The Tenka-Goken, the "five (best) swords under heaven", are 5 famous swords that are considered to be of particular cultural and technical value. They therefore represent the top class of historical swords. Nihonto. The following five swords are part of the Tenka-Goken:
Dojigiri Yasutsuna
The Dojigiri Yasutsuna has a blade length of 80cm and a curvature of 2.7cm. It is a national treasure of Japan and is currently in the possession of the Tokyo National Museum. It is also known as the sword that belonged to Minamoto no Yoritomo, who, according to legend, beheaded Shuten Doji, the ruler of the demons, with it. It is believed that the sword was made towards the end of the Heian period. Although it was never used on the battlefield, it was able to prove its cutting abilities in the Edo period by cutting 6 human bodies in half with one blow.
Otenta Mitsuyo
The Odenta Mitsuyo has a short blade compared to other katana, but is quite wide. It has a blade length of 66.1 cm and a curvature of 2.7 cm. When Maeda Toshiie, the son of Maeda Toshimasa, borrowed the sword from the 2nd Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, his daughter suddenly recovered from a serious illness. The sword has therefore been regarded as a "treasure" by the Maeda clan ever since.
Today, the Otenta Mitsuyo is a national treasure of Japan and is owned by the non-profit Maeda Ikutokukai Foundation in Ishikawa, which manages the heritage of the Maeda clan.
Mikazuki Munechika
The Odenta Mitsuyo has a blade length of 66.1cm and a curvature of 2.7cm. It is generally regarded as the "most beautiful" of the 5 Tenka-Goken swords. It was made by the talented swordsmith Sanjo Munechika from the Yamashiro province. It has also been declared a national treasure of Japan and is currently in the possession of the Tokyo National Museum.
Juzumaru Tsunetsugu
The Juzumaru Tsunetsugu has a blade length of 81.08cm and a curvature of 3cm. It was made by the swordsmith Aoe Tsunetsugi from the Bicchu province. It has been declared an important cultural asset of Japan and is owned by the Honkouji Temple in Hyogo.
It became famous as the sword of the Buddhist monk Nichiren, who founded the temple Kuon-ji on Mount Minobu. Legend has it that his followers gave him the sword for self-defence. He always carried the sword with him. The sword owes its name to Nichiren's Buddhist recitation chain (also known as Juzu).
Onimaru Kunitsuna
The sword of the Hojo clan is said to be able to drive away evil spirits. It is comparatively long at 85.2cm and has a considerable curve of 3.3cm. Its shape is considered ideal for the Kamakura period. It is currently owned by the Japanese imperial family.
Would you like to find out more about samurai swords? Read our article on the Honjo Masamune, the lost sword.
Text source 1: http://travelience.com/blog/samurai-sword-and-armor/
Text source 2: http://chano-yu.com/tenga-goken-the-five-greatest-swords/
