御手杵
Otegine
Auch bekannt als: One of the Three Great Spears
Beschreibung
One of the Three Great Spears of Japan, Otegine was commissioned by Yūki Harutomo. Its spearhead measured an extraordinary 138 cm, making it exceptionally large. The name 'Otegine' (hand pestle) derives from its scabbard's resemblance to a rice-pounding pestle. Passed from the Yūki clan to the Matsudaira family, it was carefully preserved as a daimyō heirloom throughout the Edo period, only to be lost in the Tokyo firebombing of 1945. Yūki City has since created a replica to preserve its memory. Its appearance in the game Touken Ranbu has introduced the lost spear to a new generation of admirers.
Legenden & Geschichten
Otegine's defining feature was its extraordinary size — a spearhead of 138 cm, more than twice the length of a typical spear. It was said to have been created to showcase the martial prestige of the Yūki clan, and during the sankin-kōtai processions to Edo, this massive weapon at the head of the column left onlookers awestruck. Tragically, the spear was reduced to ash along with the Matsudaira residence during the Tokyo firebombing of May 1945. As the only one of the Three Great Spears that no longer exists, its loss is considered one of the greatest tragedies in the history of Japanese arms. The replica created by Yūki City stands as a valuable effort to preserve the memory of this legendary weapon.