骨喰藤四郎
Honebami Tōshirō
Also known as: Bone Eater
Description
A wakizashi by Awataguchi Yoshimitsu, believed to have been originally forged as a naginata and later shortened. The fearsome name 'Honebami' (Bone Eater) derives from the legend that merely pointing this blade at an enemy would shatter their bones. Treasured by the Ōtomo clan, it was presented to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, then lost in the fall of Osaka Castle. Remarkably, it was recovered from the ruins and re-tempered. Now housed at Toyokuni Shrine in Kyoto, its tale of destruction and resurrection — 'the sword that rose from the ashes' — continues to captivate admirers.
Legends & Stories
The name 'Bone Eater' stems from the terrifying legend that merely pointing the blade at an enemy could shatter their bones without contact. The Ōtomo clan treasured it for generations, and its name was spoken with awe throughout Kyūshū's warrior society. After being presented to Hideyoshi, it was stored in Osaka Castle and engulfed in flames during the Summer Siege of Osaka in 1615. Yet the blade was recovered from the ruins and re-tempered by Echizen Yasutsugu, rising like a phoenix. A sword that 'devours bone and conquers fire' — truly an immortal masterpiece. In Touken Ranbu, it is depicted as a wakizashi who has lost his memories, a creative nod to the blade's historical destruction and rebirth that has resonated deeply with fans.
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