denied them the right to carry their swords in public, but this did not overturn the decision. As a result, the samurai families kept the swords in their homes and honoured them over the years.
After the end of the Second World War, the American occupying forces enforced that all Japanese households had to hand in all forms of weapons, including swords. The aim was to disarm the whole of Japan. You can find more information about the historical development of the samurai sword in our article Types of Japanese swords and their historical development.
Although this decision was later reversed, in the meantime many katana had either been melted down or given away as trophies to American military personnel.
Among these swords was the Honjo Masamune, perhaps the best katana in history and probably the most famous samurai sword of all time.
The origin of the name Honjo Masamune
The name of the Honjo Masamune sword is partly derived from the man who created it: Gorō Masamune (1264-1343 AD). He is generally regarded as the greatest swordsmith in Japanese history. His swords are famous for their unrivalled beauty and quality. His craftsmanship is so famous that all the swords he made bear his name. His swords are among the most respected Nihonto at all.
The second part of the Honjo Masamune's name comes from one of the men who once owned it: Honjo Shigenaga (1540-1614 AD) He was a general for the Uesugi clan in northern Japan. During the 4th Battle of Kawanakajima (1561), one of Japan's greatest battles, Honjo was attacked by an enemy officer who was in possession of the Honjo Masamune. During the duel, Honjo's helmet was split down the middle, but he survived and eventually won the duel. He then took the sword. It has borne his name ever since.
However, Honjo lacked the ability to manage money, which is why he was forced to sell the sword to the Toyotomi family, who ruled Japan at the time, in 1595. The family was overthrown five years later by the new shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and the sword became his property.
The legend of Masamune and Muramasa
The legend of Masamune is about a fight that Gorō Masamune had with another swordsmith and competitor. Sengo Muramasa had. Both had made swords and were testing their quality by holding them in a stream. Muramasa's blade cut everything it touched, especially fish and leaves. Masamune's sword, on the other hand, only cut the leaves and not the fish.
Muramasa took this as a sign that his sword was better and began to laugh maliciously. However, a wandering monk had been watching the two of them. He then came to them and explained that Masamune's sword was clearly superior to Muramasa's because it would not cut anything unnecessary as it spared living beings. By cutting everything, Maramusa's sword showed its vicious, bloodthirsty nature.
What became of the Honjo Masamune sword...
Symbol of power of the rulers
In the possession of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, the Honjo Masamune became a symbol of his dynasty and was passed down from shogun to shogun for the next two and a half centuries. Ieyasu was one of the most outstanding personalities among the Japan's most famous samurai and leaders of all time. Even after the fall of the shogunate in 1868, the sword remained in the Tokugawa family's private collection. At the end of the Second World War, the sword was in the possession of Tokugawa Iemasa, who was then President of the Kizokuin (the upper house of the Japanese Diet).
The disappearance after the Second World War
When the Allies demanded that all family swords be handed over to them, many families reacted to this demand with great anger. Iemasa decided to comply with the demand and handed over the Tokugawa family's entire sword collection, including the Honjo Masamune, to the Allies. He delivered the swords to the Mejiro police station in December 1945. They were collected by a US cavalry sergeant known as "Coldy Bimore". US cavalry records show that no soldier with this name served. It is assumed that "Coldy Bimore" is a phonetically similar sounding variation of the real name. In any case, this is the last record of Honjo Masamune.
For this reason, many suspect that the sword is in the USA. However, it may also have been melted down. What really happened to the Honjo Masamune remains a mystery to this day.
Will it ever reappear?
The sword was declared one of Japan's national treasures. As soon as the sword appeared on the market, the Japanese government would claim it for the country.
It is therefore very likely that the current owner of the sword will never reveal himself. It is therefore highly likely that the Honjo Masamune will remain lost forever.
We hope you enjoyed this article. You can find modern swords at favourable prices in our Shop.
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