12th Century Samurai Sword Found in the Ceiling of the Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara Prefecture

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One of the world’s oldest samurai swords resides in Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara, Japan.

Discovering the sword was amazing, like finding a time capsule. He said the sword was probably donated to the shrine by someone wishing for divine protection by the residing deity. The sword and mountings were designated as an Important Art Object by the Agency of Cultural Affairs.- Kasuga Taisha Shinto priest, Hirotada Kasan-no-in

The rusted sword sat in the attic of the Kasuga Taisha shrine in Nara Prefecture for centuries. Although the blade was discovered in 1939, it was not until 2024 that it was identified as a priceless kohoki.

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A recent ceremony to honor the traditions of shrine building took Place at Kasuga Taisha. Swords are sharpened, and tools are cleaned. The blade was realized during the cleaning as one of the oldest Japanese samurai swords ever found.

The priceless sword was sent to a leading restoration specialist, Koshu Hon’ami, for further cleaning, sharpening, and polishing. Hon’ami is considered a living national treasure as his family has polished swords since the Kamakura Period. The family later made weapons for the Tokugawa Shogunate in the Edo period.

The Kasuga Taisha shrine sits at the edge of the famed Nara Park. Established by the Fujiwara family circa 768 CE, the shrine features bronze and stone lanterns. The shrine was rebuilt several times over centuries.

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The newly discovered sword is known as a kohoki. The blade measures 32 inches in length. The sword was made for a samurai and likely passed through his family.

Swords are dedicated to shrines across Japan as offerings to the shrine’s patron deity.

The sword was crafted between 794 and 1185. The blade’s graceful curve is a reliable identification method and offers clues to its place in history. Japanese swords found in temple ruins typically had straight blades. Kohoki features a gracefully curved blade.

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The blade is without a handle. To date such pieces, one must study all parts of the sword, including the handle and maker marks. The tradition of displaying a hilt and adornments apart from the blade prevails.

With no maker’s signature found on the blade, experts think the blade is the work of a famed swordsmith, Yasutsuna.

It is believed that the first single-edged longsword was the work of Yasutsuna. The long, curved blade of the taichi appeared around 700 AD.

Yasutsuna led a group of swordsmiths who made weapons for the Emperor.

Amakuni is believed to be the originator of the double-edged katana. Few signed works by Amakuni exist today. Yet, the kohoki were more ancient and valuable.

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After it was cleaned and examined, the sword was displayed at the Kasugataisha Museum at the Kasuga Taisha shrine.

N.B. I lived in Nara for 8 years, so don't miss it if you can go there. The fascinating city of Kyoto is a short train ride up the line. -dp

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Douglas Pilarski is an award-winning writer & journalist based on the West Coast. He writes about luxury goods, exotic cars, horology, tech, food, lifestyle, and business.

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