Thursday 9 January 2020

The Best Of 2019: The Best Katana Ever Made, Sword History, Warriors And More

Part of our mission at BladesPro is to study, learn and relay information about swords -- not only to sell them. We love to dig into the history of what made swords how they are today, the warriors who wielded them in the battles of old, and the significance of past events on the present.

With that in mind, here's a roundup of what we feel were the best posts of 2019, below.

Honjo Masamune – The Best Katana Ever Made

Masamune and Muramasa are credited as being the two best Japanese swordsmiths who ever lived. Their blades were so good that they were often described as having mystical properties. While the swordsmiths lived over 500 years ago, some of their swords survive today.

Read: Honjo Masamune – The Best Katana Ever Made 


Chinese Women Warriors

Besides Hua Mulan, there have been many other Chinese warrior women throughout history.

In this article, we looked at 3 very special women in sword history.

Read: Chinese Women Warriors


Roman Empire vs the Mongol Empire - Parts 1 and 2

In Part 1 of this series comparing the Roman and Mongol Empires, we took a brief look at the rise and fall of these two great empires.

In Part 2, we compare the two and see which one was greater.

Read: Part 1, Part 2


The Notorious Opera Duelist of Paris - Julie d'Aubigny

Few women have achieved the notoriety throughout their entire lifetime that Julie d'Aubigny acquired in just two short decades. Famous for her insatiable sexual appetite and martial prowess, two things that regularly got her into trouble, she would have perished early in life if not for her father’s close contacts with the king.

Read: The Notorious Opera Duelist of Paris - Julie d'Aubigny


The Katana’s Predecessor: The Tachi

Tachi swords were originally developed around 900 AD and commonly made until about 1600. Typically 2-3 Shaku in length, they are slightly longer than a Katana, the sword to which they are most often compared. However, there are other differences between the two.

This post, told in the form of a short story, examines the strengths and differences between the Tachi and the Katana.

Read: The Katana’s Predecessor: The Tachi



source https://www.bladespro.co.uk/blogs/news/the-best-of-2019-the-best-katana-ever-made-sword-history-warriors-and-more

Thursday 26 December 2019

Best Sellers of 2019: Popular Katanas in the UK

Which katana samurai swords are most popular in the UK in 2019?

With so many katana sword options available, we like to reflect back each year on the top selling designs. With that in mind, here were our best sellers for 2019, in no particular order.

* Note: Products are not in order, but rather, grouped as a suite of best sellers from the year.

Best sellers of 2019:

Aaiwa Katana Samurai Sword

This entry-level Katana combines a stylish Tsuba with a functional blade for training or cutting. Perfect for the beginning practitioner or collector, this is a fine sword at an affordable price.


Blue Blade Samurai Katana - High Carbon Steel with Dragon Sheath

Hand-crafted using traditional forging techniques, this Katana bears a stunningly blue blade and an artistically detailed Tsuba. For martial artists or collectors, this will make a wonderful conversation or practice piece.


Alexei Katana Samurai Sword

This entry-level sword has a single Bo-Hi to make it lighter as well as a decorative Tsuba and speckled Saya. Perfect for the beginning collector or trainer.


Kikyou Katana Samurai Sword

This white Katana gleams from all but its simple black radial Tsuba. Marked with a Bo-Hi, this sword is ready for a challenge.


Kill Bill "The Bride" Katana Samurai Sword

Now you can wield the same sword as Beatrix Kiddo, "The Bride", in the esteemed films of Kill Bill. Beautifully made using traditional methods, crafted to perfection, and based on the wonderfully displayed swords in the movies, this quality Katana Kill Bill sword replica will make a fantastic conversation piece and allows you to feel just like Beatrix in the movies. For true Kill Bill fans!


Tashi Katana Samurai Sword

This entry-level Katana has an attractive black Tsuka and Sageo along with a functional blade suitable for cutting or training. Good for the beginning sword collector or practitioner, this sword looks great without breaking the bank.


Ruolan Folded Red Steel Katana Samurai Sword

The blade of this Katana is a deep red and features a hardwood look. Accentuated by brighter reds of the Saya and Menuki, this sword's rich tones and firm grip will please collectors and trainers alike.


Anatoly Katana Samurai Sword

This Katana has a radial brass Tsuba patterned after the sunrise and contrasted by black Tsuka and Saya. With a gleaming Bo-Hi, this sword is well-suited to training and cutting at an affordable price.


Kill Bill Katana Samurai Sword - "The Groom"

Now you can wield the same sword as Bill, "The Groom", in the esteemed films of Kill Bill.


Achilleo Katana Samurai Sword

This Katana truly stands out with a Dragon-headed Kashira based by a golden Tsuba. Finished with a pure-white Tsuka, this sword is stunning and functional. Great for collectors or practitioners.


Honourable Mentions: Sword Stands & Engraving

To really complete the ‘set’, especially as an office display piece or a wonderful gift, many of our customers also choose to opt for a sword stand and/or engraving.

Two top-selling sword stands:

Decorative Sword Stand For Katana, Wakizashi and Tanto - Single

A simple but sleek sword stand for a Katana, Wakizashi or Tanto. Perfect for emphasizing the sword while fitting almost anywhere.


Wall Mount Sword Holder For Katana, Wakizashi and Tanto - Double

A simple wall mount for Katana, Wakizashi or Tanto. Perfect for emphasizing the swords while fitting almost anywhere. Holds two swords.


And engraving options (with examples of how engraving is presented): Engraving Options

So there you have it -- the top selling katana samurai swords and swords stands from BladesPro UK in 2019. Which is your favourite?
If you have any questions, ask us any time. Check out our range for the best katana samurai swords at exceptional prices.

source https://www.bladespro.co.uk/blogs/news/best-sellers-of-2019-popular-katanas-in-the-uk

Tuesday 10 December 2019

Ichigo Kurosaki

Ichigo Kurosaki is the protagonist of the manga bleach, which has been turned into a popular anime as well as a live-action film. Learn about the character and the sword he wields.

History

Background

Ichigo (a homonym of the Japanese word for the number 15) was born on July 15, 15 years before becoming a Shinigami (Soul Reaper).  At a young age, he started training at a Dojo and learning Karate. Due to his spiritual heritage, he had always been able to see the souls of dead people, but he didn’t know why and often denied having the ability.

Ichigo adored his mother.  One day, when he was nine, he saw the spirit of a girl whom he thought was about to jump into a river, and, not being able to tell it was not a real girl, jumped into the river to save her.  His mom tried to stop him, but he didn’t listen.  Reaching the girl, but unable to grab her, he passed out.  When he finally regained consciousness, he discovered his mom, dead, lying on top of him. 

As he grew older, he got into many fights with bullies and thugs, both from them attacking him and him defending his friends.  Through this, he gained allies.  He eventually entered Karakura High School, where his real journey was about to begin.

Becoming Shinigami

At home one night, Ichigo sees a strange girl (Rukia Kuchiki) in his bedroom.  Thinking she is a burglar, he is convinced of her claim to be a spirit only when she proves that only he can see her.  She begins to explain that she is a Shinigami, but Ichigo doesn’t believe her, forcing her to bind him.  Surprisingly, however, he manages to break free through force of will when he hears his sister’s cries for help.  Rushing to her, he sees her being attacked by a Hollow (a spirit who has remained too long in the Human world after death).  He foolishly tries to stop it with a baseball bat, forcing Rukia to shield him with her body and becoming severely wounded in the process.  As a last-ditch effort to stop the Hollow, Rukia stabs Ichigo with her Zanpakutō (sword), transferring a large portion of her powers into him, allowing him to easily take out the Hollow.

The next day, Ichigo sees Rukia at school, and she tells him he must take over her duties as a Shinigami while she recovers her powers.  He refuses, so she takes him to a park where a Hollow is about to attack.  Finally convincing him of the need to defend others, she helps train him while residing in his closet.   Later, a Hollow attacks, and when Ichigo cuts off part of its mask it is revealed to be Sora Inoue, the spirt of a man whom Ichigo had tried to help years ago but whom ultimately died.  The Hollow flees, and Rukia tells him its likely target is Orihime Inoue, the spirit’s still-alive sister, as Hollows often attack those they loved most in life due to their corruption.

Ichigo manages to arrive on time and begins fighting the Hollow, but, during the fight, Orihime steps between them, and the Hollow injures her.  In a moment of clarity, the Hollow realizes what it had done and stabs itself with Ichigo’s Zanpakuto, purifying it of its sins and allowing it to go to Soul Society.

Loosing it all and Getting It Back

Initially reluctant, over time, Ichigo learns more about what it means to be a Shinigami and takes his duties more seriously.  So seriously in fact, that he eventually sacrifices everything to protect those he loves.  A former Shinigami named Aizen raises an army of Arrancar.  He wields immense power, vast amounts more than a normal Shinigami, so Icihgo is forced to increase his own in order to be sure of victory.  In order to do so, Ichigo learns the Final Getsuga Tenshō and uses it to give himself unmatched power, at the cost of loosing all of it after its use.  Ichigo manages to defeat Aizen but is left powerless.

Seventeen months later, Ichigo is living a normal Human life.  He meets a group of people who reveal they have powers inherited from their mothers who were attacked by Hollows before their birth. They wish to give their Fullbring powers (powers that allow one to manipulate the souls of things or people, giving them very flexible abilities) to Ichigo  as the powers are Hollow in nature and they do not wish to carry that legacy. A man named Kugo leads them.  It is later revealed that Kugo is helping Ichigo activate his powers so Kugo can steal them .  Kugo eventually does manage to steal Ichigo’s powers, but Rukia stabs Ichigo with a sword made from the Reiatsu (spiritual power) of the Gotei 13’s senior officers as well as other strong Shinigami.  This infusion of Reiatsu restores all of Ichigo’s former abilities as well as giving him power exceeding that which he had before.

Later Life

After many years and untold adventures, Ichigo eventually marries Orihime Inoue, the first non-family member he saved as a Shinigami.  Together, they have a son named Kazui Kurosaki who has his father’s hair and his mother’s looks.  His son eventually meets Ichika Abarai, the daughter of Rukia.  Both children have inherited their parents’ powers and are potent Shinigami.

Powers and Abilities

Ichigo is naturally gifted in many areas.  He learns skills in incredibly short time, has great reflexes, is very strong, and has above-average intelligence.  Due to training at a Karate dojo from a young age, he also is very good at martial arts.  Whether this is natural or due to his heritage, Ichigo has immense spiritual power, so much so that he can perceive things and do things when tired that few others could even dream of.

From his mother’s side and his Shinigami training, Ichigo has developed as a master swordsman.  He is not only ambidextrous when wielding a sword, he can also wield two at once without any trouble.  He can utilize Shunpo to move extremely fast while using few steps to get from point A to point B.   In his Shinigami form, his already impressive strength is further enhanced, allowing him to accomplish with a single punch or kick what most people would struggle to achieve with multiple.  As a Shinigami, he is also able to withstand blows that would kill a normal person, and he has superhuman endurance.

Throughout the series, Ichigo learns more about his heritage and acquires different sets of abilities from multiple sources, including Hollow, Quincy, and Fullbringer, among others.

Zanpakuto

Ichigo originally wielded a substitute Zanpakuto, with which he was able to achieve Bankai, but after it was broken he learned it was not his true Zanpakuto.  His true Zanpakuto is formed from the combination of his Shinigami and Hollow powers, forming two differently sized black blades.  The larger blade represents Ichigo’s Inner Hollow, while the smaller blade represents his Quincy powers.

Ichigo’s blade is called Zangetsu.  As with all Zanpakuto, Zangetsu has multiple abilities.  The first and most common is Getsuga Tensho, which means Piercer of Heaven.  When performed, the blade stores some of Ichigo’s spiritual energy, then releases it as the blade slashes, releasing a blade of energy the flies forward, devastating everything in its path.  He also had a Bankai Tensa Zengetsu, which amplified Getsuga Tensho to an untold extent.  His new Bankai’s powers are unknown, but it is considered extremely potent, as it was disabled before it could be used.

See Our Replica Bleach Zanpakuto



source https://www.bladespro.co.uk/blogs/news/ichigo-kurosaki

Wednesday 27 November 2019

Katō Danzō

Early ninjas were credited with being more than just excellent guerrilla fighters and spies – they were ascribed mystical powers that allowed them to levitate, disappear in a cloud of smoke, and do multitudes of other supernatural deeds.  One of the most famous of these early Ninjas is Kato Danzo, who unlike most Ninjas, forsook anonymity for celebrity status as an illusionist.

He was credited with great feats of magic.  In one such tale, he swallowed a bull whole in front of a crowd of over 20 witnesses.  In another, he threw seeds into the ground in front of the audience, and they watched as before them the seeds sprouted and flowered. From these and other such tales, Kato quickly gained a reputation with the powerful nearby landowners (daimyos), and they were afraid of him.

Interestingly enough, Kato desired and solicited employment from a local daimyo named Uesugi Kenshin.  Due to his fear, Uesugi was not happy about this, and, under the guise of testing Kao, tasked him with stealing a sword from one of his rivals.  Hoping Kato would die in the attempt, Uesugi stacked the deck against him.  Uesugi secretly alerted his rival that Kato was coming.  Yet, somehow, Kata still managed to acquire the sword.

The escape, however, is the interesting part, though sources differ on exactly how he managed to do so.  In one version, he made a life-sized dummy of himself attached with a long rope and threw it over the hedge wall.  The guards, seeing the dummy, all fired their arrows.  Imagine their shock when, instead of dying, “Kato” straightened up, and then levitated into the air, still full of arrows!  Another version has him enchant a gourd, from which dancing dolls sprung forth and distracted the guards long enough for him to get away.  From these, Kato gained the name “Tobi”, which means “flying”.

Unfortunately, Kato’s luck eventually ran out.  Not wanting to work for a man trying to kill him, Kato switched employment from Uesugi to Uesugi’s archrival Takeda.  He made the wrong choice.  Taekeda thought him too dangerous and ordered Kato decapitated.  Thus ended the short but miraculous story of Kato Danzo.

See our Ninja Swords >



source https://www.bladespro.co.uk/blogs/news/kato-danzo

Wednesday 13 November 2019

Lu Bu – Loyalty Like Sand

Lu Bu was a dynamic man who played an important part in Chinese history.  A cunning warrior, his martial prowess was nearly unmatched.  However, what he had physically he lacked in tactical ability and personal loyalty.

The Backstabbing Begins

Lu was from what is now Inner Mongolia – the northernmost province of China.  A renowned martial artist, he was recruited by the Cavalry Commandant and taken to Henan – located centrally in China.  When the Emperor died, Lu Bu went with the Commandant to the capital Louyang to join a coalition led by a general in deposing some corrupt and powerful eunuchs.  Due to the eunuchs faking an imperial degree, the general was killed, and warlord Dong Zhuo took his place.  Dong Zhuo successfully took the capital, but wanted more control of the coalition, so he induced Lu Bu to kill the Commandant who recruited him.  After the Commandant’s death, Dong Zhuo appointed Lu as the new Commandant, and eventually promoted him to General.

Now, Dong Zhuo was not a benevolent dictator, and the populace grew unhappy.  A coalition was formed to oppose him, led by Yuan Shao.  Lu Bu was in co-command of one of the defense forces.  Unfortunately, Lu could not get along with his co-commander, giving one of the enemy commanders the opportunity to attack and force them into retreat.  The defense had to pull back to the capital.  Dong Zhuo decided to move the capital to Chang’an, farther East.  He “encouraged” the populace to come with him by burning Louyang.  Luckily for him, the coalition petered out and dissolved.

As you can see, Dong Zhuo was not a very nice man.  Because of this, he was worried about potential assassination attempts.  Therefore, he chose Lu Bu to be his bodyguard.  However, even in front of a trusted compatriot, he still could not stop his fits of rage. One day, during such a fit, he threw several daggers at Lu Bu.  As you can imagine, regardless of how well Dong Zhuo had treated him, Lu was not happy about this.  Because of a secret affair Lu was having with one of Dong’s maids, he also was feeling less loyal to Dong.

Lu took the opportunity to make his complaints known, and he just happened to talk to the wrong people: two officials who had a secret plan to kill Dong Zhuo.  They decided to let Lu in on the plan, and he, after putting up a token defense, let them talk him into killing Dong, which he did quickly.  With Dong Zhuo dead, the two officials seized power and appointed Lu to one of the higher positions in the new government.

A coalition formed to oppose the new government, and Lu Bu was in command of the defense.  This time, one of the enemy commanders decided that dueling rather than fighting was the best way to attack, and he approached Lu Bu with the offer.  Lu Bu, being an expert martial artist, accepted and won the duel, leaving the commander injured.  The commander’s soldiers rescued him, and even though the duel had been won by Lu Bu, fighting eventually commenced.  Now, as we’ve noted before, Lu Bu was an excellent fighter but a rather poor commander, and he was forced to withdraw from Chang’an. 

A Few More Betrayals

Lu Bu traveled until he found Yuan Shu, the brother of Yuan Shao.  Because of Yuan Shu’s dislike of Dong Zhuo, Lu thought Yuan would be grateful to him for killing Dong.  However, this was not the case, and Yuan grew worried of Lu Bu, especially as Lu had allowed his men to raid the area, territory which belonged to Yuan.  Lu Bu, not one to stay where he was not welcome, left to meet Yuan Shao.

Lu Bu joined Yuan Shao’s forces and helped during many raids against a man called Zhang Yang.  However, the same problems that had occurred with Yuan Shu reared their heads, this time being severe enough that Yuan Shao plotted Lu’s death.  However, Lu got wind of it and ordered one poor soldier to be a decoy and sleep in his tent.  The soldier was murdered in his sleep, and Lu fled to the enemy Zhang Yang for refuge!

Lu sweet-talked his way into Zhang’s good graces by bringing up that they were originally from the same province and should help each other.  Zhang Yang protected him from Yuan’s men as well as from some other former associates of Dong Zhuo.  Eventually Lu Bu decided to leave and return home.

On the way home, he met Zhang Miao, whom he befriended.  Zhang Miao ruled over territories ultimately controlled by Cao Cao, a powerful warlord, who was an ally of Yuan Shu.  However, when Cao Cao left to attack another province, Zhang Miao’s younger brother started a rebellion.  Lu Bu, of course, had to join in, and he took control of the city of Puyang and declared himself Governor.  Cao Cao cut short his campaign and returned home to oust the rebellion.  Lu Bu and Cao Cao fought for over 100 days, but Lu’s side fared worse because of a drought and locusts.  It got so bad that the people of Puyang started to resort to cannibalism.   Lu had to leave, so he moved his base east to Shanyang.  Cao Cao eventually caught up and won the battle, once again forcing Lu to flee.

Lu met a man named Liu.  Lu was very respectful to Liu, but by this time Lu had gained a reputation as a backstabber, so Liu did not trust him, though he kept this distrust quiet.  Yuan Shu heard that Lu was staying with Liu, and sent Lu a private letter detailing Yuan’s former struggles with Dong Zhu, thanking Lu for killing Dong, and asking him to help Yuan remove Liu from power in exchange for a large amount of and continuous flow of supplies, as well as shelter.  Lu was delighted and, when Liu led an army to fight Yuan Shu, kidnapped Liu’s family.  Yuan Shu’s army managed to defeat Liu, so Liu was forced to return home in disgrace, humiliated on both sides.  However, Lu was not happy that Yuan’s promised supplies were late in coming, and welcomed Liu back with open arms, appointing him to a high position in the government Lu had just usurped from him! 

Not only was Lu an impressive warrior, he also had unparalleled archery skill.  When Yuan Shu sent a general to attack him, Lu set up a bet, where if he managed to hit a polearm exactly in one designated spot, the opposing force would leave.  He made the shot, which impressed everyone, and prevented the battle.

And A Few More

Yuan Shu eventually got a bit big for his britches and declared himself Emperor.  This quickly attracted the attention of the real Emperor, who ordered anyone who could to kill Yuan.  Yuan feared Lu, so even with all their past history, he proposed a marriage alliance between his son and Lu’s daughter which Lu accepted.  However, Lu was convinced not to go through with the marriage once he was reminded how Yuan had treated him in the past, so he ordered men to catch up with the convey and take his daughter back.

During this time, Lu also sent a message to the real Emperor, and, in return, was appointed as a General. This involved getting a physical seal as part of the promotion.  However, the emissary bringing the seal lost it, and the responsibility and guilt for this action fell upon Lu.  He wrote another letter to the Emperor taking responsibility, attempting to explain why he had not supported the Emperor earlier, and proclaiming his attempt to follow all the Emperor’s commands to the best of his ability, particularly the command to eliminate Yuan Shu.  Surprisingly, Cao Cao, the warlord whom Lu had fought against before wrote encouragement to Lu and paid for the making of another seal as the Imperial Treasury did not have enough.  However, Cao Cao also warned Lu about Lu’s connections to Yuan, advising him to immediately sever all ties.

When Yuan, still waiting for the marriage convey to arrive, got news of Lu’s newest betrayal, he was livid.  He allied with two other commanders and prepared to attack Lu.  Lu got wind of the attack and, via a letter reminding the two commanders of the real Emperor’s command and a promise of vast rewards for helping, managed to win them to his side.  Together, Lu and the two commanders struck toward Yuan’s capital, plundering all the way. 

When Lu drew close to Yuan, Lu sent a messenger taunting Yuan about the fact that he had managed to sway Yuan’s allies to his side.  Then, he and his men laughed at Yuan across a river, then withdrew. 

Lu Meets his End

A few years later, Lu found himself allied with Yuan again, this time against Liu Bei.  With Lu not leading the army himself, Lu’s commander managed to win against Liu, plus some reinforcements Cao Cao sent.  Cao Cao decided to strike directly at Lu Bu.  As Cao closed in, he sent a letter to Lu outlining why it would be best for Lu to surrender.  Lu almost did, but his advisers all remembered Lu’s previous betrayal of Cao Cao and urged him to reconsider.   He did for a time, but as Cao ramped up his attacks, Lu once again found himself preparing to surrender.  His advisers again pushed back, so he sent a request for aid from Yuan Shu.

Yuan, still upset about the whole marriage renegement, laughed at Lu’s emissaries.  Lu’s emissaries told him he would suffer too if Lu was defeated, so Yuan made a show of preparing his forces.  Lu, knowing none of this, guessed correctly that Yuan was still upset about the failed marriage alliance and attempted to kidnap his daughter and fight single-handedly through Cao Cao’s lines in order to personally deliver her to Yuan’s son!  While Lu was a master warrior, he was not good enough to win, by himself, against the whole army, especially with his daughter tied to his back.  Having to take cover against the enemy’s archers, he was forced to retreat back into the city.

Lu decided to strike against the enemy’s supply lines, but his wife, better able to read the political undercurrents between Lu’s advisers, advised him not to go.  This resulted in a few rounds of silent tug of war over Lu’s mind, with Lu constantly changing his opinion to coincide with whom he heard from last.  Cao Cao, unable to break into the city, was beginning to get tired, but his advisers convinced him to keep trying.  Cao tried a different tactic, diverting two rivers in order to flood the city Lu was in.  Lu’s men were losing the will to fight, and eventually a few of Lu’s subordinates managed to capture Lu’s troublesome advisers, then surrender to Cao Cao.

Lu tried to have his men kill him and present his head to Cao, but they wouldn’t do so.  Lu was then captured by Cao’s men and brought before him.  Lu pleaded with Cao, and Cao almost released him, but Liu Bei, who was also there, reminded Cao of how untrustworthy Lu was.  Lu, finally feeling the sting of betrayal himself, was enraged at Liu, ironically calling Liu “the most untrustworthy person”.  Cao finally ended Lu’s betrayal spree by having him hanged.

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source https://www.bladespro.co.uk/blogs/news/lu-bu-loyalty-like-sand

Wednesday 30 October 2019

Kunoichi: Female Ninjas

Kunoichi is a modern term used to refer to women who served as Ninjas in medieval Japan.  The term most likely is phonetic – as the Kanji character for woman 女 is composed of three strokes which also occur in the Japanese phonetic alphabet く(Ku), ノ (No), and, 一 ( Ichi ).

Roles and Disguises

Ninjas are famous for their stealth – sneaking into places in the dead of night, striking with a quick flash of steel, then fading back into the shadows.  And while female ninjas did receive similar combat training to their male counterparts, their roles used stealth in a much different way.  Kunoichi served as spies, using their unassuming nature as women to infiltrate targets, passing on information to their allies or getting close enough to pull off a quick assignation.  These roles required months or years, with some even requiring a lifetime.  The women were often required to use intimate means to keep and hold a target’s trust over long periods of time.

Possibly the most famous Kunoichi was Chiyome.  A widow of the nephew of a powerful Daiymo (Lord)  Shingen, she was asked by Shingen to gather girls and train them in espionage.  The girls were collected young and were often orphans.  They were trained to be mediums.  Japan, a religious country at the time, allowed great freedom of movement to religious practitioners, and they were often trusted implicitly because of their “connections” to the divine.  This allowed the women to gather information without being suspected.  Chiyome reportedly trained over 200 women to be these traveling spies.

Tools of the Kunoichi

The Kunoichi had two very popular tools that served them well.  The first was Neko-te.  These were like tiger claws that could be slipped onto a finger similar to a thimble.  The sharp tip could be dipped in poison in order to make a scratch lethal.  Because of their small size, they were easy to hide in clothes.  Another popular weapon was a bladed fan.  Japan gets very hot in the summer, so women were expected to carry fans around to keep cool.  Having a fan with hidden blades was an easy way to carry a weapon around with one at all times, hidden in plain sight.  Finally, they would sometimes use a metal box with a false bottom to have their things carried between cities.  This false bottom could hold a person, allowing them to sneak  a male ninja into a guarded compound when required.

Conclusion

Kunoichi had roles just as important as male ninjas, though they served in a very different way.  Many a Samurai fell victim to these master infiltrators, whether through direct assignation or through their divulgence of their secrets.

Want to be a ninja?
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source https://www.bladespro.co.uk/blogs/news/kunoichi-female-ninjas

Wednesday 16 October 2019

Honjo Masamune – The Best Katana Ever Made

The Greatest Swordsmiths

Masamune and Muramasa are credited as being the two best Japanese swordsmiths who ever lived.  Their blades were so good that they were often described as having mystical properties.  While the swordsmiths lived over 500 years ago, some of their swords survive today.

Masamune and Muramasa were described as having very different temperaments, and the swords they created were said to be imbued with traits embodied in the swordsmiths who forged them.  One legend perfectly describes this.  In the story, Masamune and Muramasa are taking part in a sword competition to determine which of them is the best.  The swords are suspended over a river.  Muramasa’s sword cuts everything that touches it, while Masamune’s blade cuts only the leaves, leaving the fish unharmed.  Muramasa quickly claims victory.  However, a traveling monk who is judging the competition declares Masamune’s blade superior, for while Muramasa’s blade did not distinguish between friend or foe and bloodthirstily cut everything it could, Masamune’s blade spared that which was good, and cut only what it must.  

The Greatest Blade

The greatest sword Masamune ever forged was called the Honjo Masamune, after a 16th century general Honjo Shigenaga and Masamune himself.  In 1561, Honjo fought a duel against an enemy general who wielded said sword.  When Honjo won by striking the enemy’s helmet so hard it split in twain, he claimed the sword as his own.  Many decades later, he sold the sword to the ruling Toyotomi clan, who lost it to the new Shogun (military dictator) when he took power.  The sword then passed from Shogun to Shogun until the Tokugawa Shogunate eventually fell.  Even after losing power, the family managed to keep the sword.

At least, until the end of WWII, when Japan lost the war and the Allies came looking for booty.  The Allies demanded all the nobility in Japan hand over their familiar swords.  As you can imagine, the nobles were livid at this demand.  However, Tokugawa Lemasa, who possessed the sword at that time, decided to set an example and gave up his family’s collection.  The sword immediately disappeared from history, and its whereabouts are still unknown.  However, all hope is not lost.  Someone recently (2013) brought a sword to the Kyoto National Museum, and it was later to be determined to be one of Masamune’s make (The Shimazu Masamune), rediscovered after disappearing from historical records for over 150 years.  Thus, the Honjo Masamune might still be out there, hidden in some unsuspecting family’s trinkets or owned by a knowledgeable but secretive private collector.

Fun Fact

Powerful swords in video games are often named after Masamune and Muramasa. 

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source https://www.bladespro.co.uk/blogs/news/honjo-masamune-best-katana-ever-made