上杉謙信

Uesugi Kenshin, revered as the 'God of War,' was a warrior of profound righteousness and an equally profound devotion to Japanese swords. His collection was considered peerless among Sengoku-era daimyō; the blades passed down through the Uesugi clan are celebrated as the 'Thirty-Five Select Swords of the Uesugi House.' Among them, the National Treasure Sanchōmō (by the Ichimonji school) stands as the supreme masterpiece of Bizen swordmaking. The tachi Himetsuru Ichimonji is famous for the legend that a princess appeared in Kenshin's dream, begging him not to polish the blade. In the celebrated Battle of Kawanakajima, Kenshin is said to have personally charged Takeda Shingen and struck at him with the famous sword Azuki Nagamitsu. A devout follower of Bishamonten, Kenshin also valued swords as sacred offerings to the gods and Buddha.