Then, word that the Tokugawa Shogun himself banned these katana from his court helped spread the idea that Muramasa swords were a type of ‘Shogun-kryptonite.’ Tokugawa’s most feared enemy (Image: .jp) Accidental stabbings, slips and spills resulting in fatal injuries, these were the stories that spread like wildfire through the villages and cities of feudal Japan. The misfortunes of the Shogun and his family thereafter often involved Muramasa blades as they were in such abundance in the court. As mentioned, Muramasa’s blades were adopted by Tokugawa Ieyasu, his clan of Mikawa samurai, as well as his ancestors. Here we begin to uncover the spiritual connections made by many legends about Muramasa katana – those which link his katana with demons and various ill-effects for those who wield it.
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Then, with the disappearance of his family line and a strange series of mishaps, the Marumasa name was tarnished forever.Ī Cut above the Rest: The Demonic Slice of a Muramasa Sword Things remained positive for Marumasa until his death. For this he was rewarding with the patronage of early Tokugawa officials. With a thicker center towards the hilt, Muramasa’s tang was said to provide a nice balance. The wave shaped line along the edge matched on both sides, making for a beautiful blade. In fact, many top level samurai appreciated the cutting power and overall quality his characteristic ‘Muramasa-edge’ and ‘Muramasa-tang’ provided. While alive, the original Muramasa’s reputation remained good. Just when this line began or finally died out, remains a mystery. What we do know is that up to three generations of Muramasa masters were trained and active around the 1660s and 1670s. Maybe we will never know just where and when the first Muramasa master was born. Historians still to this day have trouble sorting out the legend from the cold hard facts. Add to this his almost mythological reputation, and you get some pretty far-fetched tales about his life and work. Much like master swordmaker Masamune before him, Muramasa’s life is one of historical uncertainty. Just like last time, I have to warn you: many of the mysteries and legends which surround Muramasa (as with Masamune) are still unsolved, unconfirmed, or otherwise without a conclusive ‘ending.’ Like a riddle wrapped in a mystery, inside of an enigma, these tales continue to evade and confuse researches, all the while themselves growing and expanding with a life of their own.Įarly Success as a Respected Katana Swordmaker A country filled to the brim with legends of ghosts and evil spirits, Muramasa and rumours and that surround him give us a taste of the spooky tales of ancient Japan. Jekyll, Muramasa’s life and work offers a look into the darker side of Japanese folk-lore and history. That’s right today’s article is about the cursed, supernatural swords of Muramasa. While today’s katana hero showed many of the same qualities of his predecessor Masamune at first, stories of his haunted blades and their strange effects spiraled out of control after his disappearance from the spotlight. With a clean, respectable image and an honourable employment record (hired by the Bakufu feudal government as their top official swordmaker), Masamune’s story provides an interesting contrast to the one we will see here today. In part 1, we looked closely at the history of Masamune and his lost masterpiece, the Honjo Masamune sword ( previous post LINK here). Today’s article is part 2 of our series on Japan’s most famous and revered katana swordmaking duo: Masamune and Muramasa. Muramasa’s Cursed Yōtō Swords: History and Top 3 Creepy Legends
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