One of the World's Oldest Samurai Swords Was Found in an Attic

A rusty blade found over a century ago in the attic of a Japanese shrine turned out to be a rare and priceless samurai sword.

Experts now believe the samurai sword was first crafted in the 12th century and is considered one of the most significant finds in Japanese history. 

The Discovery of the Blade

During the late 1930s, a curved and incredibly rusted blade was discovered and stored in the dusty attic of the Kasuga Taisha shrine in Japan. 

According to Japan Forward, the shrine's officials had no idea of the sword's rarity at the time, so it was simply returned to storage.

Shrine Officials Realize the Sword's Rarity

Every 20 years, the shrine holds a ceremony in which it sharpens and polishes all of its blades.

During the blade's wetting in 2016, shrine officials realized they had an extremely rare blade in their possession.

Blade Dates Back to the 12th Century

Experts who analyzed the curved blade dated it to around the 12th century. 

It was created during the Heian Period of samurai, which is important for several reasons, the most prominent being that this was when curved samurai blades came into existence. 

The Heirloom Was Crafted During the Heian Period

The history of the sword was shared by Ryo Miyazaki of The Asahi Shimbun (via BroBible).

It appears that the heirloom, "made in the Heian Period (794–1185) for a samurai and initially passed down through his family, was presented to the shrine sometime from the Nanboku-cho Period,” said Miyazaki.

Rare Kohoki Blade

According to Miyazaki, the “curved 82.4 centimeter-long sword, without the creator’s name inscribed, is a kohoki.”

The rare kohoki sword is one of 12 blades discovered in the shrine. However, none are as valuable or as old as the one found at Kasuga Taisha. 

Mystery Surrounding Origin of the Blade

As there are no markings on the blade, experts are uncertain as to who the original swordsmith was. 

However, some suggest it bears a striking resemblance to the famous Doji-giri sword, which is on display in the Tokyo National Museum. This could suggest it was made by the mastersmith Yasutsuna. 

A Beautiful Example of the Craftsmanship of the Era

Motoki Sakai, who works at Tokyo’s National Museum, says the sword discovered at Kasuga Taisha is a beautiful example of the craftsmanship of the era.

He went on to say it “is a very important example of work of the period in excellent condition” (via Japan Forward).

Kasuga Taisha Priest Shocked by the Discovery

Hirotada Kasan-no-in, one of the priests at Kasuga Taisha, said the blade's discovery was “amazing, like finding a time capsule.”

He continued, “probably donated to the shrine by someone wishing for divine protection by the residing deity” (via Japan Forward).

The Rare Blade Sent to an Expert Polisher

The Kasuga blade was eventually sent to Koshu Hon'ami, an expert polisher and national treasure of Japan. 

According to experts, the Hon'ami family has been a trusted polisher since at least the Kamakura period, which began in the 12th century. 

Kasuga Blade Dedicated to Japanese Deity

The Kasuga blade was likely gifted to the shrine as an offering to its patron deity. The sword itself represented an incarnation of the deity which could be worshipped. 

During the Nanboku-cho and Muromachi periods, it was fairly common for warriors to donate swords to shrines. 

Rare Kasuga Sword Placed on Display

After the blade had been refurbished under the revered Koshu Hon'ami, it was sent back to the Kasuga shrine. 

It will occasionally appear on display at the Kasugataisha Museum at the Kasuga Taisha shrine during ceremonial events.