黒田官兵衛

Kuroda Kanbei (Josui) was one of the Sengoku era's foremost strategists, serving as the chief military advisor who guided Toyotomi Hideyoshi to national unification. Even after being imprisoned in Arioka Castle, he never wavered in his convictions and devised the crucial strategies behind Hideyoshi's Great Return from China and the Kyūshū Campaign. His most famous sword is Heshikiri Hasebe, a National Treasure bestowed upon him by Oda Nobunaga. Forged by Hasebe Kunishige, this tachi brilliantly harmonizes the powerful hamon of Sōshū-den with precise craftsmanship, symbolizing Kanbei's blend of intellect and martial prowess. The Nikkō Ichimonji, another National Treasure, is also a famed Kuroda-clan heirloom. Having laid the foundations of Fukuoka domain, Kanbei patronized the smiths of Chikuzen, and the Kuroda house maintained a superb sword collection throughout the Edo period. Hideyoshi himself feared Kanbei as 'a man capable of taking the realm' — an ambition reflected in the caliber of his swords.