A question for the C's that im sure that many people who have studied Japanese history, and Japanese sword-making are very curious about :
Where is the "Honjo Masamune" sword currently; and who has it in his/her possession ? As it is officially listed as missing, since the surrender of Japan in WW2.
Background info from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masamune
Further background:
In medieval Japan, especially during the Shogunate period, just prior to the unfication of Japan after the great battle of Sekigahara (1600) - the Samurai were greatly admired for their valour, battle skills, self esteem, conduct, approach to death, and above all their honour. They practised Bushido, on amazing warrior ethos (assumption here of the non-psychopatic samurai's; for im sure the psychopaths would have infected these brethen in their various prefectures and alliances with warlords or "daimyo").
Connected eternally with the Samurai were their pairing of swords; the "katana" and the "wakizashi" - considered to be a part of their souls, and thus an extension of themselves. The Way of the Sword was extremely important in Japan, and many young men travelled on foot around Japan on the various old highways in Honshu, going on walkabout seeking to understand themselves, master sword play, meditate and learn. In modern Japan the pratice of Iaido reflects this old way of the sword.
As such swordmakers were artisans held in very high esteem, for they were thought to be men of great honour, artistic skill, with excellent ethical and moral conduct, able to "imbue" on the katana's they created with these special human qualities. The swordmaker was more important than the sword itself when it came to choosing the katana for a samurai.
The greatest known swordmaker in Japan is acknowledged as Masamune (see Wikipedia note for more background of his life and history) and the greatest sword he ever made was the "Honjo Masamune". It was the symbol of the Tokugawa Shogunate, as the Tokugawa's were the victors in the battle of Sekigahara and thus the unifiers of Japan in 1600. That the Tokugawa clan chose this sword to represent them during their reign of more than 200 years; despite the availability of many other katana's for choice is interesting to say the least. It is still an enduring mystery in Japan on the whereabouts of the Honjo Masamune, and hoping the C's can shed some light on its location or owners :).
Where is the "Honjo Masamune" sword currently; and who has it in his/her possession ? As it is officially listed as missing, since the surrender of Japan in WW2.
Background info from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masamune
Further background:
In medieval Japan, especially during the Shogunate period, just prior to the unfication of Japan after the great battle of Sekigahara (1600) - the Samurai were greatly admired for their valour, battle skills, self esteem, conduct, approach to death, and above all their honour. They practised Bushido, on amazing warrior ethos (assumption here of the non-psychopatic samurai's; for im sure the psychopaths would have infected these brethen in their various prefectures and alliances with warlords or "daimyo").
Connected eternally with the Samurai were their pairing of swords; the "katana" and the "wakizashi" - considered to be a part of their souls, and thus an extension of themselves. The Way of the Sword was extremely important in Japan, and many young men travelled on foot around Japan on the various old highways in Honshu, going on walkabout seeking to understand themselves, master sword play, meditate and learn. In modern Japan the pratice of Iaido reflects this old way of the sword.
As such swordmakers were artisans held in very high esteem, for they were thought to be men of great honour, artistic skill, with excellent ethical and moral conduct, able to "imbue" on the katana's they created with these special human qualities. The swordmaker was more important than the sword itself when it came to choosing the katana for a samurai.
The greatest known swordmaker in Japan is acknowledged as Masamune (see Wikipedia note for more background of his life and history) and the greatest sword he ever made was the "Honjo Masamune". It was the symbol of the Tokugawa Shogunate, as the Tokugawa's were the victors in the battle of Sekigahara and thus the unifiers of Japan in 1600. That the Tokugawa clan chose this sword to represent them during their reign of more than 200 years; despite the availability of many other katana's for choice is interesting to say the least. It is still an enduring mystery in Japan on the whereabouts of the Honjo Masamune, and hoping the C's can shed some light on its location or owners :).
